Kir6.1, a component of an ATP-sensitive potassium channel, regulates natural killer cell development.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Involved in immunity and reproduction, natural killer (NK) cells offer opportunities to develop new immunotherapies to treat infections and cancer or to alleviate pregnancy complications. Most current strategies use cytokines or antibodies to enhance NK-cell function, but none use ion channel modulators, which are widely used in clinical practice to treat hypertension, diabetes, epilepsy, and other conditions. Little is known about ion channels in NK cells.

Results

We show that Kcnj8, which codes for the Kir6.1 subunit of a certain type of ATP-sensitive potassium (K_ATP) channel, is highly expressed in murine splenic and uterine NK cells compared to other K⁺ channels previously identified in NK cells. Kcnj8 expression is highes

SUBMITTER: Samper N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11646858 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature