Selective inhibition of the mitochondrial Kv1.3 prevents and alleviates multiple sclerosis in vivo

ABSTRACT: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by invasion of the brain by effector memory T (TEM) lymphocytes that have been activated by repeated auto-antigen stimulation. Existing therapies target these and other autoreactive lymphocytes but their side effects include general immunosuppression and toxicity. Because the Kv1.3 potassium channel is highly expressed by chronically activated autoreactive TEMs, we investigated whether specific targeting of mitochondrial Kv1.3 using the pharmacological inhibitor PAPTP could selectively kill these TEMs in patients and mice with MS. 1 µM PAPTP targeted and reduced the number of autoreactive TEMs in blood samples from relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients, leaving other T cell populations unaffected. Remarkably, pre-treatment of the entire T cell popu

SUBMITTER: Beatrice Angi 

PROVIDER: S-SCDT-10_1038-S44321-025-00307-2 | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other