Voltage-Gated Potassium Channels Kv1.3 in Health and Disease

Abstract

Voltage-gated potassium channels Kv1.3 are widely expressed among many cell types, both in the plasma membrane and in the inner mitochondrial membrane (mito Kv1.3 channels). The channel activity plays an important role, among others, in regulation of proliferation and apoptosis of Kv1.3 channel-expressing cells. The channel expression is significantly up-regulated upon activation of lymphocytes, microglia and macrophages. The expression of Kv1.3 channels may be significantly changed (up-regulated or down-regulated) in some cancer disorders. Inhibition of Kv1.3 channels may be beneficial in treatment of T cell-mediated autoimmune diseases (e.g. sclerosis multiplex, type I diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis), neuroinflammatory diseases (e.g. ischemic stroke, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, Alzheimer disease), ‘chronic inflammatory diseasesʼ (e.g. renal diseases, pulmonary diseases), severe cases of COVID-19, liver diseases (e.g. acute liver injury, alcoholic liver disease, hepatic fibrosis), metabolic diseases (e.g. obesity, type II diabetes mellitus) and some cancer disorders characterised by an over-expression of Kv1.3 channels (e.g. melanoma, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), multiple myeloma and B-type chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL)). Many inhibitors of Kv1.3 channels, with distinct molecular structure and chemical properties, may putatively be applied in treatment of the diseases. However, in order to apply the channel inhibitors in medicinal practice, more research studies will have to be performed.