Ion Channels as Therapeutic Targets--CHI's Fourth Annual Conference

Kevin S Thorneloe1

  • 1GlaxoSmithKline plc, 709 Swedeland Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406, USA. kevin.s.thorneloe@gsk.com

Idrugs : the Investigational Drugs Journal
|December 22, 2009
PubMed

Insights

This conference report summarizes key advances in ion channel drug discovery, focusing on therapeutic targets like sensory transient receptor potential channels and potassium channels. It also covers chloride channel screening and cardiovascular safety assessments for ion channel modulators.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry and Pharmacology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Drug Discovery

Background:

  • Ion channels are crucial drug targets for various diseases.
  • Advancements in understanding ion channel function are driving new therapeutic strategies.
  • The field of ion-channel drug discovery is rapidly evolving.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report on recent developments and discussions from the Ion Channels as Therapeutic Targets meeting.
  • To highlight novel approaches in ion-channel drug discovery.
  • To provide insights into channelopathies and safety evaluations.

Main Methods:

  • Selected presentations from the conference were reviewed.
  • Discussions covered sensory transient receptor potential channels, potassium-channel modulation, and chloride-channel screening.
  • Methods for channel occupancy evaluation and cardiovascular safety prediction were examined.

Main Results:

  • New therapeutic developments in ion channel drug discovery were presented.
  • Insights into human genetic mutations in channelopathies were shared.
  • Methods for predicting cardiovascular safety of ion channel modulators were discussed.

Conclusions:

  • The meeting underscored the significant potential of ion channels as therapeutic targets.
  • Advances in screening and evaluation methods are crucial for effective ion-channel drug development.
  • Understanding channelopathies and safety profiles is essential for clinical translation.

Related Concept Videos

Ion Channels01:19

Ion Channels

The movement of ions like sodium, potassium, and calcium into and out of the cell is essential to maintain the electrochemical gradient in living cells. The ion channels—a class of membrane transport proteins—help maintain this ionic gradient for the smooth functioning of physiological activities such as maintaining cell size and volume, conducting nerve impulses, and gas and nutrient exchange.
Ion channels are specialized integral membrane proteins on the plasma membrane that allow specific...
Non-gated Ion Channels01:24

Non-gated Ion Channels

Ion channels are specialized proteins on the plasma membrane that allow charged ions to pass down their electrochemical gradient. Their main function is to maintain the membrane potential which is critical for cell viability. These channels are either gated or non-gated and can transport more than a thousand ions within milliseconds for the cellular event to occur.
Compared to the gated ion channels, the non-gated channels, also known as leakage or passive channels, have no gating mechanism.
Ligand-gated Ion Channels01:19

Ligand-gated Ion Channels

Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins with a channel for ions to pass through and a binding site for a ligand. The channel opens only when a ligand attaches to the binding site.
Three Subfamilies of Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated ion channels fall into three subfamilies. The 'Cys-loop' includes the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors. The second one is the 'Pore-loop' channels that include the...
Ligand-gated Ion Channels01:19

Ligand-gated Ion Channels

Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins with a channel for ions to pass through and a binding site for a ligand. The channel opens only when a ligand attaches to the binding site.
Three Subfamilies of Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated ion channels fall into three subfamilies. The 'Cys-loop' includes the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors. The second one is the 'Pore-loop' channels that include the...
Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism01:30

Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism

Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that play a vital role in intercellular communication and functions of the nervous system. They allow the influx of ions across the membrane once the neurotransmitter binds, allowing the subsequent transmission of electrical excitation across the neurons. Other ligand-gated ion channels, like the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, permit anions like chloride into the cells on the binding of the GABA molecule. Their entry into the cell...
Voltage-gated Ion Channels01:26

Voltage-gated Ion Channels

Voltage-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that open and close in response to changes in the membrane potential. They are present on the membranes of all electrically excitable cells such as neurons, heart, and muscle cells.
Generally, all voltage-gated ion channels have a 'voltage-sensing domain' that spans the lipid bilayer. The charged residues in the sensor move in response to the membrane potential changes that open the channel allowing ions movement. There are several types of...