[Calcium signaling in T lymphocytes]

Virginie Robert1, Emily Triffaux, Magali Savignac

  • 1Inserm U1043, centre de physiopathologie de Toulouse Purpan, place du Docteur Baylac, BP 3028, 31024 Toulouse Cedex 3, France. virginie.robert@inserm.fr

Medecine Sciences : M/S
|August 28, 2012
PubMed

Calcium signaling is essential for all the functions of T lymphocytes, including those of Th2 cells. Th2 lymphocytes producing interleukins 4, 5 and 13 orchestrate allergic diseases including asthma. T-cell activation induces an influx of Ca(2+) from the external medium through ORAI calcium channels although other calcium channels are likely to be involved. Among them, voltage-gated calcium (Ca(v)1) channels have been reported in some T-cell subsets including Th2 cells. The inhibition of Ca(v)1 channels abrogates T-cell receptor-driven calcium influx and interleukin production by Th2 cells. From a therapeutic point of view, the inhibition of Ca(v)1 channels prevents Th2-dependent experimental allergic asthma. In this review, we will discuss the singularities of calcium responses depending upon the T-cell subset and its state of activation.

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