Contribution of large-pore channels to inflammation induced by microorganisms

José L Vega; Camila Gutiérrez; Mauro Rojas; Juan Güiza; Juan C Sáez

doi:10.3389/fcell.2022.1094362

Contribution of large-pore channels to inflammation induced by microorganisms

Front Cell Dev Biol. 2023 Jan 9:10:1094362. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1094362. eCollection 2022.

Authors

José L Vega^{1

2

3}, Camila Gutiérrez¹, Mauro Rojas¹, Juan Güiza¹, Juan C Sáez⁴

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Gap Junctions Proteins and Parasitic Diseases (GaPaL), Instituto Antofagasta, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile.
² Centro de Investigación en Inmunología y Biotecnología Biomédica de Antofagasta (CIIBBA), Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile.
³ Centro de Fisiología y Medicina de Altura (FIMEDALT), Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile.
⁴ Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias de Valparaíso (CINV), Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile.

Abstract

Plasma membrane ionic channels selectively permeate potassium, sodium, calcium, and chloride ions. However, large-pore channels are permeable to ions and small molecules such as ATP and glutamate, among others. Large-pore channels are structures formed by several protein families with little or no evolutionary linkages including connexins (Cxs), pannexins (Panxs), innexin (Inxs), unnexins (Unxs), calcium homeostasis modulator (CALHMs), and Leucine-rich repeat-containing 8 (LRRC8) proteins. Large-pore channels are key players in inflammatory cell response, guiding the activation of inflammasomes, the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß), and the release of adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP), which is considered a danger signal. This review summarizes our current understanding of large-pore channels and their contribution to inflammation induced by microorganisms, virulence factors or their toxins.

Keywords: CALHM; LRRC8; connexin; infectious disease; innexin; pannexin.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

This work was partially written by JLV at the Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), and was supported by the MINEDUC-UA project, code ANT 1999 (to JV), the Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (FONDECYT) grant 1191329 (to JS), and as grant ICM-ANID for Project P09-022 awarded to the CINV (to JS).