About the Lab
The research activities of our lab are focused on the study of the effects of excitatory neurotransmitters and their receptors on human T-cell physiology using electrophysiology (patch clamp), proliferation assays, intracellular calcium measurements, PCR ,and western blot. Furthermore we are interested in the function and glutamatergic modulation of the main potassium conductance of T-cells namely; Kv1.3 channel, in CNS and Autoimmune disorders.
In particular we have studied the activation and regulation of Kv1.3 channels by metabotropic glutamate receptors in T-cells from healthy individuals and patients with ALS, Alzheimer disease,Multiple Sclerosis, SLE.
Our current research studies are based on:
- Identification of the mechanisms through which group I and group II mGluR exert their modulation on the Kv1.3 channel and therefore on T-cell activity. Investigate the targets that lead to abnormal modulation of the Kv1.3 channel in T lymphocytes from AD and MS patients.
- the effects of cholinergic transmission in T-cell mediated immunity