Abstract
The enzyme-coupled transient receptor potential channel subfamily M member 7, TRPM7, has been associated with immunity and immune cell signalling. Here, we review the role of this remarkable signalling protein in lymphocyte proliferation, differentiation, activation and survival. We also discuss its role in mast cell, neutrophil and macrophage function and highlight the potential of TRPM7 to regulate immune system homeostasis. Further, we shed light on how the cellular signalling cascades involving TRPM7 channel and/or kinase activity culminate in pathologies as diverse as allergic hypersensitivity, arterial thrombosis and graft versus host disease (GVHD), stressing the need for TRPM7 specific pharmacological modulators.
Highlights
The melastatin-like TRPM7 channel conducts divalent cations, calcium (Ca2+ ), magnesium (Mg2+ ) and zinc (Zn2+ ) [1,2,3]
Authors concluded that the TRPM7 kinase activity controls murine mast cell degranulation and histamine release independently of TRPM7 channel function [32]
As patients with inherited neutrophil deficiencies suffer from severe infections that are often fatal, underscoring the importance of this cell type in immune defence, it is critical to gain a better understanding of the role of TRPM7 channel and kinase activities in the signalling cascades triggering neutrophil migration [53]
Summary
The melastatin-like TRPM7 channel conducts divalent cations, calcium (Ca2+ ), magnesium (Mg2+ ) and zinc (Zn2+ ) [1,2,3]. Deletion of the exons encoding the TRPM7 kinase domain only (Trpm7∆k/∆k ) leads to early embryonic lethality [4]. The latter phenotype could be attributed to a reduction in channel activity in this mutant, as mice bearing a single point mutation at the active site of the kinase (K1646R, Trpm7R/R ), inactivating its catalytic activity, are viable and display no obvious phenotype [29,30]. Inactivation of kinase activity via the K1646R mutation (Trpm7R/R ), though, does not affect current development [29,30,32] (Figure 1). Protein consists of six transmembrane withlocated the channel pore segment located between segment and N-terminus
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