부산대학교 도서관

The voltage-gated potassium channel Kvl.3 has been recently identified as a molecular target that allows the selective pharmacological suppression of effector memory T cells ([T.sub.EM]) without affecting the function of naive T cells (TN) and central memory T cells ([T.sub.CM]). We found that Kvl.3 was expressed on glomeruli and some tubules in rats with anti-glomerular basement membrane glomerulonephritis (anti-GBM GN). A flow cytometry analysis using kidney cells revealed that most of the [CD4.sup.+] T cells and some of the [CD8.sup.+] T cells had the [T.sub.EM] phenotype ([CD45RC.sup.-][CD62L.sup.-]). Double immunofluorescence staining using mononuclear cell suspensions isolated from anti-GBM GN kidney showed that Kvl.3 was expressed on T cells and some macrophages. We therefore investigated whether the Kvl.3 blocker Psora-4 can be used to treat anti-GBM GN. Rats that had been given an injection of rabbit anti-rat GBM antibody were also injected with Psora-4 or the vehicle intraperitoneally. Rats given Psora-4 showed less proteinuria and fewer crescentic glomeruli than rats given the vehicle. These results suggest that [T.sub.EM] and some macrophages expressing Kvl.3 channels play a critical role in the pathogenesis of crescentic GN and that Psora-4 will be useful for the treatment of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. WKY rats; crescentic glomerulonephritis; flow cytometric analysis doi: 10.1152/ajprenal.00374.2010