Targeting SK2 mitochondrial channels: A Promising Target for Neuroprotective Strategies

Pr Carsten Culmsee is Full Professor for Clinical Pharmacy at Philipps-Universitaet Marburg, Germany. He is specialized on research of mechanisms of neuronal cell death and brain damage.

According Pr Culmsee: "So far, small conductance calcium-activated potassium channels have been detected in the plasma membrane of neurons, where they control NMDA receptor activity thereby preventing glutamate-induced excitotoxicity in vitro and ischemic brain damage in vivo. More recently, using biochemical analysis and patch clamp recordings in mitoplasts, we identified functional SK2 channels in the inner mitochondrial membrane of neuronal mitochondria. Activation of these mitoSK2 channels attenuated the loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential, blocked mitochondrial fission, and prevented the release of pro-apoptotic mitochondrial proteins and cell death in a neuronal cell line and in differentiated dopaminergic neurons. These data suggest that mitoSK2 channels are promising novel targets for neuroprotective strategies in the treatment of neurological diseases where mitochondrial damage is prominent."

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