Molecular
Physiology Laboratory
Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
University
of Barcelona
Members
Research
interest
Selected
Publications
Collaborations
Group's Photo
Antonio Felipe Campo , PhD, Associate
Professor
Núria Comes, PhD, Research Assistant Professor
PhD
Students and Fellows
Laura Solé Codina
Mireia
Pérez Verdaguer
Anna Oliveras Martínez
Albert Vallejo Gracia
Sara Roig Merino
Antonio Serrano Albarrás
Sara Rolle Sóñora
Former
graduate students
Mireia Coma Camprodón
Rinat Dahan
Gemma Fuster Orellana
Maribel Grande Robles
Meritxell Roura Ferrer
Irini Tsevi
Rubén Vicente García
Núria Villalonga Barceló
Ramón Martínez Mármol
Joanna Bielanska
The Molecular Physiology laboratory is interested on the molecular
identification and physiological role of Na and K ionic channels from
immune system cells, and its regulation in the cardiovascular and nervous
system. Ionic channels are the membrane proteins responsible of the action
potential regulation and to keep the membrane potential by passing ions through
the lipid structure of plasma membrane. Their activity is very important in
synaptic transmission and in the electric waves in the brain. They also play a
key role in the cardiac action potential. Whereas the physiological role of ionic
channels in tissues having electric properties is quite clear, their role in
non-electrically cell types is uncertain. Thus, it has been suggested that
ionic channels play an important role in the insulin release from b-pancreatic cells.
In kidney are related to ionic reabsortion and cell volume control during filtering. In uterus,
where ionic channels are almost undetectable in basal conditions, are highly
induced the last hours of pregnancy. This fact
could be related to the uterine contractions during delivery. In the immune
system cells, it is known the existence of Na and K ionic currents however, few
proteins have been identified and almost nothing is known about their
physiological role. Few studies show that ionic channel activity could be
related to nitric oxide production and TNF -α release. These results
suggest that ionic channels play an important
role in the immunological response to external injuries (viral or bacterial
infections) or autoimmune diseases. In the striated muscle, ion channels play a
key role in cellular differentiation and proliferation. Our interest is to
study the role of voltage-dependent ion channels during cell cycle progression
and G0 withdraw. This process leads
to myotube fusion by means of membrane hyperpolarization. The knowledge of the responsible
fusion mechanisms between myoblasts and myoubes is important for the treatment based in
regeneration and gene therapies in muscle disorders.
Kv1.5 in the immune system: the good, the bad, or the ugly? Felipe A, Soler C, Comes N. Front Physiol. 2010; 1:152.
Impact of KCNE subunits on KCNQ1 (Kv7.1) channel membrane surface targeting. Roura-Ferrer M, Solé L, Oliveras A, Dahan R, Bielanska J, Villarroel A, Comes N, Felipe A. J Cell Physiol. 2010; 225(3):692-700.
Immunomodulatory effects of diclofenac in leukocytes through the targeting of Kv1.3 voltage-dependent potassium channels. Villalonga N, David M, Bielańska J, González T, Parra D, Soler C, Comes N, Valenzuela C, Felipe A. Biochem Pharmacol. 2010; 80(6):858-66.
Does a physiological role for KCNE subunits exist in the immune
system? Solé L, Felipe
A. Commun Integr Biol. 2010; 3(2):166-8.
Immunomodulation of voltage-dependent K+ channels in
macrophages: molecular and biophysical consequences. Villalonga N, David M, Bielanska J, Vicente R,
Comes N, Valenzuela C, Felipe A. J Gen Physiol. 2010; 135(2):135-47.
Voltage-dependent potassium channels Kv1.3 and Kv1.5 in human fetus. Bielanska J, Hernández-Losa J, Moline T, Somoza R, Ramón y Cajal S, Condom E, Ferreres JC, Felipe A. Cell Physiol Biochem. 2010; 26(2):219-26.
Voltage-dependent potassium channels Kv1.3 and Kv1.5 in human cancer. Bielanska J, Hernández-Losa J, Pérez-Verdaguer M, Moline T, Somoza R, Ramón Y Cajal S, Condom E, Ferreres JC, Felipe A. Curr Cancer Drug Targets. 2009; 9(8):904-14.
KCNE4 suppresses Kv1.3 currents by modulating trafficking, surface
expression and channel gating. Solé L, Roura-Ferrer M, Pérez-Verdaguer M, Oliveras A, Calvo M,
Fernández-Fernández JM, Felipe A. J Cell Sci. 2009; 122(Pt 20):3738-48.
Developmental switch of the expression of ion channels in human dendritic cells. Zsiros E, Kis-Toth K, Hajdu P, Gaspar R, Bielanska J, Felipe A, Rajnavolgyi E, Panyi G. J Immunol. 2009; 183(7):4483-92.
Functional implications of KCNE subunit expression for the Kv7.5 (KCNQ5) channel. Roura-Ferrer M, Etxebarria A, Solé L, Oliveras A, Comes N, Villarroel A, Felipe A. Cell Physiol Biochem. 2009; 24(5-6):325-34.
Multiple Kv1.5 targeting to membrane surface microdomains. Martínez-Mármol R, Villalonga N, Solé L, Vicente R, Tamkun MM, Soler C, Felipe A. J. Cell Physiol. 2008; 217(3):667-73.
Targeting potassium channels: new advances in cardiovascular therapy. Martínez-Mármol R, Roura-Ferrer M, Felipe A. Recent Pat Cardiovasc Drug Discov. 2008; 3(2):105-18.
Skeletal muscle Kv7 (KCNQ) channels in myoblast differentiation and proliferation. Roura-Ferrer M, Solé L, Martínez-Mármol R, Villalonga N, Felipe A. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2008; 369(4):1094-7.
Cell cycle-dependent expression of Kv1.5 is involved in myoblast
proliferation. Villalonga
N, Martínez-Mármol R, Roura-Ferrer M, David M, Valenzuela C, Soler C, Felipe A.
Biochim Biophys Acta. 2008;1783(5):728-36.
Differential regulation of Navß subunits during myogenesis. David M, Martínez-Mármol R, Gonzalez T, Felipe A, Valenzuela C. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2008; 368(3):761-6.
Kv1.5 association modifies Kv1.3 traffic and membrane localization. Vicente R, Villalonga N, Calvo M, Escalada A, Solsona C, Soler C, Tamkun MM, Felipe A. J Biol Chem. 2008; 283(13):8756-64.
Voltage-dependent Na+ channel phenotype changes in
myoblasts. Consequences
for cardiac repair. Martínez-Mármol R, David M, Sanches R, Roura-Ferrer M,
Villalonga N, Sorianello E, Webb SM, Zorzano A, Gumà A, Valenzuela C, Felipe A.
Cardiovasc Res. 2007; 76(3):430-41.
Potassium channels are a new target field in anticancer drug design. Villalonga N, Ferreres JC, Argilés JM, Condom E, Felipe A. Recent Pat Anticancer Drug Discov. 2007; 2(3):212-23.
Kv1.3/Kv1.5 heteromeric channels compromise pharmacological responses in macrophages. Villalonga N, Escalada A, Vicente R, Sánchez-Tilló E, Celada A, Solsona C, Felipe A. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2007; 352(4):913-8.
Association of Kv1.5 and Kv1.3 contributes to the major voltage-dependent K+ channel in macrophages. Vicente R, Escalada A, Villalonga N, Texidó L, Roura-Ferrer M, Martín-Satué M, López-Iglesias C, Soler C, Solsona C, Tamkun MM, Felipe A. J Biol Chem. 2006; 281(49):37675-85.
Potassium channels: new targets in cancer therapy. Felipe A, Vicente R, Villalonga N,
Roura-Ferrer M, Martínez-Mármol R, Solé L, Ferreres JC, Condom E. Cancer Detect
Prev. 2006; 30(4):375-85.
Pattern of Kvß subunit expression in macrophages depends upon proliferation and the mode of activation. Vicente R, Escalada A, Soler C, Grande M, Celada A, Tamkun MM, Solsona C, Felipe A. J Immunol. 2005; 174(8):4736-44.
KCNQ1/KCNE1 channels during germ-cell differentiation in the rat: expression associated with testis pathologies. Tsevi I, Vicente R, Grande M, López-Iglesias C, Figueras A, Capellà G, Condom E, Felipe A. J Cell Physiol. 2005;202(2):400-10.
The systemic inflammatory response is involved in the regulation of
K+ channel expression in brain via TNF-alpha-dependent and -independent
pathways. Vicente R, Coma
M, Busquets S, Moore-Carrasco R, López-Soriano FJ, Argilés JM, Felipe A. FEBS
Lett. 2004;572(1-3):189-94.
Differential voltage-dependent K+ channel responses during proliferation and activation in macrophages. Vicente R, Escalada A, Coma M, Fuster G, Sánchez-Tilló E, López-Iglesias C, Soler C, Solsona C, Celada A, Felipe A. J Biol Chem. 2003; 278(47):46307-20.
Voltage-dependent K+ channel beta subunits in muscle: differential regulation during postnatal development and myogenesis. Grande M, Suàrez E, Vicente R, Cantó C, Coma M, Tamkun MM, Zorzano A, Gumà A, Felipe A. J Cell Physiol. 2003; 195(2):187-93.
Impaired voltage-gated K+ channel expression in brain
during experimental cancer cachexia. Coma M, Vicente R, Busquets S, Carbó N, Tamkun MM, López-Soriano FJ,
Argilés JM, Felipe A. FEBS Lett. 2003; 536(1-3):45-50.
Different Kv2.1/Kv9.3 heteromer expression during brain and lung post-natal development in the rat. Coma M, Vicente R, Tsevi I, Grande M, Tamkun MM, Felipe A. J Physiol Biochem. 2002; 58(4):195-203.
One-step reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for
semiquantitative analysis of mRNA expression. Fuster G, Vicente R, Coma M, Grande M, Felipe
A. Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol. 2002; 24(5):253-9.
Oxygen sensitivity of cloned voltage-gated K+ channels expressed in the pulmonary vasculature. Hulme JT, Coppock EA, Felipe A, Martens JR, Tamkun MM. Circ Res. 1999; 85(6):489-97.
Primary structure and differential expression during development and pregnancy of a novel voltage-gated sodium channel in the mouse. Felipe A, Knittle TJ, Doyle KL, Tamkun MM. J Biol Chem. 1994; 269(48):30125-31.
K+ currents and K+ channel mRNA in cultured atrial cardiac myocytes (AT-1 cells). Yang T, Wathen MS, Felipe A, Tamkun MM, Snyders DJ, Roden DM. Circ Res. 1994; 75(5):870-8.
Differential expression of Isk mRNAs in mouse tissue during development and pregnancy. Felipe A, Knittle TJ, Doyle KL, Snyders DJ, Tamkun MM. Am J Physiol. 1994; 267(3 Pt 1):C700-5.
Influence of cloned voltage-gated K+ channel expression on alanine transport, Rb+ uptake, and cell volume. Felipe A, Snyders DJ, Deal KK, Tamkun MM. Am J Physiol. 1993; 265(5 Pt 1):C1230-8.
We are proud to collaborate with a number of outstanding especialists
MOLECULAR
BIOLOGY AND STRUCTURE-FUNCTION RELATIONSHIP
- Dr. Michael M. Tamkun.
Department of Physiology,
- Dr. Alexander Sorkin.
Department of Pharmacology,
- Dr. Concepció Soler. Dept. of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics. Inmunology, Campus de Bellvitge. Universidad de Barcelona.
ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY
AND PHARMACOLOGY
- Dr. Carles Solsona,
Departamento de Patología y Terapéutica Experimental, Campus de Bellvitge. Universidad de Barcelona.
- Dr. Carmen Valenzuela, Instituto de Investigaciones
Biomédicas “Alberto Sols”. UAM/CSIC,
Madrid
- Dr. Álvaro Villarroel, Unidad de Biofísica, UPV/CSIC, Bilbao
PATHOLOGICAL ANATOMY
- Dr.
Enric Condom. Dept. of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics.
Pathology. Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge, Universidad de Barcelona