Laboratory of Intracellular Ion Channels
Head: Adam SZEWCZYK
Staff: Bartłomiej Augustynek (PhD student), Anna Kajma (PhD student), Izabela Koszela-Piotrowska, Michał Laskowski (PhD student), Antoni Wrzosek
Research profile:
Intracellular ion channels regulate many key cellular func- tions by controlling the ion flux across different intracellular compartments. Our laboratory is particularly interested in ion channels normally found in the mitochondrial inner membrane. Recently, we have focused on intracellular ion homeostasis, pharmacology of intracellular potassium channels, pharmacology of mitochondria, interaction of potassium channel openers with mitochondria, role of mito- chondria in ischemic preconditioning and cytoprotection, intracellular receptors for antidiabetic sulfonylureas and potassium channel openers, role of mitochondrial ion channels in apoptosis, regulation of chromaffin granules potassium channels by pH and nucleotides. Our overall objective is to study the role of intracellular ion translocating mechanisms in cardiovascular function during health and disease. More information about Laboratory on the web page.
Methods:
• electrophysiology
• patch-clamp technique on mitoplasts
• PLM (planar lipid membrane) measurements
• oxygen consumption measurements polarographically with Clark-type electrode
• immunocytochemistry and cytometry
• primary culture of rat brain hippocampal cells
• preparation of intracellular membrane fractions
Current research activities:
The laboratory, established in June 1999, is focused on intracellular ion channels. We study the following topics:
• mechanism of cytoprotective action of potassium channel openers
• functional role of mitochodrial ATP-regulated potassium channel in hippocampus mitochondria
• mitochondrial large conductance potassium (BKCa) channel in glioma cells
• mitochondrial ion channels as early effectors of cellular apoptosis
• regulation of mitochondrial ATP-regulated potassium channels by phosphorylation
• regulation of calcium homeostasis by potassium channel openers in excitable and nonexcitable cells
Selected publications:
Matkovic K., Koszela-Piotrowska I., Jarmuszkiewicz W., Szewczyk A. (2011) Ion conductance pathways in potato tuber (Solanum tuberosum) inner mitochondrial membrane. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 1807: 275-285.
Malińska D., Kulawiak B., Wrzosek A., Kunz W.S., Szewczyk A. (2010) The cytoprotective action of the potassium channel opener BMS-191095 in C2C12 myoblasts is related to the modulation of calcium homeostasis. Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry, 26: 235-246.
Szewczyk A., Kajma A., Malińska D., Wrzosek A., Bednarczyk P., Zabłocka B., Dołowy K. (2010) Pharmacology of mitochondrial potassium channels: Dark side of the field. FEBS Letters, 584: 2063-2069.
Koszela-Piotrowska I., Matkovic K., Szewczyk A., Jarmuszkiewicz W. (2009) A large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel in potato (Solanum tuberosum) tuber mitochondria. Biochemical Journal, 424: 307-316.
Szewczyk A., Jarmuszkiewicz W., Kunz W.S. (2009) Mitochondrial potassium channels. IUBMB Life, 61: 134-143.
