Pulmonary-Respiratory Ion Channel Portfolio

Increased airway resistance, a symptom of diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), can be treated with drugs that relax airway smooth muscle, including muscarinic antagonists and adrenergic agonists, by reducing cytoplasmic Ca²⁺.

Several ion-channel families regulate airway resistance and are implicated in pulmonary and respiratory disorders. Transient receptor potential channels, including TRPA1, TRPC1, TRPC6, TRPV1 and TRPV4, respond to environmental stimuli and can modulate airway reactivity and vascular tone. CFTR chloride channels regulate chloride transport, mucus clearance and airway hydration.

Ligand-gated GABAA receptors conduct chloride currents and may contribute to smooth-muscle relaxation. Calcium-activated potassium channels such as BK and IK can support relaxation and bronchodilation, while Kv1.5 is associated with vasodilation and may be relevant to pulmonary hypertension. Purinergic P2X4 receptors can influence smooth-muscle tone and bronchoconstriction, and epithelial sodium channels such as ENaC regulate sodium transport and airway-surface liquid volume.

Together, these targets provide a focused framework for evaluating ion-channel activity relevant to airway resistance, pulmonary vascular tone and respiratory safety.

Pulmonary–Respiratory Ion Channel Portfolio

Our pulmonary–respiratory ion-channel portfolio is a curated collection of targets involved in pulmonary and respiratory function. The panel supports evaluation of compound target specificity and potential off-target effects during the discovery of therapeutics for airway resistance, pulmonary hypertension, asthma and COPD.