AUTHOR=Vega José L. , Gutiérrez Camila , Rojas Mauro , Güiza Juan , Sáez Juan C. TITLE=Contribution of large-pore channels to inflammation induced by microorganisms JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology VOLUME=10 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cell-and-developmental-biology/articles/10.3389/fcell.2022.1094362 DOI=10.3389/fcell.2022.1094362 ISSN=2296-634X ABSTRACT=

Plasma membrane ionic channels selectively permeate potassium, sodium, calcium, and chloride ions. However, large-pore channels are permeable to ions and small molecules such as ATP and glutamate, among others. Large-pore channels are structures formed by several protein families with little or no evolutionary linkages including connexins (Cxs), pannexins (Panxs), innexin (Inxs), unnexins (Unxs), calcium homeostasis modulator (CALHMs), and Leucine-rich repeat-containing 8 (LRRC8) proteins. Large-pore channels are key players in inflammatory cell response, guiding the activation of inflammasomes, the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß), and the release of adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP), which is considered a danger signal. This review summarizes our current understanding of large-pore channels and their contribution to inflammation induced by microorganisms, virulence factors or their toxins.