PKCα interacts with Ca v 1.3 calcium channels to promote the Ca v 1.2/Ca v 1.3 duo tuning Th2 functions

The variant endotypes of asthma exhibit different immune signatures, and the T helper type 2 (Th2) signature predominates in children with allergic asthma, where Th2 interleukins IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 can cause goblet cell hyperplasia, mucus production, bronchial hyperreactivity, and airway eosinophilia. We previously showed that a duo of L-type (Cav1) calcium channels, namely Cav1.2 and Cav1.3, is the characteristic of Th2 cells, with both channels cooperating toward full Th2-cell activation upon TCR engagement. Accordingly, expression of both channels correlates with the ability of CD4+ T-cells from asthmatic children to produce Th2 cytokines. How Cav1 channels become activated, however, remains unknown. Since protein kinase C alpha (PKCα) can promote Cav1.2 opening independently of cell membrane potential, we investigated its role in Th2 cells.[...]