Bruton's tyrosine kinase

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (often abbreviated as BTK) is an enzyme that plays a crucial role in the maturation of B-cells, a type of white blood cell. It is named after Dr. Ogden Bruton, who first described the condition known as Bruton's agammaglobulinemia, a primary immunodeficiency disease that is caused by mutations in the BTK gene.

Function

BTK is part of the B-cell receptor signaling pathway. When the B-cell receptor is activated by binding to an antigen, it triggers a cascade of biochemical reactions inside the cell. BTK is one of the enzymes involved in this cascade. It phosphorylates (adds a phosphate group to) other proteins, which then go on to activate further reactions in the pathway.

Clinical significance

Mutations in the BTK gene can lead to Bruton's agammaglobulinemia, a condition characterized by a lack of mature B-cells and, therefore, a severely compromised immune system. Patients with this condition are highly susceptible to bacterial infections.

BTK is also a target for certain types of cancer therapy. Drugs that inhibit BTK, known as BTK inhibitors, have been developed for the treatment of certain types of B-cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Research

Research into BTK is ongoing, with scientists investigating its role in other diseases and conditions, as well as developing new drugs that target this enzyme.

See also

• B-cell receptor
• BTK inhibitors
• Bruton's agammaglobulinemia
• B-cell lymphoma
• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia