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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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.