House dust mites are a primary source of airborne allergens for humans. Research by Lin et al. has shown that mite extracts trigger calcium channel activation in asthma-related cells through PAR4 receptors. This process is driven by the allergen Der p3, a serine protease.

Targeting both Der p3 and calcium channels has been shown to reduce cell activation.

Cells regulate calcium levels using specialized channels made of STIM and Orai proteins. Two transcription factors, NFAT1 and c-fos which selectively activate downstream genes in response to calcium. NFAT1 is more sensitive to calcium than c-fos. The number and activity of these calcium channels determine which genes are turned on and how strongly.

AKAP79 brings together key molecules at the cell surface. When calcium enters the cell, these molecules work together to activate a gene controller called NFAT1. We found that AKAP79 constantly replaces old molecules with new ones to keep this process going. This helps sustain the cell's response to calcium signals. We created a mathematical model to understand how this works.