1
|
Zhang M, Che C, Cheng J, Li P, Yang Y. Ion channels in stem cells and their roles in stem cell biology and vascular diseases. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2022; 166:63-73. [PMID: 35143836 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2022.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Stem cell therapy may be a promising option for the treatment of vascular diseases. In recent years, significant progress has been made in stem cell research, especially in the mechanism of stem cell activation, homing and differentiation in vascular repair and reconstruction. Current research on stem cells focuses on protein expression and transcriptional networks. Ion channels are considered to be the basis for the generation of bioelectrical signals, which control the proliferation, differentiation and migration of various cell types. Although heterogeneity of multiple ion channels has been found in different types of stem cells, it is unclear whether the heterogeneous expression of ion channels is related to different cell subpopulations and/or different stages of the cell cycle. There is still a long way to go in clinical treatment by using the regulation of stem cell ion channels. In this review, we reviewed the main ion channels found on stem cells, their expression and function in stem cell proliferation, differentiation and migration, and the research status of stem cells' involvement in vascular diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education and Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, 319 Zhongshan Road, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Chang Che
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education and Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, 319 Zhongshan Road, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Jun Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education and Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, 319 Zhongshan Road, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Pengyun Li
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education and Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, 319 Zhongshan Road, Luzhou 646000, China.
| | - Yan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education and Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, 319 Zhongshan Road, Luzhou 646000, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Souza Bomfim GH, Mitaishvili E, Aguiar TF, Lacruz RS. Mibefradil alters intracellular calcium concentration by activation of phospholipase C and IP 3 receptor function. MOLECULAR BIOMEDICINE 2021; 2:12. [PMID: 35006468 PMCID: PMC8607413 DOI: 10.1186/s43556-021-00037-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Mibefradil is a tetralol derivative originally developed as an antagonist of T-type voltage-gated calcium (Ca2+) channels to treat hypertension when used at nanomolar dosage. More recently, its therapeutic application in hypertension has declined and has been instead repurposed as a treatment of cancer cell proliferation and solid tumor growth. Beyond its function as a Cav blocker, the micromolar concentration of mibefradil can stimulate a rise in [Ca2+]cyt although the mechanism is poorly known. The chanzyme TRPM7 (transient receptor potential melastanin 7), the release of intracellular Ca2+ pools, and Ca2+ influx by ORAI channels have been associated with the increase in [Ca2+]cyt triggered by mibefradil. This study aims to investigate the cellular targets and pathways associated with mibefradil's effect on [Ca2+]cyt. To address these questions, we monitored changes in [Ca2+]cyt in the specialized mouse epithelial cells (LS8 and ALC) and the widely used HEK-293 cells by stimulating these cells with mibefradil (0.1 μM to 100 μM). We show that mibefradil elicits an increase in [Ca2+]cyt at concentrations above 10 μM (IC50 around 50 μM) and a fast Ca2+ increase capacity at 100 μM. We found that inhibiting IP3 receptors, depleting the ER-Ca2+ stores, or blocking phospholipase C (PLC), significantly decreased the capacity of mibefradil to elevate [Ca2+]cyt. Moreover, the transient application of 100 μM mibefradil triggered Ca2+ influx by store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) mediated by the ORAI channels. Our findings reveal that IP3R and PLC are potential new targets of mibefradil offering novel insights into the effects of this drug.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme H Souza Bomfim
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY, 10010, USA
| | - Erna Mitaishvili
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY, 10010, USA
| | | | - Rodrigo S Lacruz
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY, 10010, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
KCP10043F Represses the Proliferation of Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells by Caspase-Mediated Apoptosis via STAT3 Inactivation. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9030704. [PMID: 32150979 PMCID: PMC7141374 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9030704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2020] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We previously reported that 4-(4-fluorobenzylcarbamoylmethyl)-3-(4-cyclohexylphenyl)-2-[3-(N,N-dimethylureido)-N'-methylpropylamino]-3,4-dihydroquinazoline (KCP10043F) can induce G1-phase arrest and synergistic cell death in combination with etoposide in lung cancer cells. Here, we investigated the underlying mechanism by which KCP10043F induces cell death in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Propidium iodide (PI) and annexin V staining revealed that KCP10043F-induced cytotoxicity was caused by apoptosis. KCP10043F induced a series of intracellular events: (1) downregulation of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL and upregulation of Bax and cleaved Bid; (2) loss of mitochondrial membrane potential; (3) increase of cytochrome c release; (4) cleavage of procaspase-8, procaspase-9, procaspase-3, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). In addition, KCP10043F exhibited potent inhibitory effects on constitutive or interleukin-6 (IL-6)-induced signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT3) phosphorylation and STAT3-regulated genes including survivin, Mcl-1, and cyclin D1. Furthermore, STAT3 overexpression attenuated KCP10043F-induced apoptosis and the cleavage of caspase-9, caspase-3, and PARP. Docking analysis disclosed that KCP10043F could bind to a pocket in the SH2 domain of STAT3 and prevent STAT3 phosphorylation. The oral administration of KCP10043F decreased tumor growth in an A549 xenograft mouse model, as associated with the reduced phosphorylated STAT3, survivin, Mcl-1, and Bcl-2 expression and increased TUNEL staining and PARP cleavage in tumor tissues. Collectively, our data suggest that KCP10043F suppresses NSCLC cell growth through apoptosis induction via STAT3 inactivation.
Collapse
|
4
|
Ding J, Jin Z, Yang X, Lou J, Shan W, Hu Y, Du Q, Liao Q, Xu J, Xie R. Plasma membrane Ca 2+-permeable channels and sodium/calcium exchangers in tumorigenesis and tumor development of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Cancer Lett 2020; 475:14-21. [PMID: 32004573 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The upper gastrointestinal (GI) tumors are multifactorial diseases associated with a combination of oncogenes and environmental factors. Currently, surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy are relatively effective treatment options for the patients with these tumors. However, the asymptomatic phenotype of these tumors during the early stages poses as a significant limiting factor to diagnosis and often renders treatments ineffective. Therefore, new early diagnosis and effective therapy for upper GI tumors are urgently needed. Ca2+ is a pivotal intracellular second messenger and plays a crucial role in living cells by regulating several processes from cell division to death. The aberrant Ca2+ homeostasis is related to many human pathological conditions and diseases, including cancer, and thus the changes in the expression and function of plasma membrane Ca2+ permeable channels and sodium/calcium exchangers are frequently described in tumorigenesis and tumor development of the upper GI tract, including voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (VGCC), transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, store-operated channels (SOC) and Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX). This review will summarize the current knowledge about plasma membrane Ca2+ permeable channels and sodium/calcium exchangers in the upper GI tumors and provide a synopsis of recent advancements on the role and involvement of these channels in upper GI tumors as well as a discussion of the possible strategies to target these channels and exchangers for diagnosis and therapy of the upper GI tumors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- JianHong Ding
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, 563003, PR China
| | - Zhe Jin
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, 563003, PR China
| | - Xiaoxu Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, 563003, PR China
| | - Jun Lou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, 563003, PR China
| | - Weixi Shan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, 563003, PR China
| | - Yanxia Hu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, 563003, PR China
| | - Qian Du
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, 563003, PR China
| | - Qiushi Liao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, 563003, PR China
| | - Jingyu Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, 563003, PR China.
| | - Rui Xie
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, 563003, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
T-Type voltage gated calcium channels: a target in breast cancer? Breast Cancer Res Treat 2018; 173:11-21. [PMID: 30242580 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-018-4970-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this review article is to discuss the potential of T-type voltage gated calcium channels (VGCCs) as drug targets in breast cancer. Breast cancer, attributable to the different molecular subtypes, has a crucial need for therapeutic strategies to counter the mortality rate. VGCCs play an important role in regulating cytosolic free calcium levels which regulate cellular processes like tumorigenesis and cancer progression. In the last decade, T-type VGCCs have been investigated in breast cancer proliferation. Calcium channel blockers, in general, have shown an anti-proliferative and cytotoxic effects. T-type VGCC antagonists have shown growth inhibition owing to the inhibition of CaV3.2 isoform. CaV3.1 isoform has been indicated as a tumour-suppressor gene candidate and is reported to support anti-proliferative and apoptotic activity in breast cancer. The distribution of T-type VGCC isoforms in different breast cancer molecular subtypes is diverse and needs to be further investigated. The role of T-type VGCCs in breast cancer migration, metastasis and more importantly in epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is yet to be elucidated. In addition, interlaced therapy, using a combination of chemotherapy drugs and T-type VGCC blockers, presents a promising therapeutic approach for breast cancer but more validation and clinical trials are needed. Also, for investigating the potential of T-type VGCC blocker therapy, there is a need for isoform-specific agonists/antagonists to define and discover roles of T-type VGCC specific isoforms. CONCLUSION Our article provides a review of the role of T-type VGCCs in breast cancer and also discusses future of the research in this area so that it can be ascertained whether there is any potential of T-type VGCCs as drug targets in breast cancer.
Collapse
|
6
|
T-type Ca2+ Channels: T for Targetable. Cancer Res 2018; 78:603-609. [DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-17-3061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Revised: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
7
|
Chemin J, Taiakina V, Monteil A, Piazza M, Guan W, Stephens RF, Kitmitto A, Pang ZP, Dolphin AC, Perez-Reyes E, Dieckmann T, Guillemette JG, Spafford JD. Calmodulin regulates Ca v3 T-type channels at their gating brake. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:20010-20031. [PMID: 28972185 PMCID: PMC5723990 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.807925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2017] [Revised: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Calcium (Cav1 and Cav2) and sodium channels possess homologous CaM-binding motifs, known as IQ motifs in their C termini, which associate with calmodulin (CaM), a universal calcium sensor. Cav3 T-type channels, which serve as pacemakers of the mammalian brain and heart, lack a C-terminal IQ motif. We illustrate that T-type channels associate with CaM using co-immunoprecipitation experiments and single particle cryo-electron microscopy. We demonstrate that protostome invertebrate (LCav3) and human Cav3.1, Cav3.2, and Cav3.3 T-type channels specifically associate with CaM at helix 2 of the gating brake in the I-II linker of the channels. Isothermal titration calorimetry results revealed that the gating brake and CaM bind each other with high-nanomolar affinity. We show that the gating brake assumes a helical conformation upon binding CaM, with associated conformational changes to both CaM lobes as indicated by amide chemical shifts of the amino acids of CaM in 1H-15N HSQC NMR spectra. Intact Ca2+-binding sites on CaM and an intact gating brake sequence (first 39 amino acids of the I-II linker) were required in Cav3.2 channels to prevent the runaway gating phenotype, a hyperpolarizing shift in voltage sensitivities and faster gating kinetics. We conclude that the presence of high-nanomolar affinity binding sites for CaM at its universal gating brake and its unique form of regulation via the tuning of the voltage range of activity could influence the participation of Cav3 T-type channels in heart and brain rhythms. Our findings may have implications for arrhythmia disorders arising from mutations in the gating brake or CaM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jean Chemin
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F-34094, France
| | | | - Arnaud Monteil
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F-34094, France
| | - Michael Piazza
- Departments of Chemistry, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Wendy Guan
- Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | | | - Ashraf Kitmitto
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9NT, United Kingdom
| | - Zhiping P Pang
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901
| | - Annette C Dolphin
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Edward Perez-Reyes
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908
| | | | | | - J David Spafford
- Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Fornaro L, Vivaldi C, Lin D, Xue H, Falcone A, Wang Y, Crea F, Bootman MD. Prognostic relevance of a T-type calcium channels gene signature in solid tumours: A correlation ready for clinical validation. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0182818. [PMID: 28846697 PMCID: PMC5573204 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND T-type calcium channels (TTCCs) mediate calcium influx across the cell membrane. TTCCs regulate numerous physiological processes including cardiac pacemaking and neuronal activity. In addition, they have been implicated in the proliferation, migration and differentiation of tumour tissues. Although the signalling events downstream of TTCC-mediated calcium influx are not fully elucidated, it is clear that variations in the expression of TTCCs promote tumour formation and hinder response to treatment. METHODS We examined the expression of TTCC genes (all three subtypes; CACNA-1G, CACNA-1H and CACNA-1I) and their prognostic value in three major solid tumours (i.e. gastric, lung and ovarian cancers) via a publicly accessible database. RESULTS In gastric cancer, expression of all the CACNA genes was associated with overall survival (OS) among stage I-IV patients (all p<0.05). By combining the three potential biomarkers, a TTCC signature was developed, which retained a significant association with OS both in stage IV and stage I-III patients. In lung and ovarian cancer, association with OS was also significant when all tumour stages were considered, but was partly lost or inconclusive after splitting cases into localized and metastatic subsets. CONCLUSIONS Alterations in CACNA gene expression are linked to tumour prognosis. Gastric cancer represents the most promising setting for further evaluation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Fornaro
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy
| | - Caterina Vivaldi
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy
| | - Dong Lin
- Experimental Therapeutics, BC Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Hui Xue
- Experimental Therapeutics, BC Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Alfredo Falcone
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy
| | - Yuzhuo Wang
- Experimental Therapeutics, BC Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Francesco Crea
- School of Life, Health & Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - Martin D. Bootman
- School of Life, Health & Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Hurtado R, Smith CS. Hyperpolarization-activated cation and T-type calcium ion channel expression in porcine and human renal pacemaker tissues. J Anat 2016; 228:812-25. [PMID: 26805464 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Renal pacemaker activity triggers peristaltic upper urinary tract contractions that propel waste from the kidney to the bladder, a process prone to congenital defects that are the leading cause of pediatric kidney failure. Recently, studies have discovered that hyperpolarization-activated cation (HCN) and T-type calcium (TTC) channel conductances underlie murine renal pacemaker activity, setting the origin and frequency and coordinating upper urinary tract peristalsis. Here, we determined whether this ion channel expression is conserved in the porcine and human urinary tracts, which share a distinct multicalyceal anatomy with multiple pacemaker sites. Double chromagenic immunohistochemistry revealed that HCN isoform 3 is highly expressed at the porcine minor calyces, the renal pacemaker tissues, whereas the kidney and urinary tract smooth muscle lacked this HCN expression. Immunofluorescent staining demonstrated that HCN(+) cells are integrated within the porcine calyx smooth muscle, and that they co-express TTC channel isoform Cav3.2. In humans, the anatomic structure of the minor calyx pacemaker was assayed via hematoxylin and eosin analyses, and enabled the visualization of the calyx smooth muscle surrounding adjacent papillae. Strikingly, immunofluorescence revealed that HCN3(+) /Cav3.2(+) cells are also localized to the human minor calyx smooth muscle. Collectively, these data have elucidated a conserved molecular signature of HCN and TTC channel expression in porcine and human calyx pacemaker tissues. These findings provide evidence for the mechanisms that can drive renal pacemaker activity in the multi-calyceal urinary tract, and potential causes of obstructive uropathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Romulo Hurtado
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA.,The Core for Smooth Muscle Analysis, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Carl S Smith
- Department of Urologic Surgery, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Krouse AJ, Gray L, Macdonald T, McCray J. Repurposing and Rescuing of Mibefradil, an Antihypertensive, for Cancer: A Case Study. Assay Drug Dev Technol 2015; 13:650-3. [DOI: 10.1089/adt.2015.29014.ajkdrrr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lloyd Gray
- Tau Therapeutics LLC, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | | | - John McCray
- Tau Therapeutics LLC, Charlottesville, Virginia
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Dziegielewska B, Gray LS, Dziegielewski J. T-type calcium channels blockers as new tools in cancer therapies. Pflugers Arch 2014; 466:801-10. [PMID: 24449277 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-014-1444-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2013] [Revised: 01/04/2014] [Accepted: 01/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
T-type calcium channels are involved in a multitude of cellular processes, both physiological and pathological, including cancer. T-type channels are also often aberrantly expressed in different human cancers and participate in the regulation of cell cycle progression, proliferation, migration, and survival. Here, we review the recent literature and discuss the controversies, supporting the role of T-type Ca(2+) channels in cancer cells and the proposed use of channels blockers as anticancer agents. A growing number of reports show that pharmacological inhibition or RNAi-mediated downregulation of T-type channels leads to inhibition of cancer cell proliferation and increased cancer cell death. In addition to a single agent activity, experimental results demonstrate that T-type channel blockers enhance the anticancer effects of conventional radio- and chemotherapy. At present, the detailed biological mechanism(s) underlying the anticancer activity of these channel blockers is not fully understood. Recent findings and ideas summarized here identify T-type Ca(2+) channels as a molecular target for anticancer therapy and offer new directions for the design of novel therapeutic strategies employing channels blockers. Physiological relevance: T-type calcium channels are often aberrantly expressed or deregulated in cancer cells, supporting their proliferation, survival, and resistance to treatment; therefore, T-type Ca(2+) channels could be attractive molecular targets for anticancer therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Dziegielewska
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Virginia, PO Box 800383, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|