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Ion Channels and Cancer

By Oren Bogin, Ph.D.

An updated overview

During the last few years a pivotal role for ion channels involvement in cancer has emerged. In Modulator #17, we reviewed examples of possible roles and interplay between ion channels and cancer. Recently, a large body of data has accumulated on the participation of K+, Na+, Ca2+, Cl– and ligand-gated channels in cancer and apoptosis. To date, there is no broad consensus on the roles ion channels play in cancer. Ion channels are thought to “assist” cancer by affecting a number of pathways, namely, regulation of cell cycle of proliferating cells, perturbation of membrane potential, prevention of apoptosis, adaptation to harsh conditions, altering intracellular Ca2+ balance, and cell shrinkage. Interestingly, there are some examples of the same ion channel participating both in induction of cancer cell proliferation and in induction of apoptosis, for example KV11.1(HERG) and K2P9.1 (TASK3) K+ channels. Furthermore, the hallmark of certain cancers is the upregulation of a particular channel or conversely, its total absence, as has been reported for voltage-gated Na+ channels. This accumulating data predicts that ion channels will possibly be future targets for diagnostics and therapeutics in cancer.

cancer
cancer

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