Ion channels: functional expression and therapeutic potential in cancer - Colloquium on ion channels and cancer

摘要

This two-day colloquium covered the mechanisms behind, and the functional consequences of, the flux of the main ions involved in cellular homeostasis: K+, Na+, Ca2+, H+ and Cl–. There was also a strong emphasis on linking the function of the ion channels to cellular behaviours that are important during cancer development and progression (Fig 1). The first day focused on ion-channel involvement in cell proliferation, transformation and apoptosis, whereas the second day dealt with cellular behaviours crucial to metastatic cell spread, such as motility and invasion. In addition to the discussions about the ion channels directly implicated in cancer, other talks covered related topics—for example, autoimmune disease, cell activation and vascular permeability—which highlighted mechanisms and pathways potentially relevant to oncology.