Calcium signaling and T-type calcium channels in cancer cell cycling
Regulation of intracellular calcium is an important signaling mechanism for cell proliferation in both normal and cancerous cells. In normal epithelial cells, free calcium concentration is essential for cells to enter and accomplish the S phase and the M phase of the cell cycle. In contrast, cancero...
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Published in | World journal of gastroenterology : WJG Vol. 14; no. 32; pp. 4984 - 4991 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
United States
Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans LA 70112, United States%Department of Urology,Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans LA 70112, United States%Department of Physiology, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans LA 70112, United States%Department of Pathology, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans LA 70112, United States
28.08.2008
The WJG Press and Baishideng |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Regulation of intracellular calcium is an important signaling mechanism for cell proliferation in both normal and cancerous cells. In normal epithelial cells, free calcium concentration is essential for cells to enter and accomplish the S phase and the M phase of the cell cycle. In contrast, cancerous cells can pass these phases of the cell cycle with much lower cytoplasmic free calcium concentrations, indicating an alternative mechanism has developed for fulfilling the intracellular calcium requirement for an increased rate of DNA synthesis and mitosis of fast replicating cancerous cells. The detailed mechanism underlying the altered calcium loading pathway remains unclear; however, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests the T-type Ca^2+ channel is abnormally expressed in cancerous cells and that blockade of these channels may reduce cell proliferation in addition to inducing apoptosis. Recent studies also show that the expression of T-type Ca^2+ channels in breast cancer cells is proliferation state dependent, i.e. the channels are expressed at higher levels during the fast-replication period, and once the cells are in a non-proliferation state, expression of this channel is minimal. Therefore, selectively blocking calcium entry into cancerous cells may be a valuable approach for preventing tumor growth. Since T-type Ca^2+ channels are not expressed in epithelial cells, selective T-type Ca^2+ channel blockers may be useful in the treatment of certain types of cancers. |
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Bibliography: | T-type calcium channels; Cancer; Cellcycle; Calcium Cellcycle Calcium R730 14-1219/R T-type calcium channels Cancer SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Commentary-2 content type line 23 ObjectType-Review-1 ObjectType-Editorial-3 Author contributions: Taylor JT and Li M wrote the paper; Zeng XB, Lee K, Yi SG, Scruggs JAS and Sikka SS searched the literature; Pottle JE and Wang AR critically evaluated and edited the manuscript. Telephone: +1-504-9888207 Correspondence to: Ming Li, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans LA 70112, United States. mli@tulane.edu |
ISSN: | 1007-9327 2219-2840 |
DOI: | 10.3748/wjg.14.4984 |