Potassium and Calcium Channel Complexes as Novel Targets for Cancer Research.

The intracellular Ca ²⁺ concentration is mainly controlled by Ca ²⁺ channels. These channels form complexes with K ⁺ channels, which function to amplify Ca ²⁺ flux. In cancer cells, voltage-gated/voltage-dependent Ca ²⁺ channels and non-voltage-gated/voltage-independent Ca ²⁺ channels have been reported to interact with K ⁺ channels such as Ca ²⁺ -activated K ⁺ channels and voltage-gated K ⁺ channels. These channels are activated by an increase in cytosolic Ca ²⁺ concentration or by membrane depolarization, which induces membrane hyperpolarization, increasing the driving force for Ca ²⁺ flux. These complexes, composed of K ⁺ and Ca ²⁺ channels, are regulated by several molecules including lipids (ether lipids and cholesterol), proteins (e.g. STIM), receptors (e.g. S1R/SIGMAR1), and peptides (e.g. LL-37) and can be targeted by monoclonal antibodies, making them novel targets for cancer research.
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