The bioelectric mechanisms of local calcium dynamics in cancer cell proliferation: an extension of the A549 in silico cell model.

Introduction: Advances in molecular targeting of ion channels may open up new avenues for therapeutic approaches in cancer based on the cells' bioelectric properties. In addition to in-vitro or in-vivo models, in silico models can provide deeper insight into the complex role of electrophysiology in cancer and reveal the impact of altered ion channel expression and the membrane potential on malignant processes. The A549 in silico model is the first computational cancer whole-cell ion current model that simulates the bioelectric mechanisms of the human non-small cell lung cancer cell line A549 during the different phases of the cell cycle. This work extends the existing model with a detailed mathematical description of the store-operated Ca ²⁺ entry (SOCE) and the complex local intracellular calcium dynamics, which significantly affect the entire electrophysiological properties of the cell and regulate cell cycle progression.
Methods: The initial model was extended by a multicompartmental approach, addressing the heterogenous calcium profile and dynamics in the ER-PM junction provoked by local calcium entry of store-operated calcium channels (SOCs) and uptake by SERCA pumps. Changes of cytosolic calcium levels due to diffusion from the ER-PM junction, release from the ER by RyR channels and IP3 receptors, as well as corresponding PM channels were simulated and the dynamics evaluated based on calcium imaging data. The model parameters were fitted to available data from two published experimental studies, showing the function of CRAC channels and indirectly of IP3R, RyR and PMCA via changes of the cytosolic calcium levels.
Results: The proposed calcium description accurately reproduces the dynamics of calcium imaging data and simulates the SOCE mechanisms. In addition, simulations of the combined A549-SOCE model in distinct phases of the cell cycle demonstrate how Ca ²⁺ - dynamics influence responding channels such as KCa, and consequently modulate the membrane potential accordingly.
Discussion: Local calcium distribution and time evolution in microdomains of the cell significantly impact the overall electrophysiological properties and exert control over cell cycle progression. By providing a more profound description, the extended A549-SOCE model represents an important step on the route towards a valid model for oncological research and in silico supported development of novel therapeutic strategies.
Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.
(Copyright © 2024 Langthaler, Zumpf, Rienmüller, Shrestha, Fuchs, Zhou, Pelzmann, Zorn-Pauly, Fröhlich, Weinberg and Baumgartner.)