Onco-IP3Rs Feed Cancerous Cravings for Mitochondrial Ca(2.)

The uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells requires functional mitochondrial metabolism, which uses Ca(2+) as a cofactor. IP3 receptors (IP3Rs) from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca(2+) stores provide the supply of Ca(2+) to mitochondria. A new study by Cardenas et al. shows that, in contrast to normal cells, cancer cells critically depend on ER-mitochondrial Ca(2+) fluxes for their survival by sustaining the production of mitochondrial substrates used for nucleotide biosynthesis and proliferation.