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The calcium-cancer signalling nexus
Gregory R Monteith1,2,3, Natalia Prevarskaya4, Sarah J Roberts-Thomson1
1The School of Pharmacy, Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4102, Australia.
Nature Reviews. Cancer
|April 8, 2017
Summary
Calcium ions are crucial regulators of cell functions, impacting tumor progression. Understanding calcium signaling in cancer reveals its role in proliferation, invasion, multidrug resistance, and the tumor microenvironment.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Cell Biology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Calcium ions act as essential intracellular messengers.
- Cellular processes, including tumor progression, are regulated by calcium signaling.
- Aberrant calcium signaling is increasingly recognized in various cancers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the multifaceted role of calcium signaling in cancer.
- To detail how calcium signaling influences key cancer hallmarks.
- To highlight the involvement of calcium pathways in drug resistance and the tumor microenvironment.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent literature on calcium signaling in cancer.
- Analysis of studies investigating calcium's role in tumor cell proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis.
- Examination of research on calcium pathways in multidrug resistance and tumor microenvironment.
Main Results:
- Calcium signaling is remodeled in cancer, affecting cellular machinery.
- Specific calcium pathways regulate proliferation, invasion, and cell death sensitivity.
- Calcium signaling is implicated in multidrug resistance and the tumor microenvironment.
Conclusions:
- Calcium signaling is a critical regulator of tumor progression and key cancer-related events.
- Targeting calcium pathways presents potential therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.
- Further research into calcium's role in cancer biology is warranted.
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