Non-conducting functions of potassium channels in cancer and neurological disease

Cancer and neurodegenerative disease, albeit fundamental differences, share some common pathogenic mechanisms. Accordingly, both conditions are associated with aberrant cell proliferation and migration. Here, we review the causative role played by potassium (K⁺) channels, a fundamental class of proteins, in cancer and neurodegenerative disease. The concept that emerges from the review of the literature is that K⁺ channels can promote the development and progression of cancerous and neurodegenerative pathologies by dysregulating cell proliferation and migration. K⁺ channels appear to control these cellular functions in ways that not necessarily depend on their conducting properties and that involve the ability to directly or indirectly engage growth and survival signaling pathways. As cancer and neurodegenerative disease represent global health concerns, identifying commonalities may help understand the molecular basis for those devastating conditions and may facilitate the design of new drugs or the repurposing of existing drugs.