Work

Ion channels as targets for cancer therapy.

Year: 2011

Type: article

Abstract: Cancer is a leading cause of death in the world. Conventional treatments have severe side effects and low survival rate. It is important to discover new targets and therapeutic strategies to improve the clinical outcomes of cancer patients. Ion channels are specialized membrane proteins that play important roles in various physiological processes. Recent studies have shown that abnormal expression and/or activity of a number of ion channels e.g. voltage-gated K(+), Na(+), Ca(2+) channels, TRP channels, and epithelial Na(+)/degenerin family of ion channels, are involved in the growth/proliferation, migration and/or invasion of cancer cells. In this review, we summarize the present knowledge about the roles of different ion channels in the development of cancer.

Source: PubMed Central

Authors: Minghua Li, Zhi-Gang Xiong

Institution: Morehouse School of Medicine

Language: English

Topic: Ion channel regulation and function

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities

Award: Morehouse School of Medicine Center of Excellence Research Endowment Program