TRPC channels and cell proliferation

Abstract

TRPCs have been demonstrated to be widely expressed in different cancers. In recent years, a number of studies closely investigated the roles of TRPCs in cancer cells. Most of the results show that both mRNA and protein levels of TRPCs significantly increase in cancer tissues compared with healthy controls. TRPCs regulate Ca2+ homeostasis, contribute to cell cycle regulation and the expression/activation of Ca2+-related factors, and thus play critical roles in the proliferation of cancer cells. Therefore, TRPCs could act as potential drug targets for cancer diagnosis and therapy.