Channelpedia

PubMed 21190577




Title: Eag and HERG potassium channels as novel therapeutic targets in cancer.

Authors: Viren Asher, Heidi Sowter, Robert Shaw, Anish Bali, Raheela Khan

Journal, date & volume: , 2010 Dec 29 , 8, 113

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21190577


Abstract
Voltage gated potassium channels have been extensively studied in relation to cancer. In this review, we will focus on the role of two potassium channels, Ether à-go-go (Eag), Human ether à-go-go related gene (HERG), in cancer and their potential therapeutic utility in the treatment of cancer. Eag and HERG are expressed in cancers of various organs and have been implicated in cell cycle progression and proliferation of cancer cells. Inhibition of these channels has been shown to reduce proliferation both in vitro and vivo studies identifying potassium channel modulators as putative inhibitors of tumour progression. Eag channels in view of their restricted expression in normal tissue may emerge as novel tumour biomarkers.