title: Calcium, cancer and killing: the role of calcium in killing cancer cells by cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells.
abstract: Killing cancer cells by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and by natural killer (NK) cells is of vital importance. Cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis depend on the intracellular Ca(2+) concentration, and the expression of numerous ion channels with the ability to control intracellular Ca(2+) concentrations has been correlated with cancer. A rise of intracellular Ca(2+) concentrations is also required for efficient CTL and NK cell function and thus for killing their targets, in this case cancer cells. Here, we review the data on Ca(2+)-dependent killing of cancer cells by CTL and NK cells. In addition, we discuss emerging ideas and present a model how Ca(2+) may be used by CTL and NK cells to optimize their cancer cell killing efficiency. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: 12th European Symposium on Calcium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Eva C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoth
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium