title: The voltage-dependent K(+) channels Kv1.3 and Kv1.5 in human cancer.
abstract: Voltage-dependent K(+) channels (Kv) are involved in a number of physiological processes, including immunomodulation, cell volume regulation, apoptosis as well as differentiation. Some Kv channels participate in the proliferation and migration of normal and tumor cells, contributing to metastasis. Altered expression of Kv1.3 and Kv1.5 channels has been found in several types of tumors and cancer cells. In general, while the expression of Kv1.3 apparently exhibits no clear pattern, Kv1.5 is induced in many of the analyzed metastatic tissues. Interestingly, evidence indicates that Kv1.5 channel shows inversed correlation with malignancy in some gliomas and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. However, Kv1.3 and Kv1.5 are similarly remodeled in some cancers. For instance, expression of Kv1.3 and Kv1.5 correlates with a certain grade of tumorigenicity in muscle sarcomas. Differential remodeling of Kv1.3 and Kv1.5 expression in human cancers may indicate their role in tumor growth and their importance as potential tumor markers. However, despite of this increasing body of information, which considers Kv1.3 and Kv1.5 as emerging tumoral markers, further research must be performed to reach any conclusion. In this review, we summarize what it has been lately documented about Kv1.3 and Kv1.5 channels in human cancer.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Physiology Laboratory, Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Institut de Biomedicina, Universitat de Barcelona Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Núria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Comes
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bielanska
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vallejo-Gracia
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Serrano-Albarrás
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marruecos
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.forename: Concepció
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Soler
authors.forename: Enric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Condom
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramón Y Cajal
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hernández-Losa
authors.forename: Joan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ferreres
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Felipe
keywords: K+ channels; agressiveness; cancer; proliferation; tumor markers