hERG1 Potassium Channels: Novel Biomarkers in Human Solid Cancers.
Because of their high incidence and mortality solid cancers are a major health problem worldwide. Although several new biomarkers and potential targets for therapy have been identified through biomolecular research in the last years, the effects on patients' outcome are still unsatisfactory. Increasing evidence indicates that hERG1 potassium channels are overexpressed in human primary cancers of different origin and several associations between hERG1 expression and clinicopathological features and/or outcome are emerging. Aberrant hERG1 expression may be exploited either for early diagnosis (especially in those cancers where it is expressed in the initial steps of tumor progression) or for therapy purposes. Indeed, hERG1 blockage impairs tumor cell growth both in vitro and in vivo in preclinical mouse model. hERG1-based tumor therapy in humans, however, encounters the major hindrance of the potential cardiotoxicity that many hERG1 blockers exert. In this review we focus on recent advances in translational research in some of the most frequent human solid cancers (breast, endometrium, ovary, pancreas, esophagus, stomach, and colorectum) that have been shown to express hERG1 and that are a major health problem.
Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Viale GB Morgagni 50, 50134 Florence, Italy.
Elena
E
Lastraioli
Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Viale GB Morgagni 50, 50134 Florence, Italy.
Tiziano
T
Lottini
General Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Careggi University Hospital, Largo A Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy.
Lapo
L
Bencini
Breast Unit Surgery, Department of Oncology, Careggi University Hospital, Largo A Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy.
Marco
M
Bernini
Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Viale GB Morgagni 50, 50134 Florence, Italy.
Annarosa
A
Arcangeli
D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000235:genetics*; D000072237:ERG1 Potassium Channel; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D051638:Ether-A-Go-Go Potassium Channels / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D000072237:ERG1 Potassium Channel; D051638:Ether-A-Go-Go Potassium Channels