The inhibition of chloride intracellular channel 1 enhances Ca2+ and reactive oxygen species signaling in A549 human lung cancer cells

Abstract

Cancer: chloride transport protein protects tumors A chloride channel, a membrane protein involved in chloride transport, indirectly regulates calcium signaling to protect cancer cells from free radicals and DNA damage. Hana Cho from Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine in Suwon, South Korea, and colleagues inhibited the CLIC1 chloride channel in human lung cancer cells and observed increased activity of a calcium channel. This led to elevated levels of calcium ions within the cells, which in turn triggered the production of chemically reactive molecules that both damaged DNA and activated a signaling cascade that promotes cell death. Many different types of cancer express CLIC1 at high levels. The findings show how the chloride channel helps protect tumor cells from surges in calcium and free radicals, and highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting CLIC1 to slow tumor growth.