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The role of ion channels in malignant brain tumors

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Abstract

Malignant gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors and have poor clinical prognosis, despite multimodal therapeutic strategies. In recent years, ion channels have emerged as major players in tumor pathophysiology regarding all hallmarks of cancer. Since ion channels are easily accessible structures, they may prove to be effective targets for canner therapy, although their broad expression pattern and role in physiological processes should be taken into consideration. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the role of ion channels in the pathophysiology of malignant gliomas, especially glioblastoma, and evaluates their potential role in targeted antiglioma therapy.

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Abbreviations

AMPA:

α-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor

AQP:

Aquaporin

BK:

Big conductance potassium channel

ClC:

Chloride channel

CNS:

Central nervous system

EAG1:

Ether à go-go 1

GABAA :

γ-aminobutyric acid receptor A

gAMPA:

Glioma variant of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor

gBK:

Glioma variant of big conductance potassium channel

hERG1:

Human ether à go-go related 1

K2P:

Two-pore domain potassium channel

KA :

Inactivating A-type potassium channel

KCa3.1:

Calcium-dependent intermediate-conductance potassium channel 3.1

KCC3:

K+/Cl− cotransporter 3

KCNH2:

Potassium voltage-gated channel, subfamily H, member 2

KDR :

Delayed outwardly rectifying potassium channel

Kir :

Inwardly rectifying potassium channel

NBC:

Sodium/bicarbonate cotransporter

NHE:

Sodium/proton exchanger

NHERF1:

Sodium/proton exchanger regulatory factor 1

NKCC:

Na+/K/+/Cl− cotransporters

NKCC1:

Na+/K+/2Cl− cotransporter isoform 1

siRNA:

Small interfering ribonucleic acid

TEA:

Tetraethylammonium

TMZ:

Temozolomide

TRPC:

Transient receptor potential cation channel

TRPM8:

Transient receptor potential, melastatin subfamily member 8

VEGF:

Vascular endothelial growth factor

WHO:

World Health Organization

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Ms. Heike Blum for illustration design and artwork.

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  1. Department of Neurology, University of Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, 48149, Münster, Germany

    Ole J. Simon, Thomas Müntefering, Oliver M. Grauer & Sven G. Meuth

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  1. Ole J. Simon
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Correspondence to Ole J. Simon.

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Simon, O.J., Müntefering, T., Grauer, O.M. et al. The role of ion channels in malignant brain tumors. J Neurooncol 125, 225–235 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-015-1896-9

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