Affiliation
Professor Djamgoz is from the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London
Abstract
In cancer, it is metastasis, the spreading of the disease that is the main cause of death. A wealth of experimental data from our laboratory and subsequently many others around the world suggests that acquisition of metastatic potential in cancer cells is accompanied by de novo expression of functional voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs). This phenomenon is common to all solid tumours examined, including cancers of breast, colon, prostate, lung (small-cell, non-small-cell, mesothelioma), cervix and ovary. In all cases, blocking VGSC expression/activity suppressed metastatic behaviour in vitro and in vivo. Where examined, the VGSC expression was found to be paralleled by down-regulation of outward currents (mainly potassium channel activity) thereby making metastatic cancer cell membranes electrically excitable. Thus, metastatic cancer cells’ hyperactive behaviour may be driven, at least in part, by their regenerative membrane voltage. We call this phenomenon the “CELEX” (‘cellular excitability’) hypothesis of metastasis. The seminar will discuss the mechanisms and clininical implications of CELEX, including opportunities for bioengineers!
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