Ionic Channels And Cancer Immunology

The ion channels are membrane proteins that control the passage of ions therethrough in response to different stimuli. The dysregulation and / or dysfunction of these ion channels is related to a multitude of diseases, including cancer.

Cancer development depends on the effectiveness of the immune system in destroying tumor cells, and the key steps in this process are regulated by various ion channels .

These channels can affect the activation of immune cells and their toxicity against cancer, making them a more than interesting target for research and development of new antitumor therapies.

The Role Of Ion Channels In Cancer Immunology

Tumor cells are recognized by the immune system through the specific antigens they express on their surface, and through joint and integrated action between innate and adaptive immunity mechanisms, these cancer cells are killed. But some of them are capable of developing mechanisms to reduce their immunogenicity, and therefore, not to be recognized by the immune system and thus avoid their eradication.

Strategies to enhance anti-cancer immunity could be directed towards increasing efficiency in antigen presentation, recognition and elimination of tumor cells by the immune system, or inhibition of tumor-induced immunosuppression. Ionic channels play a fundamental role in any of these processes, as the following examples show:

• Lysis of tumor cells by CD8 + cytotoxic T cells is mediated by Ca2 + Kv1.3 and KCa3.1 ion channels.
• Lack of functional Ca2 + channels inhibits the development of regulatory T cells.
• Blocking the KCa3.1 ion channels increases cytotoxicity and lysis of tumor cells by NK cells.

For all these reasons, the network of ion channels present in immune cells that regulate both innate and adaptive immune responses are highly interesting targets in the development of new therapeutic tools against cancer.

Tumor Processes And Ion Channels

Some of the tumor processes in which the active participation of ion channels has been described are the following:

• Cell cycle progression and proliferation

Ionic transport is an integral part of the regulation of cell cycle progression and proliferation.

• Apoptosis

Ionic fluxes are also crucial in the regulation of programmed cell death pathways.

• Metabolism of tumor cells and tumor microenvironment

The cellular microenvironment usually presents different physical-chemical characteristics than most normal tissues and contains different types of cells in addition to tumor cells. Ionic channels are essential in the interaction between tumor cells and their microenvironment.

• Tumor cell motility and invasiveness

The motility and invasion of tumor cells, the main steps in metastasis, require the functional integration of several processes, almost all of them regulated by ion channels.

Antibodies For Ion Channel Research

Specific antibodies against ion channels are a fundamental research tool for the study of cancerous phenomena of proliferation, migration and metastasis, angiogenesis and resistance to apoptosis.

Here we leave you a selection of antibodies for the investigation of ion channels (IC)  from the Genetex company .

1.- PROLIFERATION

C. I.	Antibodies	Applications	Reference
Shaker-like K + channels	Kv1.1 antibody	ICC / IF, WB	GTX54875
	Kv1.5 antibody	ICC / IF, IHC, IP, WB	GTX54837
EAG-related K + channels	Kv11.1 antibody	ICC / IF, IHC, IP, WB	GTX54776
	Kv11.1 antibody	ICC / IF, IHC, IP, WB	GTX54785
	Kv11.1 antibody	FACS, ICC / IF, IHC, IP, WB	GTX54789
Ca2 + activated K + channels	KCA3.1 / KCNN4 antibody	ICC / IF, IHC, IP, WB	GTX54786
TRP	TRPC6 antibody	FACS, ICC / IF, IHC, IP, WB	GTX54757
	TRPM7 antibody	ICC / IF, IHC, IHC-P, WB	GTX54865
	TRPM8 antibody	ICC / IF, IHC, IHC-Fr, IP, WB	GTX54866
P2X	P2X7 antibody	ICC / IF, IHC, IHC-P, IP, WB	GTX54794
SOCs	ORAl1 antibody	FACS, WB	GTX54826

2.- MIGRATION AND METASTASIS

CI	Antibodies	Applications	Reference
EAG K + channels	Kv10.1 antibody	ICC / IF, IHC, WB	GTX54788
Kir channels	Kir3.1 / GIRK1 antibody	ICC / IF, IHC, IP, WB	GTX54831
TRP	TRPM7 antibody	ICC / IF, IHC, IHC-P, WB	GTX54865
	TRPM8 antibody	ICC / IF, IHC, IHC-Fr, IP, WB	GTX54866
	TRPV1 antibody	ICC / IF, IHC, WB	GTX54762
P2X	P2X7 antibody	ICC / IF, IHC, IHC-P, IP, WB	GTX54794
SOCs	ORAl1 antibody	FACS, WB	GTX54826

3.- TUMORAL ANGIOGENESIS

CI	Antibodies	Applications	Reference
TRP	TRPC6 antibody	FACS, ICC / IF, IHC, IP, WB	GTX54757
SOCs	ORAl1 antibody	FACS, WB	GTX54826

4.- RESISTANCE TO APOPTOSIS

CI	Antibodies	Applications	Reference
TRP	TRPA1 antibody	ICC / IF, IHC, IP, WB	GTX54765
P2X	P2X7 antibody	ICC / IF, IHC, IHC-P, IP, WB	GTX54794
SOCs	ORAl1 antibody	FACS, WB	GTX54826

In addition to GENETEX , other of our represented houses also offer specific antibodies against ion channels . You can check the list of each of them by clicking on the links that we leave you below:

COVALAB (+ info)

• Antibodies to COVALAB ion channels

LSBIO (+ info)

• Antibodies to LSBIO ion channels

PROSCI (+ info)

• Antibodies to PROSCI ion channels

ST. JOHN´S LAB (+ info)

• Antibodies against ion channels of ST JOHN´s LAB

ORIGIN (+ info)

• Antibodies to ion channels OriGene