Potassium channels: Novel targets for tumor diagnosis and chemoresistance

Figure 1. Expression of potassium channel in tumor. Colors represent different expression levels: red, high expression; green, low expression.

Figure 2. Role of potassium channels in immunotherapy. Inhibition of Kv1.3 channels leads to impaired tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte function and decreased ability to kill cancer cells. Kv1.3 overexpression decreases intracellular potassium and enhances antitumor function of T cells through activation of Akt – mTOR signaling. 4-AP blocked potassium channels and inhibited IL-6 and IL-1 secretion, inhibiting glioma cell proliferation. Up-regulation of Kv11.1 channel expression was accompanied by increased IL-8, IL-27, and VEGF, promoting colorectal cancer development. KCa3.1 activator suppress IL-10-induced tumor immune surveillance escape and IL-8-induced tumorigenicity and metastasis by inhibiting their production from TAMs through ERK-CREB and JNK-c-Jun cascades. KCa3.1 activator enhanced the killing effect of CD8 + T on tumor cells and induced IL-10 transcriptional inhibition in T lymphocytic leukemia through the Smad2/3 signaling pathway. Y4 mAb increases cell death by targeting inhibition of KCNK9 channels and activating anti-tumor immune responses.