Potassium Channels as a Target for Cancer Therapy: Current Perspectives.

Potassium (K + ) channels are highly regulated membrane proteins that control the potassium ion flux and respond to different cellular stimuli. These ion channels are grouped into three major families, Kv (voltage-gated K + channel), Kir (inwardly rectifying K + channel) and K2P (two-pore K + channels), according to the structure, to mediate the K + currents. In cancer, alterations in K + channel function can promote the acquisition of the so-called hallmarks of cancer - cell proliferation, resistance to apoptosis, metabolic changes, angiogenesis, and migratory capabilities - emerging as targets for the development of new therapeutic drugs. In this review, we focus our attention on the different K + channels associated with the most relevant and prevalent cancer types. We summarize our knowledge about the potassium channels structure and function, their cancer dysregulated expression and discuss the K + channels modulator and the strategies for designing new drugs.