Leveraging basic knowledge of ion channel network in cancer for innovative therapeutic strategies (LIONESS)

Ion channels have been found to be expressed in different types of human cancers, where they are emerging particularly relevant for the control of several cancer hallmarks (e.g. cell proliferation and resistance to apoptosis, cell invasiveness and pro-angiogenetic programs). Furthermore, ion channels are increasingly recognized as novel and valuable molecular targets for antineoplastic therapy. Through a multidisciplinary approach, the LIONESS project aims to address these still undefined points. In particular, the LIONESS project proposes (i) to study how different ion channels, either cation or anion channels, either on the plasma membrane or in intracellular organelles, network in PDAC cells, (ii) to analyze the role of complexes between ion channels and growth factor and adhesion receptors in PDAC, and finally (iii) to verify whether the targeting of different ion channels could impair those signaling pathways and mechanisms that specifically regulate tumor progression in PDAC. Overall, the final goal of LIONESS is to leverage ion channels’ biology knowledge to design an innovative, ion channel-centered, therapeutic strategy for PDAC, one of the deadliest cancer diseases.

Members:
Raffaella Barbieri
Paola Gavazzo
Cristiana Picco
Michael Pusch (Principal investigator)