S-acylation of Ca2+ transport proteins in cancer

Abstract

Alterations in cellular calcium (Ca²⁺) signals have been causally associated with the development and progression of human cancers. Cellular Ca²⁺ signals are generated by channels, pumps, and exchangers that move Ca²⁺ ions across membranes and are decoded by effector proteins in the cytosol or in organelles. S-acylation, the reversible addition of 16-carbon fatty acids to proteins, modulates the activity of Ca²⁺ transporters by altering their affinity for lipids, and enzymes mediating this reversible post-translational modification have also been linked to several types of cancers. Here, we compile studies reporting an association between Ca²⁺ transporters or S-acylation enzymes with specific cancers, as well as studies reporting or predicting the S-acylation of Ca²⁺ transporters. We then discuss the potential role of S-acylation in the oncogenic potential of a subset of Ca²⁺ transport proteins involved in cancer.