Human cancer cells generate spontaneous calcium transients and intercellular waves that modulate tumor growth

Electrically excitable cells such as neurons transmit long-distance calcium or electrical signals to regulate their physiological functions. While the molecular underpinnings and down-stream effects of these intercellular communications in excitable cells have been well appreciated, little is known about whether and how non -excitable cancer cells spontaneously initiate and transmit long-distance intercellular signals. Here we report that non-excitable human colon and prostate cancer cells spontaneously initiate and spread intercellular calcium waves, in vitro and ex vivo. Xenograft model studies suggest that these calcium signals promote the growth rate of tumors in mice. Pharmacological studies elucidated that the inositol-trisphosphate-receptor (IP3R)-regulated calcium release from endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which is activated by the Gq-PLC-IP3R pathway, is a major cause for the initiation of spontaneous calcium transients. Further, the spatial-temporal characteristics of calcium dynamics can be tuned by the culture substrates of different mechanical stiffnesses. Our results provide evidence that calcium dynamics enables long-distance functional communication in non-excitable cancer cells and offer the potential to modulate calcium signaling for new cancer therapies.

Automated summary

This study reveals that non-excitable cancer cells, such as human colon and prostate cancer cells, can spontaneously initiate and spread intercellular calcium waves, which promote tumor growth. The release of calcium from the endoplasmic reticulum through the inositol-trisphosphate-receptor pathway is identified as a major cause for the initiation of spontaneous calcium transients. Additionally, the spatial-temporal characteristics of calcium dynamics can be modulated by the mechanical stiffness of the culture substrates.