Open Sesame: treasure in store-operated calcium entry pathway for cancer therapy

Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) controls intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis and regulates a wide range of cellular events including proliferation, migration and invasion. The discovery of STIM proteins as Ca2+ sensors and Orai proteins as Ca2+ channel pore forming units provided molecular tools to understand the physiological function of SOCE. Many studies have revealed the pathophysiological roles of Orai and STIM in tumor cells. This review focuses on recent advances in SOCE and its contribution to tumorigenesis. Altered Orai and/or STIM functions may serve as biomarkers for cancer prognosis, and targeting the SOCE pathway may provide a novel means for cancer treatment.