The acquisition of new knowledge on how calcium signals are involved in the interactions between the immune system and tumors is an ambitious goal to improve the immune response in favor of the patient by modulating calcium signals. In fact, targeting the calcium signaling pathway might be a new strategy to reverse the immunosuppressive microenvironment. In this scenario, an emerging role is played by calcium-permeable ion channels that represent potential targets to control the immune response and ameliorate anti-cancer immunotherapy. The function of ion channels in the modulation of calcium signaling and the role of tumor microenvironment-dependent factors in the regulation of these ion channels are the emerging questions that this Research Topic would like to answer. In addition, this Research Topic aims to highlight the role of calcium machinery in the regulation of immune checkpoints and chemokine expression that play a fundamental role in the crosstalk between tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment. Finally, the attention is also focused on the calcium-dependent release of exosomes that allow the exchange of information between tumor cells and immune cells influencing tumor growth.
It is well known that alteration in Ca2+ regulation affects cancer growth and progression, by modulating tumor-stromal interactions, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, drug resistance, and anticancer immune responses. The interactions between immune and cancer cells are responsible for influencing the outcome of the neoplastic disease and recent studies demonstrate that calcium plays a pivotal role in the modulation of the tumor microenvironment including the immune infiltrate. In fact, Ca2+ is essential for appropriate antigen presentation and development of the specific response which is thought crucial in the control of cancer. Calcium channels, such as voltage-gated, CRAC, Orai, STIM, MUC, and TRP channels, are becoming increasingly important due to their involvement in the regulation of T cell or NK activation and proliferation.
In this Research Topic, we aim to bring together researchers to address as fully as possible the question of calcium signals in the anti-tumor immune response. We welcome the submission of Review, Original Research, Clinical Trial, and Case Report covering, but not limited to, the following sub-topics:
1) How calcium signaling affects the anti-cancer natural and specific immune responses.
2) The role of ion channels in the activation of anti-cancer immune response
3) Calcium signaling and the modulation of the tumor microenvironment
4) How calcium can affect the regulation and efficacy of the anti-cancer immunotherapy
5) Calcium signaling and the interactions between cancer and immune cells
6) How components of the calcium machinery affect anti-cancer immune responses
7) Role of calcium signaling in the release, by cancer or immune cells, of exosomes involved in specific antitumor immunity.
8) Tumor microenvironment-derived factors that influence the calcium-dependent anti-cancer immune response
9) The involvement of calcium signaling in the regulation of immune checkpoints
Please note: manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this section and will not be accepted as part of this Research Topic.
The acquisition of new knowledge on how calcium signals are involved in the interactions between the immune system and tumors is an ambitious goal to improve the immune response in favor of the patient by modulating calcium signals. In fact, targeting the calcium signaling pathway might be a new strategy to reverse the immunosuppressive microenvironment. In this scenario, an emerging role is played by calcium-permeable ion channels that represent potential targets to control the immune response and ameliorate anti-cancer immunotherapy. The function of ion channels in the modulation of calcium signaling and the role of tumor microenvironment-dependent factors in the regulation of these ion channels are the emerging questions that this Research Topic would like to answer. In addition, this Research Topic aims to highlight the role of calcium machinery in the regulation of immune checkpoints and chemokine expression that play a fundamental role in the crosstalk between tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment. Finally, the attention is also focused on the calcium-dependent release of exosomes that allow the exchange of information between tumor cells and immune cells influencing tumor growth.
It is well known that alteration in Ca2+ regulation affects cancer growth and progression, by modulating tumor-stromal interactions, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, drug resistance, and anticancer immune responses. The interactions between immune and cancer cells are responsible for influencing the outcome of the neoplastic disease and recent studies demonstrate that calcium plays a pivotal role in the modulation of the tumor microenvironment including the immune infiltrate. In fact, Ca2+ is essential for appropriate antigen presentation and development of the specific response which is thought crucial in the control of cancer. Calcium channels, such as voltage-gated, CRAC, Orai, STIM, MUC, and TRP channels, are becoming increasingly important due to their involvement in the regulation of T cell or NK activation and proliferation.
In this Research Topic, we aim to bring together researchers to address as fully as possible the question of calcium signals in the anti-tumor immune response. We welcome the submission of Review, Original Research, Clinical Trial, and Case Report covering, but not limited to, the following sub-topics:
1) How calcium signaling affects the anti-cancer natural and specific immune responses.
2) The role of ion channels in the activation of anti-cancer immune response
3) Calcium signaling and the modulation of the tumor microenvironment
4) How calcium can affect the regulation and efficacy of the anti-cancer immunotherapy
5) Calcium signaling and the interactions between cancer and immune cells
6) How components of the calcium machinery affect anti-cancer immune responses
7) Role of calcium signaling in the release, by cancer or immune cells, of exosomes involved in specific antitumor immunity.
8) Tumor microenvironment-derived factors that influence the calcium-dependent anti-cancer immune response
9) The involvement of calcium signaling in the regulation of immune checkpoints
Please note: manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this section and will not be accepted as part of this Research Topic.