S-acylation of Ca transport proteins in cancer.

Alterations in cellular calcium (Ca) signals have been causally associated with the development and progression of human cancers. Cellular Ca signals are generated by channels, pumps, and exchangers that move Ca 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 Ca 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 Ca transporters or S-acylation enzymes with specific cancers, as well as studies reporting or predicting the S-acylation of Ca transporters. We then discuss the potential role of S-acylation in the oncogenic potential of a subset of Ca transport proteins involved in cancer.