Analysis of the modulation of the MCU complex expression and activity in stomach and colorectal cancers

Mitochondrial Ca2+ transport is a highly conserved phenomenon that is linked to a diverse set of cellular processes, including programmed cell death and inflammation. Given the lack of cell-permeant uniporter inhibitors and the previously unknown molecular identity of the uniporter, the functional studies to date have been largely correlative. The innovative aspect of the current project consists in carrying out a set of targeted genetic and biochemical studies that will enable a detailed molecular understanding of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and the mechanisms that govern its regulation. Moreover it offers initial clues to the relevance of these pathways in human stomach and colorectal cancers and highlights the importance of mitochondrial Ca2+ regulation in tumor progression.