Role of transient receptor potential melastatin type 7 channel in gastric cancer

Transient receptor potential (TRP) proteins are a family of ion channels, which are responsible for a wide array of cellular functions. In particular, TRP melastatin type (TRPM) 7 is expressed everywhere and permeable to divalent cations such as Mg2+ and Ca2+. It contains a channel and a kinase domain. Recent studies indicate that activation of TRPM7 plays an important role in the growth and survival of gastric cancer cells. In this review, we describe and discuss the findings of recent studies that have provided novel insights of the relation between TRPM7 and gastric cancer.