Dysregulation of Mg homeostasis contributes to acquisition of cancer hallmarks.

Derangement of magnesium homeostasis underlies the pathophysiology of many diseases, including cancer. Recent advances support the view that aberrant expression of Mg channels and other Mg homeostatic factors may affect many hallmarks of cancer. The seminal idea of magnesium as a key regulator of cell proliferation has been enriched by novel intriguing findings that link magnesium and Mg transporters to distinctive and complementary capabilities that enable tumour growth and metastatic dissemination. In this review, we examine the evidence on the involvement of members from the TRPM, CNNM and SCL41 protein families in cancer progression, and discuss their potential as therapeutic targets.