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A wide variety of cellular function depends on the dynamics of intracellular Ca2+ signals. Especially for relatively slow and lasting processes such as gene expression, cell proliferation, and often migration, cells rely on the store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) pathway, which is particularly prominent in immune cells. SOCE is initiated by the sensor proteins (STIM1, STIM2) located within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) registering the Ca2+ concentration within the ER, and upon its depletion, cluster and trap Orai (Orai1-3) proteins located in the plasma membrane (PM) into ER-PM junctions. These regions become sites of highly selective Ca2+ entry predominantly through Orai1-assembled channels, which, among other effector functions, is necessary for triggering NFAT translocation into the nucleus. What is less clear is how the spatial and temporal spread of intracellular Ca2+ is shaped and regulated by differential expression of the individual SOCE genes and their splice variants, their heteromeric combinations and pre- and posttranslational modifications. This review focuses on principle mechanisms regulating expression, splicing, and targeting of Ca2+ release- activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium (Ca2+) regulates a plethora of cellular functions including hallmarks of cancer development such as cell cycle progression and cellular migration. Receptor-regulated calcium rise in nonexcitable cells occurs through store-dependent as well as store-independent Ca2+ entry pathways. Stromal interaction molecules (STIM) and Orai proteins have been identified as critical constituents of both these Ca2+ influx pathways. STIMs and Orais have emerged as targets for cancer therapeutics as their altered expression and function have been shown to contribute to tumorigenesis. Recent data demonstrate that they play a vital role in development and metastasis of a variety of tumor types including breast, prostate, cervical, colorectal, brain, and skin tumors. In this review, we will retrospect the data supporting a key role for STIM1, STIM2, Orai1, and Orai3 proteins in tumorigenesis and discuss the potential of targeting these proteins for cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]