Abstract
Alterations in cellular calcium (Ca(2+)) signals have been causally associated with the development and progression of human cancers. Cellular Ca(2+) signals are generated by channels, pumps, and exchangers that move Ca(2+) 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(2+) 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(2+) transporters or S-acylation enzymes with specific cancers, as well as studies reporting or predicting the S-acylation of Ca(2+) transporters. We then discuss the potential role of S-acylation in the oncogenic potential of a subset of Ca(2+) transport proteins involved in cancer.