Cancer‐Specific Therapy by Artificial Modulation of Intracellular Calcium Concentration

Abstract

Abstract Calcium (Ca 2+ ) hemeostasis is crucial for the normal function of cellular biochemistry. The abnormal frequency of Ca 2+ signaling in cancer cells makes them more vulnerable to Ca 2+ modulation than normal cells. Here in this study, a novel cancer‐specific therapy by artificially triggering Ca 2+ overload in cancer cells is proposed. The feasibility of this therapy is illustrated by successful coupling of selective extrusion (Ca 2+ ) inhibition effect of Curcumin (Cur) and the effective Ca 2+ generating capability of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) into a facilely prepared water responsive phospholipid (PL)–ACC hybrid platform (PL/ACC–Cur). The obtained results demonstrate that PL/ACC–Cur can specifically boost the intracellular Ca 2+ concentration to cause Ca 2+ overload and to trigger mitochondria‐related apoptosis in MCF‐7 cells while sparing normal hepatocyte (L02), which might be a promising approach for effective cancer therapy.