Progress in SERCA-mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis

Abstract

Ca2+ is an important signaling molecule in normal cells and plays a critical role for various physiological activities in the cells. Its stability in intracellular environment is an important prerequisite for cell proliferation and apoptosis. The sarcoplasmic reticulum/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) is an important medium for maintaining the stability of Ca2+ concentration inside and outside the cell. It can transport high concentration of Ca2+ into the sarcoplasmic reticulum/endoplasmic reticulum to maintain the stability of Ca2+ in the cells. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) is the response of cells to injury factors (hypoxia, low pH, low nutrients, etc.) leading to disorder in Ca2+ balance and excessive accumulation of protein in the endoplasmic reticulum. Maintenance of nascent synthetic peptide folding correctly plays a key role in promoting cell growth and anti-apoptosis in ERS, which is induced by environmental stressors such as hypoxia and acidosis. In this paper, we review SERCA-mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis in cardiomyocytes, hepatocytes, colon cancer cells, and islet β cells. Key words: Sarcoplasmic reticulum; Endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase; Endoplasmic reticulum stress; Apoptosis