NALCN

Overview

NALCN (Sodium Leak Channel, Non-Selective) encodes a sodium leak channel that regulates resting membrane potential and neuronal excitability. It was identified as one of 16 significantly mutated genes in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma by ICGC whole-exome sequencing, making it a novel somatic driver in that cancer type. Its precise role in pancreatic cancer biology is not yet established.

Alterations observed in the corpus

  • One of 16 significantly mutated genes in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (ICGC, 142 tumors); mechanism of oncogenic contribution is unknown PMID:23103869

Cancer types (linked)

  • PAAD — identified as a significantly mutated gene in ICGC pancreatic cancer WES cohort (142 tumors) PMID:23103869

Co-occurrence and mutual exclusivity

  • None reported in this corpus.

Therapeutic relevance

  • No direct therapeutic targeting reported in this corpus.

Open questions

  • Functional consequence of NALCN mutations in pancreatic cancer is unclear; canonical role in ion channel biology has not been linked to canonical oncogenic pathways.

Sources

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