Mechanosensitive ion channels and methods of use

A method for identifying an agent that decreases a phenotype of a cell comprising:

• contacting a cell expressing an MscCa channel with a candidate agent to yield a treated cell;
• and
• comparing the phenotype of the treated cell with the phenotype of a control cell not contacted with the candidate agent, wherein the phenotype is selected from the group of motility, invasiveness, proliferation, and a combination thereof, and wherein a decreased phenotype for the treated cell indicates the candidate agent decrease the phenotype.

A method for treating cancer comprising:

• administering to a subject having cancer an effective amount of a composition comprising an agent that decreases activity of a mechanosensitive ion channel present on a cancer cell, wherein a symptom of the cancer is decreased.

A method for decreasing metastasis of a cancer cell comprising:

• administering to a subject at risk of developing cancer an effective amount mechanosensitive ion channel.

A method for decreasing a symptom associated with cancer comprising:

• administering to a subject having cancer an effective amount of a composition comprising an agent that decreases activity of a mechanosensitive ion channel.

A method for inhibiting expression of an MscCa polypeptide comprising:

• administering into a cell an effective amount of an RNA polynucleotide, wherein the polynucleotide comprises a sense strand and an antisense strand, wherein the sense strand comprises a nucleotide sequence of between 16 and 30 nucleotides, wherein the nucleotide sequence is substantially identical to consecutive nucleotides of an mRNA encoding a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:
• 2, and wherein the cell comprising the RNA polynucleotide has decreased MscCa activity, decreased motility, decrease invasiveness, or a combination thereof, when compared to a control cell that does not comprise the RNS polynucleotide.

A method for treating cancer comprising:

• administering to a subject having cancer an effective amount of an RNA polynucleotide, wherein the polynucleotide comprises a sense strand and an antisense strand, wherein the sense strand comprise a nucleotide sequence of between 16 and 30 nucleotides, wherein the nucleotide sequence is substantially identical to consecutive nucleotides of an mRNA encoding a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:
• 2, and wherein a symptom of the cancer is decreased.

A method for decreasing metastasis of a cancer cell comprising:

• administering to a subject at risk of developing cancer an effective amount of an RNA polynucleotide, wherein the polynucleotide comprises a sense strand and an antisense strand, wherein the sense strand comprises a nucleotide sequence of between 16 and 30 nucleotides, and wherein the nucleotide sequence is substantially identical to consecutive nucleotides of an mRNA encoding a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:
• 2.

A method for decreasing a symptom associated with cancer comprising:

• administering to a subject having cancer an effective amount of an RNA polynucleotide, wherein the polynucleotide comprises a sense strand and an antisense strand, wherein the sense strand comprises a nucleotide sequence of between 16 and 30 nucleotides, wherein the nucleotide sequence is substantially identical to consecutive nucleotides of an mRNA encoding a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:
• 2.