Mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter is critical for store-operated Ca2+ entry-dependent breast cancer cell migration

Metastasis of cancer cells is a complicated multistep process requiring extensive and continuous cytosolic calcium modulation. Mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU), a regulator of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake, has been implicated in energy metabolism and various cellular signaling processes. However, whether MCU contributes to cancer cell migration has not been established. Here we examined the expression of MCU mRNA in the Oncomine database and found that MCU is correlated to metastasis and invasive breast cancer. MCU inhibition by ruthenium red (RuR) or MCU silencing by siRNA abolished serum-induced migration in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and reduced serum- or thapsigargin (TG)-induced store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE). Serum-induced migrations in MDA-MB-231 cells were blocked by SOCE inhibitors. Our results demonstrate that MCU plays a critical role in breast cancer cell migration by regulating SOCE. •MCU is correlated to metastasis and invasive breast cancer.•MCU inhibition abolished serum-induced migration in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and reduced serum- or TG-induced SOCE.•Serum-induced migrations in MDA-MB-231 cells were blocked by SOCE inhibitors.•MCU plays a critical role in MDA-MB-231 cell migration by regulating SOCE.