Several studies have identified specific signalling functions for inositol polyphosphates (IPs) in different cell types and have led to the accumulation of new information regarding their cellular roles as well as new insights into their cellular production. These studies have revealed that interaction of IPs with several proteins is critical for stabilization of protein complexes and for modulation of enzymatic activity. This has not only revealed their importance in regulation of several cellular processes but it has also highlighted the possibility of new pharmacological interventions in multiple diseases, including cancer. In this review, we describe some of the intracellular roles of IPs and we discuss the pharmacological opportunities that modulation of IPs levels can provide.
Keywords: cell signaling; experimental pharmacology; inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakisphosphate; inositol 1,3,4,5,6-pentakisphosphate; inositol phosphates; pleckstrin homology domain.