Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS): Key components in Cancer Therapies.

Anti-cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry
Biswa Mohan SahooAdya Jain

Abstract

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) refer to the highly reactive substances, which contain oxygen radicals. Hypochlorous acid, peroxides, superoxide, singlet oxygen, alpha-oxygen and hydroxyl radicals are the major examples of ROS. Generally, the reduction of oxygen (O2) in molecular form produces superoxide (•O2-) anion. ROS are produced during a variety of biochemical reactions within the cell organelles, such as endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and peroxisome. Naturally, ROS are also formed as a byproduct of the normal metabolism of oxygen. The production of ROS can be induced by various factors such as heavy metals, tobacco, smoke, drugs, xenobiotics, pollutants and radiation. From various experimental studies, it is reported that ROS act as either tumor suppressing or tumor promoting agent. The elevated levels of ROS can arrest the growth of tumor through the persistent increase in cell cycle inhibition. The increased level of ROS can induce apoptosis by both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. ROS are considered to be tumor suppressing agent as the production of ROS is due to the use of most of the chemotherapeutic agents in order to activate the cell death. The cytotoxic effect of ROS provides impetus towards apoptosis, but i...Continue Reading

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Apoptosis in Cancer

Apoptosis is an important mechanism in cancer. By evading apoptosis, tumors can continue to grow without regulation and metastasize systemically. Many therapies are evaluating the use of pro-apoptotic activation to eliminate cancer growth. Here is the latest research on apoptosis in cancer.

Cancer Metabolism: Therapeutic Targets

Targeting the mechanisms by which cancer cells acquire energy for metabolic needs is a therapeutic target. Discover the latest research on cancer metabolism and therapeutic targets.

Apoptosis

Apoptosis is a specific process that leads to programmed cell death through the activation of an evolutionary conserved intracellular pathway leading to pathognomic cellular changes distinct from cellular necrosis

Related Papers

Apoptosis : an International Journal on Programmed Cell Death
Zhengzhi ZouSongmao Wang
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Kamesh R Babu, Yvonne Tay
Biology Letters
Mats OlssonThomas Wanger
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Laurent M PaardekooperGeert van den Bogaart
© 2021 Meta ULC. All rights reserved