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Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Production and Detection of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in Cancers
Published on: November 21, 2011
p38alpha MAP kinase as a sensor of reactive oxygen species in tumorigenesis
Ignacio Dolado1, Aneta Swat, Nuria Ajenjo
1CNIO (Spanish National Cancer Center), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
Abstract:
p38alpha is a stress-activated protein kinase that negatively regulates malignant transformation induced by oncogenic H-Ras, although the mechanisms involved are not fully understood. Here, we show that p38alpha is not a general inhibitor of oncogenic signaling, but that it specifically modulates transformation induced by oncogenes that produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). This inhibitory effect is due to the ROS-induced activation of p38alpha early in the process of transformation, which induces apoptosis and prevents the accumulation of ROS and their carcinogenic effects. Accordingly, highly tumorigenic cancer cell lines have developed a mechanism to uncouple p38alpha activation from ROS production. Our results indicate that oxidative stress sensing plays a key role in the inhibition of tumor initiation by p38alpha.
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