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Lysyl oxidase: from basic science to future cancer treatment
Takeshi Nishioka1, Amanda Eustace, Catharine West
1Department of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan. trout@hs.hokudai.ac.jp
Cell Structure and Function
|March 29, 2012
Summary
Lysyl oxidase (LOX) and LOX-like proteins (LOXL) are key in cancer progression. Higher expression of these enzymes correlates with poor cancer prognosis and increased metastasis, suggesting therapeutic potential.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Lysyl oxidase (LOX) and its family, LOX-like proteins (LOXL), are enzymes crucial for extracellular matrix cross-linking.
- Recent research highlights their significant roles in cancer physiology and pathology, impacting tumor progression and patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent (past 5 years) literature on the physiological and pathological roles of the LOX family in major cancers.
- To correlate LOX/LOXL expression levels with cancer prognosis and explore their therapeutic implications.
Main Methods:
- Review of recently published experimental studies focusing on LOX family members in cancer.
- Analysis of molecular biology findings related to LOX/LOXL expression, function, and regulation.
Main Results:
- Consistent findings indicate that elevated LOX or LOXL expression is associated with a poor prognosis in various cancers.
- Experimental suppression of LOX/LOXL activity reduced cancer cell motility and inhibited metastasis in preclinical models.
- LOX family members are implicated in Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT), influencing cancer cell invasiveness and motility.
Conclusions:
- The LOX family plays a critical role in tumor biology, impacting cancer progression and metastasis.
- Targeting LOX/LOXL activity presents a promising therapeutic strategy for improving cancer treatment outcomes.
- Further molecular studies are advancing towards clinical applications for LOX-family-targeted cancer therapies.
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