Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 4, 2026

In vivo Dual Substrate Bioluminescent Imaging
Published on: October 11, 2011
The dual role of iNOS in cancer
Federica Vannini1, Khosrow Kashfi1, Niharika Nath2
1Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, City University of New York Medical School, New York, NY 10031, United States.
Abstract:
Nitric oxide (NO) is one of the 10 smallest molecules found in nature. It is a simple gaseous free radical whose predominant functions is that of a messenger through cGMP. In mammals, NO is synthesized by the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS) of which there are three isoforms. Neuronal (nNOS, NOS1) and endothelial (eNOS, NOS3) are constitutive calcium-dependent forms of the enzyme that regulate neural and vascular function respectively. The third isoform (iNOS, NOS2), is calcium-independent and is inducible. In many tumors, iNOS expression is high, however, the role of iNOS during tumor development is very complex and quite perplexing, with both promoting and inhibiting actions having been described. This review will aim to summarize the dual actions of iNOS-derived NO showing that the microenvironment of the tumor is a contributing factor to these observations and ultimately to cellular outcomes.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
Inhibition of Cdk Activity
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...

