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Transfer of Manipulated Tumor-associated Neutrophils into Tumor-Bearing Mice to Study their Angiogenic Potential In Vivo
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NOS2 as an Emergent Player in Progression of Cancer

Douglas D Thomas1, David A Wink2

  • 11 Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago , Chicago, Illinois.

Antioxidants & Redox Signaling
|May 17, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) expression in cancer cells, initially thought to be antitumor, actually predicts poor patient outcomes. Targeting NOS2 offers a promising therapeutic strategy for various cancers.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Immunology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • The inducible form of nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) was initially recognized for its antitumor properties within the immune response.
  • However, recent findings indicate that NOS2 expression within cancer cells frequently correlates with unfavorable patient prognoses.

Discussion:

  • Nitric oxide (NO), produced by NOS2, is a ubiquitous molecule that simultaneously influences multiple oncogenic pathways, including Akt/PI3K, RAS/ERK, HIF1a, and TGFb.
  • These interconnected pathways promote cancer progression by enhancing stemness, proliferation, metastasis, chemoresistance, angiogenesis, and immunosuppression.

Key Insights:

  • NOS2 expression is prevalent in over 50% of diverse human cancers.
  • Elevated NOS2 levels are associated with poor outcomes in specific cancers like ER- breast cancer, glioma, melanoma, cervical, liver, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers.

Outlook:

  • NOS2 represents a significant biomarker for predicting poor cancer prognosis.
  • Targeting NOS2 presents a promising therapeutic avenue for improving cancer treatment strategies.
Keywords:
cancerfree radicalsinflammationnitric oxide

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