Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 9, 2025

Utilizing 18F-FDG PET/CT Imaging and Quantitative Histology to Measure Dynamic Changes in the Glucose Metabolism in Mouse Models of Lung Cancer
06:51

Utilizing 18F-FDG PET/CT Imaging and Quantitative Histology to Measure Dynamic Changes in the Glucose Metabolism in Mouse Models of Lung Cancer

Published on: July 21, 2018

18.2K

SOD1 regulates ribosome biogenesis in KRAS mutant non-small cell lung cancer

Xiaowen Wang1,2,3, Hong Zhang1,2, Russell Sapio4

  • 1Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.

Nature Communications
|April 16, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Nuclear superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) is crucial for KRAS-driven lung cancer cell growth by regulating ribosome biogenesis. Knocking out SOD1 significantly reduces tumor burden and blocks cancer cell proliferation.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) is a key antioxidant enzyme.
  • Its precise role in cancer, particularly non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), remains incompletely understood.
  • SOD1 is a potential anticancer target.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the function of SOD1 in KRAS-driven NSCLC.
  • To elucidate the specific mechanisms by which SOD1 influences lung cancer cell proliferation.

Main Methods:

  • Generation of an inducible Sod1 knockout in a KRAS-driven NSCLC mouse model.
  • In vitro and in vivo assessment of tumor burden and cell growth.
  • Subcellular localization studies of SOD1.
  • Analysis of SOD1 interaction with the PeBoW complex and its role in ribosome biogenesis.

Main Results:

  • Sod1 knockout significantly reduced tumor burden in vivo and inhibited KRAS mutant NSCLC cell growth in vitro.
  • SOD1 was found to be enriched in the nucleus and nucleolus of NSCLC cells.
  • Nuclear/nucleolar SOD1, not cytoplasmic, was essential for lung cancer cell proliferation.
  • SOD1 interacts with the PeBoW complex, controlling its assembly and pre-60S ribosomal subunit maturation.
  • SOD1 regulates pre-ribosomal RNA processing and cytoplasmic 60S ribosomal subunit maturation.

Conclusions:

  • Nuclear SOD1 plays a critical role in ribosome biogenesis and proliferation in KRAS-driven NSCLC.
  • This study reveals a novel nuclear function of SOD1 essential for lung cancer cell survival.

More Related Videos

Saccharomyces cerevisiae Metabolic Labeling with 4-thiouracil and the Quantification of Newly Synthesized mRNA As a Proxy for RNA Polymerase II Activity09:21

Saccharomyces cerevisiae Metabolic Labeling with 4-thiouracil and the Quantification of Newly Synthesized mRNA As a Proxy for RNA Polymerase II Activity

Published on: October 22, 2018

9.3K
Assay Development for High Content Quantification of Sod1 Mutant Protein Aggregate Formation in Living Cells11:12

Assay Development for High Content Quantification of Sod1 Mutant Protein Aggregate Formation in Living Cells

Published on: October 4, 2017

7.4K

Related Concept Videos

The Nucleolus02:55

The Nucleolus

The nucleolus is the most prominent substructure of the nucleus. When it was first discovered, it was considered to be an isolated organelle that forms fibrils and granules. In 1931, the relationship between the nucleolus and chromosomes was first described by Heitz. He observed that the appearance and size of nucleolus varies depending on the stage of the cell cycle. He also noticed constricted regions on different chromosomes clustered together at definite cell cycle stages. These regions,...
9.7K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
4.0K
Regulation of Nuclear Protein Sorting01:45

Regulation of Nuclear Protein Sorting

Nuclear protein sorting regulates nucleus composition and gene expression, crucial for determining the fate of a eukaryotic cell. Hence, the entry and exit of molecules across the nuclear envelope is a tightly controlled process. Nuclear protein sorting can be inhibited by one of the following ways: 1) masking cargo signal sequences, 2) modifying the nuclear receptor's affinity for cargo, 3) controlling the nuclear pore size, 4) retaining the cargo during its transit to the cytosol or the...
2.8K
The Ras Gene02:38

The Ras Gene

The Ras-gene-encoded proteins are regulators of signaling pathways controlling cell proliferation, differentiation, or cell survival. The Ras-gene family in humans constitutes three primary members—the HRas, NRas, and KRas. These genes code for four functionally distinct yet closely related proteins—the HRas, NRas, KRas4A, and KRas4B. The involvement of mutant Ras genes in human cancer was first discovered in 1982 and is among the most common causes of human tumorigenesis.
Ras is a...
6.7K
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the...
4.8K
Translational Regulation01:29

Translational Regulation

Translational regulation in prokaryotes ensures efficient protein synthesis by controlling ribosome access to mRNA. This regulation is mediated by secondary RNA structures, including translational riboswitches, RNA thermometers, and small RNAs (sRNAs), which respond to intracellular and environmental signals to modulate gene expression.Translational RiboswitchesRiboswitches in the leader region of mRNAs can regulate translation by altering the accessibility of the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence,...
315