Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 22, 2025
11:15
A Preclinical Mouse Model of Osteosarcoma to Define the Extracellular Vesicle-mediated Communication Between Tumor and Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Published on: May 6, 2018
10.4K
Impact of EcSOD Perturbations in Cancer Progression
Brianne R O'Leary1, Rory S Carroll1, Garett J Steers1
1Department of Surgery, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52246, USA.
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 27, 2021
Summary
Decreased extracellular superoxide dismutase (EcSOD) expression is linked to cancer development. Restoring EcSOD activity may offer new strategies for cancer detection and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Cellular Metabolism
- Oncology
Background:
- Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are vital for cell signaling and immunity but can cause oxidative stress when imbalanced.
- Oxidative stress and altered cellular metabolism are hallmarks of cancer.
- Extracellular superoxide dismutase (EcSOD) is an antioxidant enzyme protecting cells from oxidative damage by neutralizing superoxide anions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of EcSOD expression in cancer.
- To explore EcSOD's potential in cancer detection, prognosis, and treatment.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on EcSOD and cancer.
- Analysis of EcSOD's function in redox balance and cellular proliferation.
- Investigation of compounds that modulate EcSOD activity and expression.
Main Results:
- EcSOD expression is often reduced in various cancers.
- Loss of EcSOD expression may promote cancer development and progression.
- Emerging compounds can enhance EcSOD activity and expression, impacting cancer cell signaling.
Conclusions:
- EcSOD plays a significant role in cancer pathophysiology.
- Modulating EcSOD offers potential therapeutic strategies for malignancies.
- Further research into EcSOD's role can advance cancer diagnostics and treatment.
Related Concept Videos
02:17The Tumor Microenvironment
7.0K
Every normal cell or tissue is embedded in a complex local environment called stroma, consisting of different cell types, a basal membrane, and blood vessels. As normal cells mutate and develop into cancer cells, their local environment also changes to allow cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex cellular matrix of stromal cells and the developing tumor. The cross-talk between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells is critical to disrupt normal tissue...
7.0K
02:53Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells
6.0K
Cancer cells accumulate genetic changes at an abnormally rapid rate due to the defects in the DNA repair mechanisms. From an evolutionary perspective, such genetic instability is advantageous for cancer development. Mutant cell lines accumulate a series of beneficial mutations that contribute to their progression into cancer.
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
6.0K
02:40Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance
5.1K
Early diagnosis and treatment can often cure cancer. However, even with treatment, residual cells called cancer stem cells (CSC) might remain, often causing tumor recurrence. These cancer stem cells possess the potential for self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation and are often responsible for the therapeutic resistance displayed in most cancers.
Cancer stem cells are thought to originate from tissue-specific normal stem cells or progenitor cells. The normal stem cells usually reside in...
Cancer stem cells are thought to originate from tissue-specific normal stem cells or progenitor cells. The normal stem cells usually reside in...
5.1K
02:07Tumor Progression
6.7K
Tumor progression is a phenomenon where the pre-formed tumor acquires successive mutations to become clinically more aggressive and malignant. In the 1950s, Foulds first described the stepwise progression of cancer cells through successive stages.
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
6.7K
02:30Metastasis
5.9K
Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from the original site to distant locations in the body. Cancer cells can spread via blood vessels (hematogenous) as well as lymph vessels in the body.
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or EMT is a developmental process commonly observed in wound healing, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. EMT is induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands, which further...
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or EMT is a developmental process commonly observed in wound healing, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. EMT is induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands, which further...
5.9K
01:35Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia
2.5K
Invadosome is a broad category of cell surface structures with proteolytic activity that degrades the extracellular matrix (ECM). Invadosomes are present in normal cell types, including macrophages, endothelial cells, and neurons, as well as tumor cells. Although the macrophage podosomes and tumor cell invadopodia are classified as invadosomes, they have different structures, molecular pathways, and functions. Podosomes are short structures that last for a few minutes. However,...
2.5K