title: Reactive oxygen species: biological stimuli of neuroblastoma cell response.
abstract: Reactive oxygen species play a critical role in differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis acting as 'second messengers' able to regulate sulphydryl groups in signaling molecules as protein kinase C, a family of isoenzymes involved in many cellular responses and implicated in cell transformation. Neuroblastoma is characterised by the production of oxygen intermediates and L-buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine, a glutathione-depleting agent that has been tested in the clinics, exploits this biological peculiarity to induce cell death. The latter process is mediated by the oxidative activation of PKC delta which might be involved also in the production of reactive oxygen species, thus amplifying the apoptotic cascade.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of General Pathology, University of Genova, Via L.B. Alberti, 2, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marengo
authors.forename: Lizzia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Raffaghello
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pistoia
authors.forename: Damiano
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cottalasso
authors.forename: Maria Adelaide
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pronzato
authors.forename: Umberto Maria
authors.initials: UM
authors.lastname: Marinari
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Domenicotti
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D006801:Humans; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D011493:Protein Kinase C