Malignant glioma progression and nitric oxide.
Glioblastoma multiforme, the most common of the malignant gliomas, carries a dismal prognosis in spite of the most aggressive therapy and recent advances in molecular pathways of glioma progression. Although it has received relatively little attention in the setting of malignant gliomas, nitric oxide metabolism may be intimately associated with the disease process. Interestingly, nitric oxide has both physiological roles (e.g., neurotransmitter-like activity, stimulation of cyclic GMP), and pathophysiological roles (e.g., neoplastic transformation, tumor neovascularization, induction of apoptosis, free radical damage). Moreover, whether nitric oxide is neuroprotective or neurotoxic in a given disease state, or whether it enhances or diminishes chemotherapeutic efficacy in malignant neoplasia, is unresolved. This review discusses the multifaceted activity of nitric oxide with particular reference to malignant gliomas.
Lam-Himlin
Dora
D
Department of Pathology, University of Maryland, 22 South Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
Espey
Michael G
MG
Perry
George
G
Smith
Mark A
MA
Castellani
Rudy J
RJ
D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005910:Glioma / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase