Nitric oxide and the regulation of apoptosis in tumour cells.
Nitric oxide (NO) is a small, highly reactive, diffusible free radical which has been implicated in many physiological and pathophysiological processes. It has either pro-apoptotic or anti-apoptotic effects on cells, depending upon a host of factors. This review outlines some of the regulatory molecules and organelles involved in the apoptotic pathways that can be influenced by the presence of NO, including p53, Bcl-2, caspases, mitochondria, and heat shock proteins. The effects of NO on the apoptosis of tumour cells are also examined.
Tarr
J M
JM
Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter and Plymouth, Exeter, Devon, EX1 2LU, UK.
Eggleton
P
P
Winyard
P G
PG
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000378:metabolism; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism
D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D020169:Caspases; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases