title: Free radicals in breast carcinogenesis, breast cancer progression and cancer stem cells. Biological bases to develop oxidative-based therapies.
abstract: Oxidative stress leads to lipid, carbohydrate, protein and DNA damage in biological systems and affects cell structure and function. Breast cancer cells are subjected to a high level of oxidative stress, both intracellular and extracellular. To survive, cancer cells must acquire adaptive mechanisms that counteract the toxic effects of free radicals exposure. These mechanisms may involve the activation of redox-sensitive transcription factors, increased expression of antioxidant enzymes and antiapoptotic proteins. Moreover, recent data maintain that different breast cancer cell types, show different intracellular antioxidant capacities that may determine their ability to resist radio and chemotherapy. The resistant cell type has been shown to correspond with tumor initiating cells, also known as cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are thought to be responsible for tumor initiation and metastasis. Abrogation of the above-mentioned adaptive mechanisms by redox regulation in cancer cells opens a promising research line that could have significant therapeutic applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Complejo Hospitalario de Jaen, Avenida del Ejercito Español s/n, Jaen, Spain. lvera@correo.ugr.es
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vera-Ramirez
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Rovira
authors.forename: M Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ramirez-Tortosa
authors.forename: Cesar L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Ramirez-Tortosa
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Granados-Principal
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lorente
authors.forename: Jose L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Quiles
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001940:Breast / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D005609:Free Radicals