title: Lysyl oxidase: from basic science to future cancer treatment.
abstract: In this mini-review, we discuss the physiological and pathological roles of lysyl oxidase (LOX) and its family, LOX-like proteins (LOXL), in relation to prognosis of major cancers. The number of reports on LOX family is numerous. We have decided to review the articles that were recently published (i.e. past 5 years). Experimental techniques in molecular biology have advanced surprisingly in the past decade. Accordingly, the results of the studies are more reliable. Most studies reached the same conclusion; a higher LOX- or LOXL- expression is associated with a poor prognosis. Molecular experiments have already started aiming for clinical application, and the results are encouraging. Suppressing LOX or LOXL activities resulted in lower cell motility in collagen gel and, moreover, succeeded in reducing metastases in mice. LOX family members were originally recognized as molecules that cross-link collagen fibers in the extracellular matrix. Recent studies demonstrated that they are also involved in a phenomenon called Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT). This may affect cell movement and cancer cell invasiveness. LOX and LOXL2 are regulated by hypoxia, a major factor in the failure of cancer treatment. Here we discuss the molecular biology of the LOX family in relation to its role in tumor biology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan. trout@hs.hokudai.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishioka
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eustace
authors.forename: Catharine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: West
mesh_terms: D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000187:drug effects; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D011379:Prognosis; D008249:Protein-Lysine 6-Oxidase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007527:Isoenzymes; D003094:Collagen; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; C119091:LOXL2 protein, human; D008249:Protein-Lysine 6-Oxidase