Copper-zinc superoxide dismutase(SOD1) is an antioxidant metalloenzyme that widely distriutes within a cell, and catalyzes rapid dismutation of superoxide anion(O₂^·-) into hydrogen peroxide(H₂O₂) and oxygen(O₂) to maintain the homeostasis of intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS). The growth and proliferation of cancer cells depend on higher concentrations of H₂O₂, whereas high expression of SOD1 can maintain higher H₂O₂ levels and ROS homeostasis of cancer cells. SOD1 inhibition effectively regulates ROS signaling pathways in a cancer cell, inhibits cancer cell growth and proliferation, arrests cancer cell cycle, and promotes cancer cell apoptosis. Targeting SOD1 can regulate the ROS signaling network and selectively kill cancer cells. This review summarizes various types of SOD1 inhibitors designed so far, the regulation of ROS signaling transduction by SOD1 inhibition, and the mechanism of specific SOD1 inhibition-mediated apoptosis of cancer cells.
Contents
1 Introduction
2 The structure and function of SOD1
2.1 Structure and catalytic mechanism of SOD1
2.2 Functions of SOD1
3 Regulation of ROS signaling pathways by SOD1
3.1 SOD1 and ROS signaling pathways
3.2 SOD1 and cancer
4 SOD1 inhibition
4.1 Inhibition of SOD1 expression
4.2 SOD1 inhibitors
5 SOD1 inhibition-regulated ROS signaling pathways
6 Conclusion