MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science and Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
Joint Laboratory of Laser Oncology with Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
Apoptosis. 2017 Nov;22(11):1321-1335. doi: 10.1007/s10495-017-1424-9.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS), a group of ions and molecules, include hydroxyl radicals (·OH), alkoxyl radicals, superoxide anion (O·-), singlet oxygen (O) and hydrogen peroxide (HO). Hydroxyl radicals and alkoxyl radicals are extremely and highly reactive species respectively. Endogenous ROS are mainly formed in mitochondrial respiratory chain. Low levels of ROS play important roles in regulating biological functions in mammalian cells. However, excess production of ROS can induce cell death by oxidative damaging effects to intracellular biomacromolecules. Cancer cell death types induced by ROS include apoptotic, autophagic, ferroptotic and necrotic cell death. Since abnormal metabolism in cancer cells, they have higher ROS content compared to normal cells. The higher endogenous ROS levels in cancer cells endow them more susceptible to the ROS-induction treatment. Indeed, some anticancer drugs currently used in clinic, such as molecular targeted drugs and chemotherapeutic agents, effectively kill cancer cells by inducing ROS generation. In addition, photodynamic therapy (PDT) is mainly based on induction of ROS burst to kill cancer cells. The mechanism of cell death induced by radiotherapy using ionizing radiation also refers to ROS production. Moreover, ROS play an important role in tumor immune therapy. Altogether, combining above traditional treatments with ROS-induced agents will be considered as a promising strategy in cancer therapy. In this review, we focus on our current understanding of the anticancer effects of ROS.
活性氧（ROS）是一组离子和分子，包括羟基自由基（·OH）、烷氧基自由基、超氧阴离子（O·-）、单线态氧（O）和过氧化氢（HO）。羟基自由基和烷氧基自由基分别是极其活跃和高反应性的物质。内源性 ROS 主要在线粒体呼吸链中形成。低水平的 ROS 在调节哺乳动物细胞的生物功能方面发挥着重要作用。然而，ROS 的过量产生会通过对细胞内生物大分子的氧化损伤诱导细胞死亡。ROS 诱导的癌细胞死亡类型包括凋亡、自噬、铁死亡和坏死性细胞死亡。由于癌细胞的代谢异常，它们的 ROS 含量比正常细胞高。癌细胞内更高的内源性 ROS 水平使它们更容易受到 ROS 诱导治疗的影响。事实上，一些目前在临床上使用的抗癌药物，如分子靶向药物和化疗药物，通过诱导 ROS 的产生有效地杀死癌细胞。此外，光动力疗法（PDT）主要基于诱导 ROS 爆发来杀死癌细胞。放射治疗使用电离辐射诱导细胞死亡的机制也涉及 ROS 的产生。此外，ROS 在肿瘤免疫治疗中发挥着重要作用。总之，将上述传统治疗方法与 ROS 诱导剂结合将被认为是癌症治疗的一种有前途的策略。在这篇综述中，我们重点介绍了我们目前对 ROS 抗癌作用的理解。
