SOD1 Inhibition Regulates the ROS Signaling Transduction

Copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1) is an antioxidant metalloenzyme that widely distriutes within a cell, and catalyzes rapid dismutation of superoxide anion(O-2(center dot-)) into hydrogen peroxide(H2O2) and oxygen(O-2) 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.