The Relationship of Redox With Hallmarks of Cancer: The Importance of Homeostasis and Context

Faliang Xing; Qiangsheng Hu; Yi Qin; Jin Xu; Bo Zhang; Xianjun Yu; Wei Wang

doi:10.3389/fonc.2022.862743

The Relationship of Redox With Hallmarks of Cancer: The Importance of Homeostasis and Context

Front Oncol. 2022 Apr 22:12:862743. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.862743. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Faliang Xing^{1

2

3

4}, Qiangsheng Hu⁵, Yi Qin^{1

2

3

4}, Jin Xu^{1

2

3

4}, Bo Zhang^{1

2

3

4}, Xianjun Yu^{1

2

3

4}, Wei Wang^{1

2

3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
² Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
³ Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, China.
⁴ Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
⁵ Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.

Abstract

Redox homeostasis is a lifelong pursuit of cancer cells. Depending on the context, reactive oxygen species (ROS) exert paradoxical effects on cancers; an appropriate concentration stimulates tumorigenesis and supports the progression of cancer cells, while an excessive concentration leads to cell death. The upregulated antioxidant system in cancer cells limits ROS to a tumor-promoting level. In cancers, redox regulation interacts with tumor initiation, proliferation, metastasis, programmed cell death, autophagy, metabolic reprogramming, the tumor microenvironment, therapies, and therapeutic resistance to facilitate cancer development. This review discusses redox control and the major hallmarks of cancer.

Keywords: Nrf2; ROS; antioxidant response; hallmarks of cancer; redox homeostasis.

Publication types

Review