Oxides, onions, and other matters gastrointestinal--1996--a perspective

Induced nitric oxide synthase as a major player in the oncogenic transformation of inflamed tissue

Nitric oxide (NO) is a free radical that is involved in the inflammatory process and carcinogenesis. There are four nitric oxide synthase enzymes involved in NO production: induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), neural NO synthase (nNOS), and mitochondrial NOS. iNOS is an inducible and key enzyme in the inflamed tissue. Recent literatures indicate that NO as well as iNOS and eNOS can modulate cancer-related events including nitro-oxidative stress, apoptosis, cell cycle, angio-genesis, invasion, and metastasis. This chapter focuses on linking NO/iNOS/eNOS to inflammation and carcinogenesis from experimental evidence to potential targets on cancer prevention and treatment.

Involvement of reactive nitrogen oxides for acquisition of metastatic properties of benign tumors in a model of inflammation-based tumor progression

The cells of a weakly tumorigenic and non-metastatic murine fibrosarcoma (QR-32) are converted into highly malignant tumors (acquiring metastatic potential) once they have grown in vivo after being co-implanted with gelatin sponge which induces inflammation. In the present study, we examined whether nitric oxide (NO) is involved in the inflammation-based tumor progression by administrating a specific inhibitor to inducible nitric oxide synthase, aminoguanidine (AG). First, we co-implanted 1 x 10(5) QR-32 cells with gelatin sponge (10 x 5 x 3 mm piece) into a subcutaneous space in C57BL6 mice. Administration of AG in drinking water (1%) had started 2 days before the tumor implantation and continued until the termination of the experiment. The incidence of tumor formation and the tumor growth did not differ between AG-treated group and -untreated group. On day 28, we excised the arising tumors to establish culture cell lines for evaluation of their acquisition of metastatic phenotype in other normal mice. Metastasis incidence and the number of metastatic colonies were significantly reduced in the tumor cell lines obtained from AG-treated mice compared to those from non-treated mice (p < 0.05). Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that inducible nitric oxide synthase and nitrotyrosine in the inflamed lesion were reduced in the AG-administered mice. However, intensity of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine was not different between the groups. These results showed that nitric oxide and its reactive nitrogen oxide species cooperatively play a pivotal role in the progression of benign tumor cells in inflamed lesions.

Nitric oxide in gastrointestinal epithelial cell carcinogenesis: linking inflammation to oncogenesis

Chronic inflammation of gastrointestinal tissues is a well-recognized risk factor for the development of epithelial cell-derived malignancies. Although the inflammatory mediators linking chronic inflammation to carcinogenesis are numerous, current information suggests that nitric oxide (NO) contributes to carcinogenesis during chronic inflammation. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), expressed by both macrophages and epithelial cells during inflammation, generates the bioreactive molecule NO. In addition to causing DNA lesions, NO can directly interact with proteins by nitrosylation and nitosation reactions. The consequences of protein damage by NO appear to be procarcinogenic. For example, NO inhibits DNA repair enzymes such as human 8-oxodeoxyguanosine DNA glycosylase 1 and blocks apoptosis via nitrosylation of caspases. These cellular events permit DNA damage to accumulate, which is required for the numerous mutations necessary for development of invasive cancer. NO also promotes cancer progression by functioning as an angiogenesis factor. Strategies to inhibit NO generation during chronic inflammation or to scavenge reactive nitrogen species may prove useful in decreasing the risk of cancer development in chronic inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases.