NOX4 enzyme inhibits the growth of tumor cells in liver A study by the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) demonstrated that inhibition of NOX4 in liver tumor cells increases their proliferative capacity and therefore its tumorigenic capacity.

Biological clues of the invasive and metastasic phenotype lab, led by Isabel Fabregat studies the functions of NADPH oxidases (NOX) in the pathophysiology of the liver. NOX are a family of enzymes capable of producing oxidative stress that mediate a great number of cellular processes.

The study, published in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine, describes the tumor suppressor effect of these NADPH oxidases called NOX4.

“We found that if we inhibit NOX4; increase the proliferative and tumorigenic capacities of different hepatocarcinoma cell lines. We propose that NOX4 may be a tumor suppressor in the liver,” explained Fabregat.

The work has also shown that liver tumor cells have a lower expression of NOX4 than normal cells.

Currently there is an interest in finding drugs inhibitors of NOX4 because it has already described that this enzyme is involved in hepatic fibrosis. Fabregat says, “This study explores the effects of inhibition of NOX4 may have in the pathophysiology of liver.”

Article reference
Crosas-Molist E., Bertran E., Sancho P., López-Luque J., Fernando J., Sánchez A., Fernández M, Navarro E. and Fabregat I.

The NADPH oxidase NOX4 inhibits hepatocyte proliferation and liver cancer progression. Free Radical Biology and Medicine.

Volume 69, April 2014, Pages 338–347