Antioxidant Therapy in Cancer: Rationale and Progress
Maochao Luo,
Li Zhou,
Zhao Huang,
Bowen Li,
Edouard C. Nice,
Jia Xu,
Canhua Huang
Affiliations
Maochao Luo
School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
Li Zhou
State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China
Zhao Huang
State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China
Bowen Li
State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China
Edouard C. Nice
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
Jia Xu
School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
Canhua Huang
State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China
Cancer is characterized by increased oxidative stress, an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants. Enhanced ROS accumulation, as a result of metabolic disturbances and signaling aberrations, can promote carcinogenesis and malignant progression by inducing gene mutations and activating pro-oncogenic signaling, providing a possible rationale for targeting oxidative stress in cancer treatment. While numerous antioxidants have demonstrated therapeutic potential, their clinical efficacy in cancer remains unproven. Here, we review the rationale for, and recent advances in, pre-clinical and clinical research on antioxidant therapy in cancer, including targeting ROS with nonenzymatic antioxidants, such as NRF2 activators, vitamins, N-acetylcysteine and GSH esters, or targeting ROS with enzymatic antioxidants, such as NOX inhibitors and SOD mimics. In addition, we will offer insights into prospective therapeutic options for improving the effectiveness of antioxidant therapy, which may expand its applications in clinical cancer treatment.
