Review Article

NADPH Oxidases: Insights into Selected Functions and Mechanisms of Action in Cancer and Stem Cells

Table 1

Functions and mechanisms of action of NADPH oxidases in stem cells and cancer stem cells.

ProcessExpression/activity of NOXEffects/mechanismReference

Differentiation↑ NOX2Differentiation of stem cells/ROS-dependent Notch signaling pathway[111]
↓ NOX4Myogenesis, C2C12 differentiation/↓ ERK1/2 phosphorylation, MAP kinases[112]
↑ NOX2
↑ NOX4
Cardiac precursor cells (CPCs) → ↑ c-kit(+) cells/unknown mechanism[114]
↑ NOX4Differentiation of endothelial cells into smooth muscle cells/TGFβ-1-dependent NOX4/H2O2 upregulation[115]
↑ NOX4NOX4/H2O2 dependent[116118]
(i) Neural crest stem cells (NCSCs) differentiation to neural cells
(ii) 2T3 preosteoblast differentiation
(iii) Renal progenitor cells differentiation to profibrotic cells
↓ NOX4Neural crest stem cells (NCSCs) death or retarded growth of PNS[116]

Stem cell self-renewal↑ NOX4Proliferation of neural stem cells/superoxide dependent[122]
↑ NOX3↑ proliferation of mouse spermatogonial stem cells/unknown mechanism[123]
↓ NOX4↓ proliferation and migration of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs)/↓ ERK1/2, Akt, ↓ PDGFβ1[124]
↓ NOXProliferation of mesenchymal stem cells/↑ Nanog/Oct4 (TFs)[125]
NOX2
NOX4
↑ senescence of Ang. II-stimulated endothelial cells/unknown mechanism[126]

Cancer stem cell growth and survivalNOX2↑ proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells (SW1990 and BxPC-3)/NF-κB/STAT3 activation[137]
↑ NOX1↑ enrichment of breast cancer stem-like cell population/RAS/Erk1/2/NOX1 activation[138]
↓ NOX2, NOX4, NOX5↑ survival of prostate stem-like cells in vitro[139]

Cancer stem cell drug resistance↑ NOX2↑ resistance of patient-derived glioblastoma stem cells and chronic myeloid leukemia stem cells to tyrosine kinase inhibitors/NOX2/Egr1/Fyn upregulation[143]