SOD, or superoxide dismutase, is an important antioxidant enzyme that plays a crucial role in protecting cells from oxidative stress. It catalyzes the dismutation of superoxide radicals into oxygen and hydrogen peroxide.
SOD Isoforms: There are three main isoforms of SOD:
SOD1 (cytosolic): Often found to be overexpressed in certain tumors, which may help cancer cells survive in oxidative environments.
SOD2 (mitochondrial): Plays a critical role in protecting mitochondria from oxidative damage. Its expression can be upregulated in some cancers, contributing to tumor growth and resistance to therapy.
SOD3 (extracellular): Its role in cancer is less well understood, but it may have implications in the tumor microenvironment and metastasis.
The expression levels of SOD can serve as a prognostic indicator in some cancers. For example, high levels of SOD expression have been associated with poor prognosis in certain types of tumors, potentially due to their role in promoting tumor cell survival and resistance to therapies.
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