Cancer-promoting nitrase (Nitrase) (Nitrase)

Cancer-promoting nitrase refers to a recently discovered class of enzymes that catalyze the selective, site-specific nitration of tyrosine residues on proteins, a process known as protein tyrosine nitration (PTN) [1, 3, 10]. While PTN was historically viewed as a non-enzymatic byproduct of oxidative stress, research has demonstrated that it is a regulated enzymatic process involved in disease pathogenesis [3, 10]. In cancer, these nitrases and their nitrated substrates (nitro-substrates) act as survival factors, promoting tumor growth, inhibiting apoptosis, and contributing to resistance against PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors [1, 9]. The nitration of tyrosine residues often occurs at sites that are also subject to phosphorylation, suggesting that nitrases can directly modulate or disrupt essential cellular signaling networks [5, 9]. Overexpression of specific nitrases has been associated with poorer overall survival in multiple cancer types [1]. Therapeutic strategies currently under development include small molecule inhibitors designed to block nitrase enzymatic activity and monoclonal antibodies that target the resulting nitrated proteins [1, 6, 8].

Other names

Protein tyrosine nitraseTyrosine nitraseNitration enzymeEnzymatic nitrase

Inhibition of enzymatic protein tyrosine nitration to prevent the formation of pathogenic nitro-substrates; neutralization of nitrated proteins using monoclonal antibodies [1, 6].