Demirel S, Sinag IN. Role of nitric oxide, prostaglandins, thromboxanes and endothelins in lung cancer: An overview. World J Clin Cases 2025; 13(25): 107907 [DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v13.i25.107907]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Sadettin Demirel, PhD, Associate Professor, Medicine School, Physiology Department, Bursa Uludag University, Nilufer, Bursa 16059, Türkiye. sdemirel@uludag.edu.tr
Research Domain of This Article
Physiology
Article-Type of This Article
Review
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Role of nitric oxide, prostaglandins, thromboxanes and endothelins in lung cancer: An overview
Sadettin Demirel, Ipek Nazli Sinag
Sadettin Demirel, Ipek Nazli Sinag, Medicine School, Physiology Department, Bursa Uludag University, Bursa 16059, Türkiye
Author contributions: Demirel S designed the project and wrote the manuscript; Sinag IN performed a literature search and wrote the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no financial or other conflicts of interest.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Sadettin Demirel, PhD, Associate Professor, Medicine School, Physiology Department, Bursa Uludag University, Nilufer, Bursa 16059, Türkiye. sdemirel@uludag.edu.tr
Received: April 2, 2025 Revised: April 15, 2025 Accepted: May 26, 2025 Published online: September 6, 2025 Processing time: 98 Days and 10.5 Hours
Abstract
Lung cancer is the most frequent cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandins (PGs), thromboxanes (TXs), and endothelins (ETs) participate in numerous physiological processes. These agents play an important role in lung carcinogenesis by regulating cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and angiogenesis. NO is a gaseous free radical with tumoricidal and tumorigenic activities in lung cancer. Arachidonic acid-derived PGs, including PGD2, PGE2, 8-iso-PGF2α, and PGI2, are related to the development of lung cancer. PGD2 and PGI2 act as tumor suppressors, while PGE2 and 8-iso-PGF2α promote tumor progression. TXA2 catalyzed by cyclooxygenase induces proliferation as well as angiogenesis. Elevated levels of TXB2, an inactive metabolite of TXA2, are positively correlated with lung carcinoma stages. ET-1 and ET-2 are 21 amino acid polypeptides; their silencing hinders lung cancer cell proliferation and invasion. ET-2 depletion also triggers apoptotic death. This chapter review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the role of NO, PGs, TXs, and ETs in lung cancer.
Core Tip: Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandins (PGs), thromboxanes (TXs), and endothelins (ETs) significantly influence lung carcinogenesis by modulating cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and angiogenesis. This study highlights the dual roles of NO, the opposing effects of arachidonic acid-derived PGs, the involvement of TXA2 and its metabolite TXB2, and the critical functions of ETs in lung cancer progression. The findings emphasize the complex interplay of these agents in tumor biology, offering insights for potential therapeutic targets.
