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. 2001 Apr;84(8):1122–1125. doi: 10.1054/bjoc.2000.1719

Chronic hypoxia modulates tumour cell radioresponse through cytokine-inducible nitric oxide synthase

D L Van den Berge 1, M De Ridder 1, V N Verovski 1, M Y Janssens 1, C Monsaert 1, G A Storme 1
PMCID: PMC2363861  PMID: 11308264

Abstract

Chronic hypoxia up-regulated the mRNA and protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in EMT-6 tumour cells exposed to interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-I beta. Low concentrations of cytokines (1 unit ml−1) in 1% but not in 21% oxygen induced a remarkable increase in NO production and a 1.8-fold hypoxic cell radiosensitization. Therefore, chronic hypoxia may potentially be exploited to increase tumour cell radioresponse through the cytokine-inducible iNOS pathway. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.com

Keywords: chronic hypoxia, radiosensitization, nitric oxide synthase, nitric oxide, cytokines

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Selected References

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