Emerging Nano-selenium: An insight to Its Current Status and Potentials in ROS-Induced Cancer Prevention and Therapy

Abstract

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a major role in inducing cancer. Accelerated production of ROS leads to the generation of free radicals that promotes carcinogenesis at the cellular level. Cancer cells produce a large quantity of ROS and thereby trigger an antioxidant defense system. ROS is responsible for the production of cellular by-products through the activation of activities of mitochondria as well as the alteration in the signaling pathways in the cells. ROS-induced signaling pathways thereby alter various transcription factors, growth factors, cytokine and cellular transformation, tumor formation, proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis. It also plays a key role in changing epigenesis of several genes and thereby causes diseases. ROS facilitates carcinogenesis by regulating cell cycle progression, gap junction, inflammation, and oxidative damages through modifications of important cellular signaling mechanisms. Nanomaterials are gaining importance due to their small size, bioavailability, high surface area, sustained drug release, and reduced adverse side effects. Its particle size ranges from 1 and 100 nanometers (nm) having intrinsic redox property as well as free radical scavenging property. Selenium nanoparticles are used extensively due to abundance of glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin reductase (TR) selenoenzymes that are responsible for quenching reactive oxygen species. Se nanoparticles are having reduced toxicity and cause the prevention of oxidative damages and inflammatory mediatory disorders (IMD) such as arthritis, diabetes, as well as cancer of various organs. The present study of the book chapter emphasizes the tremendous potential of selenium nanoparticles against ROS-induced carcinogenesis.