Reactive oxygen species in the progression and treatment of malignant mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is an aggressive cancer that affects the pleural and peritoneal mesothelial lining of the lungs and abdomen. Survival rates for patients with MM remain extremely low and effective treatments are limited. MM tumors harbor both genotypic and phenotypic features that indicate MM tumor cells are under increased oxidative stress, similar to other aggressive cancers. This increased oxidative stress in MM cells supports aggressive growth while providing a therapeutic vulnerability exploitable by redox-modulating compounds. MM tumor cells also exhibit altered mitochondrial structure and function that contribute to the disease through perturbations in metabolism and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and metabolism. Targeting the altered redox status in cancer through increasing cellular ROS levels directly or inhibiting cellular antioxidant pathways and disrupting ROS scavenging mechanisms has become an exciting area for therapeutic intervention. This review discusses ROS sources and signaling, mitochondrial structure and function and targeting mitochondria ROS as a therapeutic approach for the treatment of MM.