Bj-PRO-10c, as an allosteric regulator of argininosuccinate synthase, is a potential therapy for neuroblastoma metastasis.

ABSTRACT

Cancer is a global public health issue. Neuroblastoma (NB) originates from any tissue of the sympathetic nervous system, and the most affected site is the abdomen. The adrenal gland is the primary site in 38% of cases. Approximately 50% of patients have metastatic disease at diagnosis, and bone marrow is often affected. Metastatic disease is characterized by the spreading of cancer cells that are frequently resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy from the primary tumor to other specific parts of the body and is responsible for 90% of cancer-related deaths. Increasing evidence has indicated that nitric oxide (NO) signaling is implicated in the pathophysiology of many types of cancer, particularly in tumorigenesis and cancer progression. However, the effect of NO on metastasis cannot be easily classified as prometastatic or antimetastatic. An understanding at the molecular level of the role of NO in cancer will have profound therapeutic implications for the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Here, the proline-rich decapeptide isolated from Bothrops jararaca venom (Bj-PRO-10c) that enhances and sustains the generation of NO was used to unravel the role of metabolic NO in steps of metastasis. Bj-PRO-10c showed an antimetastatic effect, mainly by interfering with actin cytoskeleton rearrangement, controlling cell proliferation, and decreasing the seeding efficiency of NB in metastatic niches. Therefore, we proposed that an approach for controlled NO induction with the right molecular strategies can hopefully inhibit metastasis and increase the lifespan of NB patients.