Active radicals produced by aerobic metabolism can cause damage to living cells. Defense systems exist in cells can eliminate these radicals. Superoxide dismutases, special enzyme systems are part of this mechanism. Since cancer cells are comparatively active in aerobic metabolism and have low levels of superoxide dismutases, inhibition of these enzymes can kill the cancer cells. 2-Methoxyestradiol, an estrogen derivative is found to selectively kill cancer cells by inhibiting superoxide dismutase.
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