Nox1 is over-expressed in human colon cancers and correlates with activating mutations in K-Ras.

The NADPH-oxidase 1 (Nox1) is a homolog of gp91phox, the catalytic subunit of the phagocyte superoxide-generating NADPH-oxidase. Nox1 is expressed in normal colon epithelial cells and in colon tumor cell lines, and overexpression in model cells has been implicated in stimulation of mitogenesis and angiogenesis and inhibition of apoptosis. This suggests that aberrant expression of Nox1 could contribute to the development of colorectal cancer.