Figure 8

Mechanisms of action by which CAP-NO inhibits adhesion of CTCs to vascular endothelium.
CAP-NO makes direct vasorelaxation, increases blood flow, inhibits platelet activation and aggregation. As a result, CAP-NO interfered with the hetero-adhesion between CTCs and vascular endothelial cells by down-regulation of CAMs expression induced by cytokines. A series of beneficial effects of CAP-NO in preventing CTCs from adhesion, invasion to endothelial bed and the resultant micrometastatic foci may attribute to its collective actions.