In vitro experiments performed by our group demonstrated that SOD1 is able to directly interact with cell surface of human neuroblastoma SK-N-BE cells activating a phospholipase C-dependent (PLC-PKC) pathway, with consequent massive intracellular Ca2+ increase; interestingly, this effect is independent from the dismutase activity of SOD1 molecule, since apo SOD1 (free metal SOD1) or mimetic SOD1 (MnTMPyP) were observed to mediate the same effects. The gene discussed is SOD1; the disease is neuroblastoma.