Maltol as a Novel Agent Protecting SH-SY5Y Cells Against Hemin-induced Ferroptosis

Ferroptosis triggered by hemin is regarded as a primary factor accounting for neuronal death secondary to intracerebral hemorrhage. Thus, compounds with inhibitory effect on hemin-induced ferroptosis might be potential medicines to prevent neuronal death caused by intracerebral hemorrhage. Herein, we investigate whether maltol could alleviate hemin-induced SH-SY5Y cell ferroptosis and its potential mechanisms. It is found that maltol effectively prevents hemin-induced SH-SY5Y cell ferroptosis via three pathways. The first one is inhibiting intracellular iron increase via preventing upregulation of transferrin receptor, the second one is alleviating lipid peroxidation via attenuating H₂O₂ generation by NOX4 and promoting H₂O₂ clearance by catalase, and the third one is to reduce peroxidized lipids via maintaining GPX4/GSH pathway. Therefore, maltol is a novel agent preventing hemin-induced SH-SY5Y cell ferroptosis.     

Reprogramming the chemical reactivity of iron in cancer stem cells

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been shown to be refractory to conventional therapeutic agents, can promote metastasis, and have been linked to cancer relapse. Salinomycin can selectively kill CSCs. We have shown that salinomycin derivatives accumulate in lysosomes and sequester iron in this organelle. As a result, accumulation of iron leads to the production of reactive oxygen species and lysosomal membrane permeabilization, which in turn promotes cell death by ferroptosis. These findings have revealed the prevalence of iron homeostasis in CSCs and paved the way toward the development of next-generation therapeutics.     

Evoking Ferroptosis by Synergistic Enhancement of a Cyclopentadienyl Iridium-Betulin Immune Agonist

Ferroptosis is a form of programmed cell death driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation (LPO) with the potential for antitumor immunity activation. In this study, a nonferrous cyclopentadienyl metal-based ferroptosis inducer [Ir(Cp*)(Bet)Cl]Cl ( Ir-Bet ) was developed by a metal-ligand synergistic enhancement (MLSE) strategy involving the reaction of [Ir(Cp*)Cl]₂Cl₂ with the natural product Betulin. The fusion of Betulin with iridium cyclopentadienyl (Ir-Cp*) species as Ir-Bet not only tremendously enhanced the antiproliferative activity toward cancer cells, but also activated ferritinophagy for iron homeostasis regulation by PI3K/Akt/mTOR cascade inhibition with a lower dosage of Betulin, and then evoked an immune response by nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) activation of Ir-Cp* species. Further immunogenic cell death (ICD) occurred by remarkable ferroptosis through glutathione (GSH) depletion, glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) deactivation and ferritinophagy. An in vivo vaccination experiment demonstrated desirable antitumor and immunogenic effects of Ir-Bet by increasing the ratio of cytotoxic T cells (CTLs)/regulatory T cells (Tregs).     

Zinc oxide nanoparticles promotes ferroptosis to repress cancer cell survival and inhibits invasion and migration by targeting miR-27a-3p/YAP axis in renal cell carcinoma

BackgroundRenal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a prevalent malignancy with growing mortality and high metastasis. Ferroptosis has been identified as an essential process in cancer development, but the regulatory mechanism underlying the RCC progression remains obscure. The nanomaterial zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZONs) have presented anti-cancer function. Here, we identified the critical role of ZONs in promoting ferroptosis of RCC cells by regulating miR-27a-3p/YAP axis.MethodsThe effect of ZONs on RCC was analyzed by qPCR, Western blot, MTT assays, colony formation assays, Flow cytometry analysis, transwell assays, wound healing assays, iron assays, lipid ROS detection, luciferase reporter gene assays, and tumor xenograft.ResultsThe treatment of ZONs repressed expression of GPX4 and SLC7A11 and enhanced ROS accumulation and iron/Fe²⁺ levels in RCC cells. Ferroptosis activator erastin repressed RCC cell viabilities and ZONs further repressed this effect. ZONs inhibited invasion and migration of RCC cells and treatment of ZONs represses RCC cell survival in vitro. ZONs suppressed RCC cell growth in tumorigenicity mouse model. Mechanically, ZONs down-regulated YAP expression by inducing miR-27a-3p, in which YAP overexpression and miR-27a-3p inhibition reverse ZONs -inhibited RCC cell survival in vitro.DiscussionThus, we concluded that ZONs induced RCC cell ferroptosis to suppress RCC cell survival by targeting miR-27a-3p/YAP axis. The clinical significance of ZONs for the treatment of RCC is required to further study and may benefit the targeted therapy of RCC.     

Gallium Triggers Ferroptosis through a Synergistic Mechanism

The gallium ion (Ga³⁺) has long been believed to disrupt ferric homeostasis in the body by competing with iron cofactors in metalloproteins, ultimately leading to cell death. This study revealed that through an indirect pathway, gallium can trigger ferroptosis, a type of non-apoptotic cell death regulated by iron. This is exemplified by the gallium complex of the salen ligand ( Ga-1 ); we found that Ga-1 acts as an effective anion transporter that can affect the pH gradient and change membrane permeability, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and the release of ferrous iron from the electron transfer chain (ETC). In addition, Ga-1 also targeted protein disulfide isomerases (PDIs) located in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane, preventing the repair of the antioxidant glutathione (GSH) system and thus enforcing ferroptosis. Finally, a combination treatment of Ga-1 and dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which enhances lipid peroxidation during ferroptosis, showed a synergistic therapeutic effect both in vitro and in vivo. This study provided us with a strategy to synergistically induce Ferroptosis in tumor cells, thereby enhancing the anti-neoplastic effect.     

A mini-review and perspective on ferroptosis-inducing strategies in cancer therapy

This review summarized recent advances and challenges in ferroptosis-based anticancer strategies through Fenton reaction or GPX4 inactivation, with highlights on nanomaterials and perspectives on future development of next-generation ferroptosis-inducing agents based on diverse polyvalent metals.     

A Molybdenum Disulfide Nanozyme with Charge-Enhanced Activity for Ultrasound-Mediated Cascade-Catalytic Tumor Ferroptosis

The deficient catalytic activity of nanozymes and insufficient endogenous H₂O₂ in the tumor microenvironment (TME) are major obstacles for nanozyme-mediated catalytic tumor therapy. Since electron transfer is the basic essence of catalysis-mediated redox reactions, we explored the contributing factors of enzymatic activity based on positive and negative charges, which are experimentally and theoretically demonstrated to enhance the peroxidase (POD)-like activity of a MoS₂ nanozyme. Hence, an acidic tumor microenvironment-responsive and ultrasound-mediated cascade nanocatalyst (BTO/MoS₂@CA) is presented that is made from few-layer MoS₂ nanosheets grown on the surface of piezoelectric tetragonal barium titanate (T-BTO) and modified with pH-responsive cinnamaldehyde (CA). The integration of pH-responsive CA-mediated H₂O₂ self-supply, ultrasound-mediated charge-enhanced enzymatic activity, and glutathione (GSH) depletion enables out-of-balance redox homeostasis, leading to effective tumor ferroptosis with minimal side effects.     

Catalytic immunotherapy-photothermal therapy combination for melanoma by ferroptosis-activating vaccine based on artificial nanoenzyme

Tumor cell vaccine is a promising approach for cancer therapy to activate tumor immune, which can be achieved by tumor cells immunogenic cell death (ICD), converting in situ tumors into endogenous vaccination strategy, and ferroptosis has been proved to induce ICD occurrence. Ferroptosis is triggered by artificial nanoenzyme copper telluride mimicking peroxidase and glutathione oxidase, based on which the ferroptosis-activating vaccine (termed as CM CTNPs@OVA) was designed and established for catalytic immunotherapy. Owing to photothermal effect of copper telluride, photothermal therapy (PTT) was combined for an intensive cancer therapeutic effect. CM CTNPs@OVA was composed of solid mesoporous copper telluride nanoparticles, ovalbumin (OVA) loaded in mesoporous, and melanoma cell membrane coating surface. In in vitro and in vivo investigations, CM CTNPs@OVA, with particle size of 113.7 ± 1.7 nm, was certified to release copper ions for ferroptosis initiation, and OVA directly maturated dendritic cell (DC) as exogenous antigens extracellularly. ICD was then induced by ferroptosis pathway and PTT to release damage-associated molecular patterns for DC maturation and subsequent T cells recruitment. CM CTNPs@OVA-treated melanoma with exited inhibition rate, proving that the strategy of catalytic immunotherapy-PTT combination by ferroptosis-activating vaccine possessed massive potential for melanoma therapy based on nanoenzyme copper telluride.     

In-silico studies of glutathione peroxidase4 activators as candidate for multiple sclerosis management

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune and inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that affects approximately 2.8 million people worldwide. Although numerous studies have been conducted to investigate novel therapeutic targets and lead compounds, few drug choices are available to treat MS patients. The etiology of this disease is still poorly understood. However, oxidative stress is proposed as one of the underlining pathology. The neuronal antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPx4) is responsible for scaffolding toxic peroxide phospholipids and reducing neuronal death within the CNS. Therefore, screening for lead compounds able to activate this essential enzyme might protect neuronal cells from damage and slow the disease progression. This study aimed to identify potential activators of GPx4, an essential inhibitor to ferroptosis, as a novel neuroprotective strategy in MS treatment. For understanding the binding of the four selected compounds to GPX4 protein showing the mechanism of the interaction, molecular docking analysis and molecular dynamic (MD) simulation were used. The study was carried out through various computational methods using Autodock Vina for docking of the protein and ligand and Desmond for MD simulation. The four tested compounds used to activate GPx4 are as follows: ferrostatin, lapatinib, liproxstatin-1, and PKUMDL-LDL-102. Results showed that the lapatinib had greater log P value (6.17) which indicates higher permeability through blood brain barrio (BBB) to exirt the proposed neurological effect. In the molecular docking analysis, the best docking scores was displayed by Lapatinib (?7.6 kcal/mol). Ferrostatin, Lapatinib, and Liproxstatin-1 almost bind in the similar sites of the target protein, while PKUMDL-LC-102 binds at a different site. Furthermore, MD simulation study showed a stable system for lapatinib and liproxstatin-1 as confirmed by RMSD and RMSF values during 100 ns trajectories. Additionally, the most negative ΔG Bind score (the lowest) which considered the best was exhibited by lapatinib (?47.52 Kcal/mol). The test compounds were further inspected for their intersction with GPx4 in terms of hydrophobic, hydrogen and other bonding types beside the stability of these bonds by observing the protein–ligand contact within 100 ns trajectories. Interestingly, the receptor–ligand complex showed deep continuous bands for Lapatinib with Lys127 and Gly128. In conclusion, among the four studied compounds Lapatinib could be a promising scaffold for developing effective leads capable of activating GPx4 and assist in the treatment of MS.     

Ferroptosis Detection: From Approaches to Applications

Understanding the intricate molecular machinery that governs ferroptosis and leveraging this accumulating knowledge could facilitate disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Emerging approaches for the in situ detection of the major regulators and biological events across cellular, tissue, and in living subjects provide a multiscale perspective for studying ferroptosis. Furthermore, advanced applications that integrate ferroptosis detection and the latest technologies hold tremendous promise in ferroptosis research. In this review, we first briefly summarize the mechanisms and key regulators underlying ferroptosis. Ferroptosis detection approaches are then presented to delineate their design, mechanisms of action, and applications. Special interest is placed on advanced ferroptosis applications that integrate multifunctional platforms. Finally, we discuss the prospects and challenges of ferroptosis detection approaches and applications, with the aim of providing a roadmap for the theranostic development of a broad range of ferroptosis-related diseases.