Ferroptosis as a potential target for cancer therapy

Zhen Chen; Weilong Wang; Siti Razila Abdul Razak; Tao Han; Nor Hazwani Ahmad; Xiumin Li

doi:10.1038/s41419-023-05930-w

Ferroptosis as a potential target for cancer therapy

Cell Death Dis. 2023 Jul 24;14(7):460. doi: 10.1038/s41419-023-05930-w.

Authors

Zhen Chen^{1

2

3}, Weilong Wang^{1

2

3}, Siti Razila Abdul Razak², Tao Han^{1

3

4}, Nor Hazwani Ahmad⁵, Xiumin Li^{6

7}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Gastroenterology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Henan Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Therapy Medicine, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, China.
² Department of Biomedical Science, Advanced Medical and Dental Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bertam 13200, Kepala Batas, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
³ Xinxiang Key Laboratory for Molecular Therapy of Cancer, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P. R. China.
⁴ Institutes of Health Central Plains, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P. R. China.
⁵ Department of Biomedical Science, Advanced Medical and Dental Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bertam 13200, Kepala Batas, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. norhazwani@usm.my.
⁶ Department of Gastroenterology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Henan Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Therapy Medicine, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, China. lxm3029981@126.com.
⁷ Xinxiang Key Laboratory for Molecular Therapy of Cancer, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan Province, P. R. China. lxm3029981@126.com.

Abstract

Ferroptosis is a recently discovered essential type of cell death that is mainly characterized by iron overload and lipid peroxidation. Emerging evidence suggests that ferroptosis is a double-edged sword in human cancer. However, the precise underlying molecular mechanisms and their differential roles in tumorigenesis are unclear. Therefore, in this review, we summarize and briefly present the key pathways of ferroptosis, paying special attention to the regulation of ferroptosis as well as its dual role as an oncogenic and as a tumor suppressor event in various human cancers. Moreover, multiple pharmacological ferroptosis activators are summarized, and the prospect of targeting ferroptosis in cancer therapy is further elucidated.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Carcinogenesis / genetics
Cell Death
Cell Transformation, Neoplastic
Ferroptosis*
Humans
Iron Overload*
Lipid Peroxidation