Ferroptosis is involved in the anti-tumor effect of lycorine in renal cell carcinoma cells

A Deep Insight into Ferroptosis in Renal Disease: Facts and Perspectives

Background

Ferroptosis, a newly recognized form of programmed cell death, is distinguished by its reliance on reactive oxygen species and iron-mediated lipid peroxidation, setting it apart from established types like apoptosis, cell necrosis, and autophagy. Recent studies suggest its role in exacerbating or mitigating diseases by influencing metabolic and signaling pathways in conditions such as tumors and ischemic organ damage. Evidence also links ferroptosis to various kidney diseases, prompting a review of its research status and potential breakthroughs in understanding and treating these conditions.

Summary

In acute kidney disease (AKI), ferroptosis has been confirmed in animal kidneys after being induced by various factors such as renal ischemia-reperfusion and cisplatin, and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) is linked with AKI. Ferroptosis is associated with renal fibrosis in chronic kidney disease (CKD), TGF-β1 being crucial in this regard. In diabetic nephropathy (DN), high SLC7A11 and low nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4) expressions are linked to disease progression. For polycystic kidney disease (PKD), ferroptosis promotes the disease by regulating ferroptosis in kidney tissue. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and lupus nephritis (LN) also have links to ferroptosis, with mtDNA and iron accumulation causing RCC and oxidative stress causing LN.

Key Messages

Ferroptosis is a newly identified form of programmed cell death that is associated with various diseases. It targets metabolic and signaling pathways and has been linked to kidney diseases such as AKI, CKD, PKD, DN, LN, and clear cell RCC. Understanding its role in these diseases could lead to breakthroughs in their pathogenesis, etiology, and treatment.

Targeting Ferroptosis as a Therapeutic Implication in Lung Cancer Treatment by a Novel Naphthoquinone Inducer: Juglone

Lung cancer has garnered significant global attention as a result of its escalating rates of mortality and morbidity, necessitating focused interventions to mitigate its impact. The primary aim of this work was to investigate the anticancer activity of juglone in A549 cells, specifically focusing on its role in mediating ferroptosis. We conducted an investigation involving a range of cytotoxic and morphological assays, such as cell viability assay, fluorescence microscopic analysis, flow cytometry, and ROS assay. The findings demonstrated that the cytotoxicity of juglone was around 18.5 μM. Furthermore, the chemical was found to promote apoptotic activity as observed through fluorescent microscopic inspection and morphological analysis. In addition, the levels of ROS, MDA, GSH, ferrous iron, and colony formation study demonstrated a significant increase, indicating a correlation with the occurrence of ferroptosis. Hence, juglone exhibits promise as a prospective therapeutic drug in the treatment of lung cancer. Therefore, we put forward that the utilization of ferroptosis as a therapeutic approach for lung cancer may yield significant efficacy and warrants further investigation in subsequent studies.

Frontier knowledge and future directions of programmed cell death in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is one of the most common renal malignancies of the urinary system. Patient outcomes are relatively poor due to the lack of early diagnostic markers and resistance to existing treatment options. Programmed cell death, also known as apoptosis, is a highly regulated and orchestrated form of cell death that occurs ubiquitously throughout various physiological processes. It plays a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis and the balance of cellular activities. The combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors plus targeted therapies is the first-line therapy to advanced RCC. Immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs) targeted CTLA-4 and PD-1 have been demonstrated to prompt tumor cell death by immunogenic cell death. Literatures on the rationale of VEGFR inhibitors and mTOR inhibitors to suppress RCC also implicate autophagic, apoptosis and ferroptosis. Accordingly, investigations of cell death modes have important implications for the improvement of existing treatment modalities and the proposal of new therapies for RCC. At present, the novel modes of cell death in renal cancer include ferroptosis, immunogenic cell death, apoptosis, pyroptosis, necroptosis, parthanatos, netotic cell death, cuproptosis, lysosomal-dependent cell death, autophagy-dependent cell death and mpt-driven necrosis, all of which belong to programmed cell death. In this review, we briefly describe the classification of cell death, and discuss the interactions and development between ccRCC and these novel forms of cell death, with a focus on ferroptosis, immunogenic cell death, and apoptosis, in an effort to present the theoretical underpinnings and research possibilities for the diagnosis and targeted treatment of ccRCC.

Discovery of 4-hydroxyl pyrazole derivatives as potent ferroptosis inhibitors

Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death, has been well recognized as a pathogenic mechanism in driving many diseases, such as neurodegenerative disorders, ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Blocking ferroptosis has been emerging as a feasible therapeutic strategy for the prevention and treatment of these diseases. However, novel potent ferroptosis inhibitors remain to be developed for further clinical applications. In this study, we screened our in-house compound libraries by phenotypic assays and identified a 4-hydroxyl pyrazole derivative HW-3 with good ferroptosis inhibitory activity (EC50 = 120.1 ± 3.5 nM). Based on the structure of HW-3, a series of 4-hydroxyl pyrazole derivatives were further designed and synthesized. Among these compounds, compound 25 could significantly inhibit RSL3-induced ferroptosis with an EC50 value of 8.6 ± 2.2 nM in HT-1080 cells, which was 3-fold more potent than the classical ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) (EC50 = 23.4 ± 1.3 nM). The potent ferroptosis inhibitory activity of compound 25 was further validated in multiple additional cell lines. Our mechanistic study revealed that compound 25 inhibited ferroptosis via intrinsic radical-trapping antioxidative capacity. Taken together, the findings of our study demonstrate 4-hydroxyl pyrazole derivative 25 is a potent ferroptosis inhibitor, which holds a great therapeutic potential for further development.

Novel Insights on Ferroptosis Modulation as Potential Strategy for Cancer Treatment: When Nature Kills

Significance: The multifactorial nature of the mechanisms implicated in cancer development still represents a major issue for the success of established antitumor therapies. The discovery of ferroptosis, a novel form of programmed cell death distinct from apoptosis, along with the identification of the molecular pathways activated during its execution, has led to the uncovering of novel molecules characterized by ferroptosis-inducing properties. Recent advances: As of today, the ferroptosis-inducing properties of compounds derived from natural sources have been investigated and interesting findings have been reported both in vitro and in vivo. Critical Issues: Despite the efforts made so far, only a limited number of synthetic compounds have been identified as ferroptosis inducers, and their utilization is still limited to basic research. In this review, we analyzed the most important biochemical pathways involved in ferroptosis execution, with particular attention to the newest literature findings on canonical and non-canonical hallmarks, together with mechanisms of action of natural compounds identified as novel ferroptosis inducers. Compounds have been classified based on their chemical structure, and modulation of ferroptosis-related biochemical pathways has been reported. Future Directions: The outcomes herein collected represent a fascinating starting point from which to take hints for future drug discovery studies aimed at identifying ferroptosis-inducing natural compounds for anticancer therapies. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 40, 40-85.

Targeting ferroptosis in renal cell carcinoma: Potential mechanisms and novel therapeutics

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is an increasingly prevalent urologic malignancy that impacts human health worldwide. Surgery is an effective strategy for early RCC treatment, but advanced RCC is resistant to chemotherapy, thus development of other potential therapeutic strategies is urgent. Ferroptosis is a newly defined form of programmed cell death characterized by accumulation of iron-dependent lipid peroxides and plays a crucial role in the tumor progression and drug resistance. Recent studies have shown that ferroptosis participates in RCC progression and chemoresistance. Therefore, identifying the potential role of ferroptosis in RCC could develop novel therapeutic targets and clinical markers for this disease. This review concisely summarizes the regulatory role of iron, amino acid, and lipid metabolism in ferroptosis, as well as discusses the relationship between ferroptosis and RCC, and details the role of ferroptosis in tumor progression, which indicates that various ferroptosis regulators are dysregulated in RCC and exert paradoxical effects, either tumor-suppressive or oncogenic. These ferroptosis-related regulators are expected to be used as clinical markers for RCC prognosis. Thus, targeting these regulators to trigger ferroptosis may be the key to the development of potential therapeutic strategies for this disease.

Broadening horizons: the multifaceted functions of ferroptosis in kidney diseases

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent programmed cell death pattern that is characterized by iron overload, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and lipid peroxidation. Growing viewpoints support that the imbalance of iron homeostasis and the disturbance of lipid metabolism contribute to tissue or organ injury in various kidney diseases by triggering ferroptosis. At present, the key regulators and complicated network mechanisms associated with ferroptosis have been deeply studied; however, its role in the initiation and progression of kidney diseases has not been fully revealed. Herein, we aim to discuss the features, key regulators and complicated network mechanisms associated with ferroptosis, explore the emerging roles of organelles in ferroptosis, gather its pharmacological progress, and systematically summarize the most recent discoveries about the crosstalk between ferroptosis and kidney diseases, including renal cell carcinoma (RCC), acute kidney injury (AKI), diabetic kidney disease (DKD), autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), renal fibrosis, lupus nephritis (LN) and IgA nephropathy. We further conclude the potential therapeutic strategies by targeting ferroptosis for the prevention and treatment of kidney diseases and hope that this work will provide insight for the further study of ferroptosis in the pathogenesis of kidney-related diseases.

Evaluation on the inclusion behavior of β-cyclodextrins with lycorine and its hydrochloride

Lycorine (Lyc) and its hydrochloride (Lyc∙HCl) as effective drugs can fight against many diseases including novel coronavirus (COVID-19) based on their antiviral and antitumor mechanism. Beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD) is considered a promising carrier in improving its efficacy while minimizing cytotoxicity due to the good spatial compatibility with Lyc. However, the detailed mechanism of inclusion interaction still remains to be further evaluated. In this paper, six inclusion complexes based on β-CDs, Lyc and Lyc∙HCl were processed through ultrasound in the mixed solvent of ethanol and water, and their inclusion behavior was characterized after lyophilization. It was found that the inclusion complexes based on sulfobutyl-beta-cyclodextrin (SBE-β-CD) and Lyc∙HCl had the best encapsulation effect among prepared inclusion complexes, which may be attributed to the electrostatic interaction between sulfonic group of SBE-β-CD and quaternary amino group of Lyc∙HCl. Moreover, the complexes based on SBE-β-CD displayed pH-sensitive drug release property, good solubilization, stability and blood compatibility, indicating their potential as suitable drug carriers for Lyc and Lyc∙HCl.

A Transcriptomic and Reverse-Engineering Strategy Reveals Molecular Signatures of Arachidonic Acid Metabolism in 12 Cancers

Cancer and arachidonic acid (AA) have important linkages. For example, AA metabolites regulate several critical biological functions associated with carcinogenesis: angiogenesis, apoptosis, and cancer invasion. However, little is known about the comparative changes in metabolite expression of the arachidonic acid pathway (AAP) in carcinogenesis. In this study, we examined transcriptome data from 12 cancers, such as breast invasive carcinoma, colon adenocarcinoma, lung adenocarcinoma, and prostate adenocarcinoma. We also report here a reverse-engineering strategy wherein we estimated metabolic signatures associated with AAP by (1) making deductive inferences through transcriptome-level data extraction, (2) remodeling AA metabolism, and (3) performing a comparative analysis of cancer types to determine the similarities and differences between different cancer types with respect to AA metabolic alterations. We identified 77 AAP gene signatures differentially expressed in cancers and 37 AAP metabolites associated with them. Importantly, the metabolite 15(S)-HETE was identified in almost all cancers, while arachidonate, 5-HETE, PGF2α, 14,15-EET, 8,9-EET, 5,6-EET, and 20-HETE were discovered as other most regulated metabolites. This study shows that the 12 cancers studied herein, although in different branches of the AAP, have altered expression of AAP gene signatures. Going forward, AA related-cancer research generally, and the molecular signatures and their estimated metabolites reported herein specifically, hold broad promise for precision/personalized medicine in oncology as potential therapeutic and diagnostic targets.

Regulated cell death (RCD) in cancer: key pathways and targeted therapies

Regulated cell death (RCD), also well-known as programmed cell death (PCD), refers to the form of cell death that can be regulated by a variety of biomacromolecules, which is distinctive from accidental cell death (ACD). Accumulating evidence has revealed that RCD subroutines are the key features of tumorigenesis, which may ultimately lead to the establishment of different potential therapeutic strategies. Hitherto, targeting the subroutines of RCD with pharmacological small-molecule compounds has been emerging as a promising therapeutic avenue, which has rapidly progressed in many types of human cancers. Thus, in this review, we focus on summarizing not only the key apoptotic and autophagy-dependent cell death signaling pathways, but the crucial pathways of other RCD subroutines, including necroptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, parthanatos, entosis, NETosis and lysosome-dependent cell death (LCD) in cancer. Moreover, we further discuss the current situation of several small-molecule compounds targeting the different RCD subroutines to improve cancer treatment, such as single-target, dual or multiple-target small-molecule compounds, drug combinations, and some new emerging therapeutic strategies that would together shed new light on future directions to attack cancer cell vulnerabilities with small-molecule drugs targeting RCD for therapeutic purposes.

Molecular mechanism of vitiligo treatment by bailing tablet based on network pharmacology and molecular docking

BACKGROUND

Bailing tablet, a patent Chinese medicine, is widely used to treat vitiligo in China. However, the underlying mechanism of this combined drug in treating vitiligo still remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the pharmacological mechanism of bailing tablet in the prevention and treatment of vitiligo using network pharmacology and molecular docking.

METHODS

Genetic data of vitiligo and normal people were obtained by gene expression omnibus (GEO) DataSets database and GEO difference analysis was conducted to obtain differential genes. The main active compounds and corresponding target genes of bailing tablet were collected from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform. Combined with the results of GEO difference analysis, the main compounds and corresponding target genes of bailing tablet in the treatment of vitiligo were screened. The network diagram of "traditional Chinese medicine compound target" was constructed by Cytoscape software. According to the differential genes, the core targets with potential therapeutic effect were searched, the protein-protein interaction network was constructed, and the key proteins were explored by topological analysis (CytoNCA). Meanwhile, the core targets were analyzed by biological process (gene ontology) and signal pathway (Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes) function enrichment. Molecular docking technology was adopted to verify the combination of main components and core targets.

RESULTS

A total of 170 active compounds and 1777 prediction targets were screened from 11 traditional Chinese medicines of bailing tablet, of which 65 active components and 68 related prediction targets were closely related to vitiligo. A total of 320 key proteins were obtained by analyzing the topological characteristics of the protein-protein interaction network, mainly including neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase 1, tumor protein P53, cullin 3, estrogen receptor 1, etc. The main biological processes involve oxidative stress response, cell response to reactive oxygen species, and reactive oxygen species metabolism. Bailing tablet treats vitiligo mainly by regulating immune inflammation, apoptosis, and autophagy, which involves phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase Akt signal pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase signal pathway, Janus kinase signal transducer and activator of transcription signal pathway, melanin production, and helper T cell (Th)1, Th2, and Th17 differentiation pathway, etc. Molecular docking results showed that the main components could bind to the target protein well.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on network pharmacology and molecular docking, the mechanism of bailing tablet in the treatment of vitiligo through multicomponent, multitarget, and multichannel was deeply explored.

Characterization of the Ferroptosis-Related Genes for Prognosis and Immune Infiltration in Low-Grade Glioma

Background: Although ferroptosis has been validated to play a crucial role in some types of tumors, the influence of ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) on the immune microenvironment in low-grade glioma (LGG) remains unclear. In this research, we screen the FRGs to assess the prognosis value and immune microenvironment in LGG, to provide reliable diagnosis and treatment evidence for the clinic.

Methods: A total of 1,239 patients of LGG samples were selected for subsequent analyses from The Cancer Genome Atlas, Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas, and the Repository of Molecular Brain Neoplasia Data datasets. Univariate Cox regression analysis was used to screen for prognostic FRGs. Consensus clustering was utilized to determine ferroptosis subtypes of LGG patients. Next, the prognostic model was constructed based on differentially expressed FRGs and validation in the validating datasets. The immune microenvironment, biological pathway, and hypoxia score were explored by single-sample gene set enrichment analysis. The potential response of chemotherapy and immune checkpoint blockade therapy was also estimated. In addition, the correlation between the risk score and autophagy-related genes was examined by the Pearson correlation coefficient.

Results: A total of three ferroptosis subtypes were identified by consensus clustering for prognostic FRGs which exhibited different outcomes, clinicopathological characteristics, and immune microenvironment. Afterward, a prognostic model that performed great predictive ability based on nine prognostic FRGs has been constructed and validated. Moreover, the prognostic model had the potential to screen the sensitivity to chemotherapy and immunotherapy in LGG patients. Finally, we also found that the prognostic model has a great connection to autophagy and hypoxia.

Conclusion: We developed a ferroptosis-related prognostic model which strongly linked to diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and recurrence of LGG. This study also reveals the connection between ferroptosis and tumor immune microenvironment.

Abnormal Iron and Lipid Metabolism Mediated Ferroptosis in Kidney Diseases and Its Therapeutic Potential

Ferroptosis is a newly identified form of regulated cell death driven by iron-dependent phospholipid peroxidation and oxidative stress. Ferroptosis has distinct biological and morphology characteristics, such as shrunken mitochondria when compared to other known regulated cell deaths. The regulation of ferroptosis includes different molecular mechanisms and multiple cellular metabolic pathways, including glutathione/glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4) signaling pathways, which are involved in the amino acid metabolism and the activation of GPX4; iron metabolic signaling pathways, which are involved in the regulation of iron import/export and the storage/release of intracellular iron through iron-regulatory proteins (IRPs), and lipid metabolic signaling pathways, which are involved in the metabolism of unsaturated fatty acids in cell membranes. Ferroptosis plays an essential role in the pathology of various kidneys diseases, including acute kidney injury (AKI), chronic kidney disease (CKD), autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), and renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Targeting ferroptosis with its inducers/initiators and inhibitors can modulate the progression of kidney diseases in animal models. In this review, we discuss the characteristics of ferroptosis and the ferroptosis-based mechanisms, highlighting the potential role of the main ferroptosis-associated metabolic pathways in the treatment and prevention of various kidney diseases.

Obacunone Retards Renal Cyst Development in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease by Activating NRF2

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a common inherited disease characterized by progressive enlargement of fluid-filled cysts derived from renal tubular epithelial cells, which has become the fourth leading cause of end-stage renal diseases. Currently, treatment options for ADPKD remain limited. The purpose of this study was to discover an effective therapeutic drug for ADPKD. With virtual screening, Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cyst model, embryonic kidney cyst model and kidney-specific Pkd1 knockout mouse (PKD) model, we identified obacunone as a candidate compound for ADPKD drug discovery from a natural antioxidant compound library. In vitro experiments showed that obacunone significantly inhibited cyst formation and expansion of MDCK cysts and embryonic kidney cysts in a dose-dependent manner. In vivo, obacunone treatment significantly reduced the renal cyst development in PKD mice. Western blot and morphological analysis revealed that obacunone served as a NRF2 activator in ADPKD, which suppressed lipid peroxidation by up-regulating GPX4 and finally restrained excessive cell proliferation by down-regulating mTOR and MAPK signaling pathways. Experimental data demonstrated obacunone as an effective renal cyst inhibitor for ADPKD, indicating that obacunone might be developed into a therapeutic drug for ADPKD treatment.