CREB stimulates GPX4 transcription to inhibit ferroptosis in lung adenocarcinoma

Silencing of CircTRIM25/miR-138-5p/CREB1 axis promotes chondrogenesis in osteoarthritis

BACKGROUND

Dysregulated circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in osteoarthritis (OA) progression.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to explore the effect of hsa_circ_0044719 (circTRIM25) on the ferroptosis of chondrocytes.

METHODS

Chondrocytes were treated with interleukin (IL)-1β to generate cell model. Cellular behaviours were measured using cell counting kit-8, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, relevant kits, propidium iodide staining, and immunofluorescence assay. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to examine the expression of circTRIM25, miR-138-5p, and cAMP responsive element binding protein 1 (CREB1), and their interactions were assessed using luciferase reporter analysis and RNA pull-down assay.

RESULTS

CircTRIM25 was upregulated in OA tissues and IL-1β-stimulated chondrocytes. Knockdown of circTRIM25 facilitated the viability and suppressed ferroptosis and inflammation of IL-1β-induced cells. CircTRIM25 served as a sponge of miR-138-5p, which directly targets CREB1. Downregulation of miR-138-5p abrogated the effect induced by knockdown of circTRIM25. Furthermore, enforced CREB1 reversed the miR-138-5p induced effect. Moreover, knockdown of circTRIM25 attenuated cartilage injury in vivo.

CONCLUSION

Silencing of circTRIM25 inhibited ferroptosis of chondrocytes via the miR-138-5p/CREB axis and thus attenuated OA progression.

PTGER3 knockdown inhibits the vulnerability of triple-negative breast cancer to ferroptosis

Prostaglandin E receptor 3 (PTGER3) is involved in a variety of biological processes in the human body and is closely associated with the development and progression of a variety of cancer types. However, the role of PTGER3 in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains unclear. In the present study, low PTGER3 expression was found to be associated with poor prognosis in TNBC patients. PTGER3 plays a crucial role in regulating TNBC cell invasion, migration, and proliferation. Upregulation of PTGER3 weakens the epithelial-mesenchymal phenotype in TNBC and promotes ferroptosis both in vitro and in vivo by repressing glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) expression. On the other hand, downregulation of PTGER3 inhibits ferroptosis by increasing GPX4 expression and activating the PI3K-AKT pathway. Upregulation of PTGER3 also enhances the sensitivity of TNBC cells to paclitaxel. Overall, this study has elucidated critical pathways in which low PTGER3 expression protects TNBC cells from undergoing ferroptosis, thereby promoting its progression. PTGER3 may thus serve as a novel and promising biomarker and therapeutic target for TNBC.

Comprehensive molecular analyses of cuproptosis-related genes with regard to prognosis, immune landscape, and response to immune checkpoint blockers in lung adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Recent studies have emphasized the importance of the biological processes of different forms of cell death in tumor heterogeneity and anti-tumor immunity. Nonetheless, the relationship between cuproptosis and lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains largely unexplored.

METHODS

Data for 793 LUAD samples and 59 normal lung tissues obtained from TCGA-LUAD cohort GEO datasets were used in this study. A total of 165 LUAD tissue samples and paired normal lung tissue samples obtained from our hospital were used to verify the prognostic value of dihydrolipoamide S-acetyltransferase (DLAT) and dihydrolipoamide branched chain transacylase E2 (DBT) for LUAD. The cuproptosis-related molecular patterns of LUAD were identified using consensus molecular clustering. Recursive feature elimination with random forest and a tenfold cross-validation method was applied to construct the cuproptosis score (CPS) for LUAD.

RESULTS

Bioinformatic and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analyses revealed that 13 core genes of cuproptosis were all significantly elevated in LUAD tissues, among which DBT and DLAT were associated with poor prognosis (DLAT, HR = 6.103; DBT, HR = 4.985). Based on the expression pattern of the 13 genes, two distinct cuproptosis-related patterns have been observed in LUAD: cluster 2 which has a relatively higher level of cuproptosis was characterized by immunological ignorance; conversely, cluster 1 which has a relatively lower level of cuproptosis is characterized by TILs infiltration and anti-tumor response. Finally, a scoring scheme termed the CPS was established to quantify the cuproptosis-related pattern and predict the prognosis and the response to immune checkpoint blockers of each individual patient with LUAD.

CONCLUSION

Cuproptosis was found to influence tumor microenvironment (TME) characteristics and heterogeneity in LUAD. Patients with a lower CPS had a relatively better prognosis, more abundant immune infiltration in the TME, and an enhanced response to immune checkpoint inhibitors.

GPX4, ferroptosis, and diseases

GPX4 (Glutathione peroxidase 4) serves as a crucial intracellular regulatory factor, participating in various physiological processes and playing a significant role in maintaining the redox homeostasis within the body. Ferroptosis, a form of iron-dependent non-apoptotic cell death, has gained considerable attention in recent years due to its involvement in multiple pathological processes. GPX4 is closely associated with ferroptosis and functions as the primary inhibitor of this process. Together, GPX4 and ferroptosis contribute to the pathophysiology of several diseases, including sepsis, nervous system diseases, ischemia reperfusion injury, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. This review comprehensively explores the regulatory roles and impacts of GPX4 and ferroptosis in the development and progression of these diseases, with the aim of providing insights for identifying potential therapeutic strategies in the future.

Emerging mechanisms of ferroptosis and its implications in lung cancer

ABSTRACT

Lung cancer is one of the most common malignancies and has the highest number of deaths among all cancers. Despite continuous advances in medical strategies, the overall survival of lung cancer patients is still low, probably due to disease progression or drug resistance. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death triggered by the lethal accumulation of lipid peroxides, and its dysregulation is implicated in cancer development. Preclinical evidence has shown that targeting the ferroptosis pathway could be a potential strategy for improving lung cancer treatment outcomes. In this review, we summarize the underlying mechanisms and regulatory networks of ferroptosis in lung cancer and highlight ferroptosis-targeting preclinical attempts to provide new insights for lung cancer treatment.

Inhibition of ZDHHC16 promoted osteogenic differentiation and reduced ferroptosis of dental pulp stem cells by CREB

BACKGROUND

The repair of bone defects caused by periodontal diseases is a difficult challenge in clinical treatment. Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are widely studied for alveolar bone repair. The current investigation aimed to examine the specific mechanisms underlying the role of Zinc finger DHHC-type palmitoyl transferases 16 (ZDHHC16) in the process of osteogenic differentiation (OD) of DPSCs.

METHODS

The lentiviral vectors ZDHHC16 or si-ZDHHC16 were introduced in the DPSCs and then the cells were induced by an odontogenic medium for 21 days. Subsequently, Quantitate Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), immunofluorescent staining, proliferation assay, ethynyl deoxyuridine (EdU) staining, and western blot analysis were used to investigate the specific details of ZDHHC16 contribution in OD of DPSCs.

RESULTS

Our findings indicate that ZDHHC16 exhibited a suppressive effect on cellular proliferation and oxidative phosphorylation, while concurrently inducing ferroptosis in DPSCs. Moreover, the inhibition of ZDHHC16 promoted cell development and OD and reduced ferroptosis of DPSCs. The expression of p-CREB was suppressed by ZDHHC16, and immunoprecipitation (IP) analysis revealed that ZDHHC16 protein exhibited interconnection with cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) of DPSCs. The CREB suppression reduced the impacts of ZDHHC16 on OD and ferroptosis of DPSCs. The activation of CREB also reduced the influences of si-ZDHHC16 on OD and ferroptosis of DPSCs.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings provide evidences to support a negative association between ZDHHC16 and OD of DPSCs, which might be mediated by ferroptosis of DPSCs via CREB.

Osteopontin promotes tumor growth and metastasis and GPX4-mediated anti-lipid peroxidation in triple-negative breast cancer by activating the PI3k/Akt/mTOR pathway

PURPOSE

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) features high aggressiveness, metastasis rate, drug resistance as well as poor prognosis. Osteopontin (OPN) is a key protein in the process of osteogenesis and has emerged as a new tumor marker in recent years.

METHODS

Cell viability was tested with the CCK-8 kit. Transwell and wound healing were adopted to test cell invasive and migratory abilities. Tumor sphere formation was detected by tumor sphere formation assay. Human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) tube formation assay was used to measure the angiogenesis of tumor cells. Western blot was applied for the estimation of the expression of cancer stem cell markers, angiogenesis-, signaling pathway-related proteins as well as OPN. Bioinformatics tools predicted OPN expression in breast cancer tissues. The levels of oxidative stress-related markers were assessed with ELISA. Following the overexpression of OPN in MD-MB-436 cells and the addition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway inhibitor LY294002, the aforementioned functional experiments were implemented again to investigate the mechanism. Finally, in vivo experiments of tumor-bearing mice were performed for further verification.

RESULTS

The proliferative, invasive, migratory and tumor sphere formation capabilities as well as angiogenesis of TNBC cells were conspicuously increased in contrast to non-TNBC cell lines. OPN expression in TNBC tissues and cells was dramatically enhanced. OPN upregulation significantly elevated cell proliferative, invasive and migratory capabilities as well as tumor sphere formation and angiogenesis. The mechanism might be achieved by activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling to regulate glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4)-mediated anti-lipid peroxidation.

CONCLUSION

OPN promoted tumor sphere formation and angiogenesis in TNBC by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway to regulate GPX4-mediated anti-lipid peroxidation levels.

Inhibition of ferroptosis reverses heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in mice

BACKGROUND

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) accounts for approximately 50% of heart failure cases. The molecular mechanisms by which HFpEF leads to impaired diastolic function of the heart have not been clarified, nor have the drugs that target the clinical symptoms of HFpEF patients.

METHODS

HFpEF chip data (GSE180065) was downloaded from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were filtered by the limma package in R and processed for GO and KEGG pathway analyses. Then, ferroptosis-related genes in HFpEF were identified by taking the intersection between DEGs and ferroptosis-related genes. CytoHubba and MCODE were used to screen ferroptosis-related hub DEGs in the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Establishment of a mouse HFpEF model to validate the transcript levels of ferroptosis-related hub DEGs and ferroptosis-related phenotypes. Transcript levels of ferroptosis-related hub DEGs and HFpEF phenotypic changes in the hearts of HFpEF mice were further examined after the use of ferroptosis inhibitors.

RESULTS

GO and KEGG enrichment analyses suggested that the DEGs in HFpEF were significantly enriched in ferroptosis-related pathways. A total of 24 ferroptosis-related DEGs were identified between the ferroptosis gene dataset and the DEGs. The established PPI network was further analyzed by CytoHubba and MCODE modules, and 11 ferroptosis-related hub DEGs in HFpEF were obtained. In animal experiments, HFpEF mice showed significant abnormal activation of ferroptosis. The expression trends of the 11 hub DEGs associated with ferroptosis, except for Cdh1, were consistent with the results of the bioinformatics analysis. Inhibition of ferroptosis alters the transcript levels of 11 ferroptosis-related hub DEGs and ameliorates HFpEF phenotypes.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study contributes to a deeper understanding of the specific mechanisms by which ferroptosis is involved in the development of HFpEF and suggests that inhibition of ferroptosis may mitigate the progression of HFpEF. In addition, eleven hub genes were recognized as potential drug binding targets.

cAMP-PKA/EPAC signaling and cancer: the interplay in tumor microenvironment

Cancer is a complex disease resulting from abnormal cell growth that is induced by a number of genetic and environmental factors. The tumor microenvironment (TME), which involves extracellular matrix, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF), tumor-infiltrating immune cells and angiogenesis, plays a critical role in tumor progression. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is a second messenger that has pleiotropic effects on the TME. The downstream effectors of cAMP include cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), exchange protein activated by cAMP (EPAC) and ion channels. While cAMP can activate PKA or EPAC and promote cancer cell growth, it can also inhibit cell proliferation and survival in context- and cancer type-dependent manner. Tumor-associated stromal cells, such as CAF and immune cells, can release cytokines and growth factors that either stimulate or inhibit cAMP production within the TME. Recent studies have shown that targeting cAMP signaling in the TME has therapeutic benefits in cancer. Small-molecule agents that inhibit adenylate cyclase and PKA have been shown to inhibit tumor growth. In addition, cAMP-elevating agents, such as forskolin, can not only induce cancer cell death, but also directly inhibit cell proliferation in some cancer types. In this review, we summarize current understanding of cAMP signaling in cancer biology and immunology and discuss the basis for its context-dependent dual role in oncogenesis. Understanding the precise mechanisms by which cAMP and the TME interact in cancer will be critical for the development of effective therapies. Future studies aimed at investigating the cAMP-cancer axis and its regulation in the TME may provide new insights into the underlying mechanisms of tumorigenesis and lead to the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

Potentially functional genetic variants in ferroptosis-related CREB3 and GALNT14 genes predict survival of hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Ferroptosis is a known crucial player in the development of cancers. However, the effect of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ferroptosis-related genes on survival in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-HCC) patients remains unknown.

METHODS

We used two-stage multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analyses to estimate the associations between 48,774 SNPs in 480 ferroptosis-related genes and overall survival (OS) of 866 HBV-HCC patients.

RESULTS

We identified that two potentially functional SNPs (CREB3 rs10814274 C > T and GALNT14 rs17010547 T > C) were significantly independently associated with the OS of HBV-HCC patients (CT + TT verse CC, hazards ratio (HR) = 0.77, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.67-0.89, p < 0.001 for rs10814274 and TC + CC verse TT, HR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.53-0.82, p < 0.001 for rs17010547, respectively). Additional joint assessment of protective genotypes of these two SNPs showed that patients with 1-2 protective genotypes had a significantly better OS compared with those carrying 0 protective genotypes (HR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.45-0.70, p < 0.001). Moreover, the expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis revealed that the survival-associated SNP rs10814274 T allele was significantly correlated with reduced CREB3 transcript levels in both normal liver tissues and whole blood cells, while the GALNT14 rs17010547 C allele had a significant correlation with increased GALNT14 transcript levels in whole blood cells.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that genetic variants of CREB3 and GALNT14 may affect the survival of HBV-HCC patients, likely via transcriptional regulation of respective genes. However, further studies are required to confirm these findings.

A comprehensive and visualized analysis of relationship between ferroptosis and tumor using bibliometrics and bioinformatics

This study aimed to summarize the current developments and hub genes in the ferroptosis field using bibliometrics and bioinformatics and provide guidance for future developments. The publications on ferroptosis from 2012 to 2021 were extracted from the Web of Science database. VOSviewer software and CiteSpace software were used to visualize and predict the trend of ferroptosis research. The key genes related to ferroptosis were selected from the Web of Genecards, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG)/Gene Ontology (GO) analysis was performed. Cytoscape software and online survival curve analysis platform were also used to screen hub genes and analyze their roles. Chinese researchers published the highest number of publications in this field, while American publications exhibited higher quality. In terms of institutions, Central South University and Zhejiang University have the highest number of publications. Cell Death Disease published more studies than other journals. The application of ferroptosis is a major research area, and, importantly, "RCD", "FTH1", and "nomogram" are the keywords. We also found tumor-related pathways of interest in the field of ferroptosis. Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3), Glutathione Peroxidase 4 (GPX4), and transferrin receptor (TFRC) genes were of significance for the prognosis of tumors. The number of publications on ferroptosis may increase in the future. Cooperation among countries and disciplines is particularly important in this regard. Also, the applications of ferroptosis, especially in chemotherapy and immunotherapy for tumors, will be the focus of future research. Keywords "RCD", "FTH1", and "nomogram" is receiving high attention, and in-depth studies on tumor-related genes SIRT3, GPX4, and TFRC may provide new therapeutic targets.

Targeting epigenetic and posttranslational modifications regulating ferroptosis for the treatment of diseases

Ferroptosis, a unique modality of cell death with mechanistic and morphological differences from other cell death modes, plays a pivotal role in regulating tumorigenesis and offers a new opportunity for modulating anticancer drug resistance. Aberrant epigenetic modifications and posttranslational modifications (PTMs) promote anticancer drug resistance, cancer progression, and metastasis. Accumulating studies indicate that epigenetic modifications can transcriptionally and translationally determine cancer cell vulnerability to ferroptosis and that ferroptosis functions as a driver in nervous system diseases (NSDs), cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), liver diseases, lung diseases, and kidney diseases. In this review, we first summarize the core molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis. Then, the roles of epigenetic processes, including histone PTMs, DNA methylation, and noncoding RNA regulation and PTMs, such as phosphorylation, ubiquitination, SUMOylation, acetylation, methylation, and ADP-ribosylation, are concisely discussed. The roles of epigenetic modifications and PTMs in ferroptosis regulation in the genesis of diseases, including cancers, NSD, CVDs, liver diseases, lung diseases, and kidney diseases, as well as the application of epigenetic and PTM modulators in the therapy of these diseases, are then discussed in detail. Elucidating the mechanisms of ferroptosis regulation mediated by epigenetic modifications and PTMs in cancer and other diseases will facilitate the development of promising combination therapeutic regimens containing epigenetic or PTM-targeting agents and ferroptosis inducers that can be used to overcome chemotherapeutic resistance in cancer and could be used to prevent other diseases. In addition, these mechanisms highlight potential therapeutic approaches to overcome chemoresistance in cancer or halt the genesis of other diseases.

Unravelling the signaling power of pollutants

Exposure to environmental pollutants contributes to diverse pathologies, including pulmonary disease, lower respiratory infections, cancer, and stroke. Pollutants' entry can occur through inhalation, traversing endothelial and epithelial barriers, and crossing the blood-brain barrier, leading to a wide distribution throughout the human body via systemic circulation. Pollutants cause cellular damage by multiple mechanisms encompassing oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, (neuro)inflammation, and protein instability/proteotoxicity. Sensing pollutants has added a new dimension to disease progression and drug failure. Understanding the molecular pathways and potential receptor binding/signaling that underpin 'sensing' could contribute to ways to combat the detrimental effects of pollutants. We highlight key points of pollutant signaling, crosstalk with receptors acting as drug targets for chronic diseases, and discuss the potential for future therapeutics.

Transcriptional co-activators: emerging roles in signaling pathways and potential therapeutic targets for diseases

Specific cell states in metazoans are established by the symphony of gene expression programs that necessitate intricate synergic interactions between transcription factors and the co-activators. Deregulation of these regulatory molecules is associated with cell state transitions, which in turn is accountable for diverse maladies, including developmental disorders, metabolic disorders, and most significantly, cancer. A decade back most transcription factors, the key enablers of disease development, were historically viewed as 'undruggable'; however, in the intervening years, a wealth of literature validated that they can be targeted indirectly through transcriptional co-activators, their confederates in various physiological and molecular processes. These co-activators, along with transcription factors, have the ability to initiate and modulate transcription of diverse genes necessary for normal physiological functions, whereby, deregulation of such interactions may foster tissue-specific disease phenotype. Hence, it is essential to analyze how these co-activators modulate specific multilateral processes in coordination with other factors. The proposed review attempts to elaborate an in-depth account of the transcription co-activators, their involvement in transcription regulation, and context-specific contributions to pathophysiological conditions. This review also addresses an issue that has not been dealt with in a comprehensive manner and hopes to direct attention towards future research that will encompass patient-friendly therapeutic strategies, where drugs targeting co-activators will have enhanced benefits and reduced side effects. Additional insights into currently available therapeutic interventions and the associated constraints will eventually reveal multitudes of advanced therapeutic targets aiming for disease amelioration and good patient prognosis.

A review on the research progress of traditional Chinese medicine with anti-cancer effect targeting ferroptosis

Ferroptosis is a non-apoptotic form of regulated cell death characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. It can be triggered by various mechanisms, including the glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4)-glutathione (GSH) axis, iron metabolism, lipid metabolism, the GTP cyclohydrolase 1 (GCH1)-tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) pathway, and the ferroptosis suppressor protein 1 (FSP1)-coenzyme Q10 axis. The redox balance is disrupted when ferroptosis occurs in cells, which is fatal to cancer cells. Additionally, some tumor-associated genes are involved in ferroptosis. Hence, targeting ferroptosis might be an effective strategy for treating cancer. Several small-molecule compounds exhibit anti-tumor effects through ferroptosis, including sorafenib and altretamine, which induce ferroptosis by inhibiting System-Xc and GPX4 respectively, but many problems, such as poor druggability, still exist. Some studies have shown that many traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) induce ferroptosis by inhibiting GPX4, solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), and nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2), or by increasing the expression of Acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4), transferrin (TF), and transferrin receptor 1 (TFR1). These changes can lead to the lysosomal degradation of ferritin, accumulation of iron, lipid peroxidation and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which in turn can promote anti-tumor activities or synergistic effects with chemotherapeutic drugs. In this study, we elucidated the underlying mechanisms of ferroptosis, and the anti-tumor pharmacology of TCM targeting ferroptosis including prescriptions, Chinese herbs, extracts, and natural compounds. Our findings might act as valuable reference for research on anti-tumor drugs targeting ferroptosis, especially those drugs developed from TCM.

Regulation of Ferroptosis in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common lung cancer, which accounts for about 35-40% of all lung cancer patients. Despite therapeutic advancements in recent years, the overall survival time of LUAD patients still remains poor, especially KRAS mutant LUAD. Therefore, it is necessary to further explore novel targets and drugs to improve the prognos is for LUAD. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent regulated cell death (RCD) caused by lipid peroxidation, has attracted much attention recently as an alternative target for apoptosis in LUAD therapy. Ferroptosis has been found to be closely related to LUAD at every stage, including initiation, proliferation, and progression. In this review, we will provide a comprehensive overview of ferroptosis mechanisms, its regulation in LUAD, and the application of targeting ferroptosis for LUAD therapy.

SETD1A-mediated H3K4me3 methylation upregulates lncRNA HOXC-AS3 and the binding of HOXC-AS3 to EP300 and increases EP300 stability to suppress the ferroptosis of NSCLC cells

BACKGROUND

Histone methyltransferases are crucial regulators in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) development. This study explored the mechanism of histone methyltransferase SET domain containing 1A (SETD1A)-mediated H3K4me2 methylation in NSCLC cell ferroptosis and provides novel targets for NSCLC treatment.

METHODS

Upon downregulation of SETD1A in NSCLC cell lines, cell proliferation potential, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) activities, iron content, and SETD1A, long noncoding RNA HOXC cluster antisense RNA 3 (lncRNA HOXC-AS3), E1A binding protein p300 (EP300), glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) expressions were determined via cell counting kit-8, ELISA, iron assay kits, RT-qPCR, and western blot. Enrichment levels of SETD1A and H3K4me3 in the HOXC-AS3 promotor were measured via chromatin immunoprecipitation, and the binding of HOXC-AS3 and EP300 was analyzed via RNA immunoprecipitation. Rescue experiments were performed to confirm their roles in NSCLC cell ferroptosis. Xenograft tumor models were established to validate the role of SETD1A in vivo.

RESULTS

SETD1A, H3K4me3, HOXC-AS3, and EP300 were highly-expressed in NSCLC cells. Silencing SETD1A inhibited NSCLC cell proliferation, increased MDA and iron levels, and decreased SOD, GSH, and GPX4 levels. SETD1A downregulation reduced H3K4me3 level, HOXC-AS3 expression, the binding of HOXC-AS3 to EP300, and EP300 stability. Overexpression of HOXC-AS3 or EP300 reversed the promotion of silencing SETD1A on NSCLC cell ferroptosis. Silencing SETD1A reduced tumor volume and weight and positive rate of ki67 and increased ferroptosis through the HOXC-AS3/EP300 axis.

CONCLUSION

SETD1A-mediated H3K4me2 methylation promoted HOXC-AS3 expression, binding of HOXC-AS3 to EP300, and EP300 stability, thereby suppressing NSCLC cell ferroptosis.

LPCAT3 Is Transcriptionally Regulated by YAP/ZEB/EP300 and Collaborates with ACSL4 and YAP to Determine Ferroptosis Sensitivity

Aims: Lipid peroxidation occurring in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cells leads to ferroptosis. Lysophosphatidylcholine acyl-transferase 3 (LPCAT3) plays a key role in providing raw materials for lipid peroxidation by promoting esterification of polyunsaturated fatty acids to phospholipids. Whether LPCAT3 determines ferroptosis sensitivity and the mechanism by which its expression is regulated in LUAD has not been reported. Results: LPCAT3 and acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) synthetase long-chain family member (ACSL)4 levels were positively associated with ferroptosis sensitivity in LUAD cell lines. Overexpression of LPCAT3 and ACSL4 sensitized LUAD cells to ferroptosis, while LPCAT3 and ACSL4 knockout showed the opposite effect. Zinc-finger E-box-binding (ZEB) was shown to directly bind the LPCAT3 promoter to stimulate its transcription in a Yes-associated protein (YAP)-dependent manner. An interaction between YAP and ZEB was also observed. E1A-binding protein p300 (EP300) simultaneously bound with YAP and ZEB, and induced H3K27Ac for LPCAT3 transcription. This mechanism was verified in primary LUAD cell and xenograft models. The ACSL4, LPCAT3, and YAP combination can jointly determine LUAD ferroptosis sensitivity. Innovation: The binding site of ZEB exists in the -1600 to -1401 nt region of LPCAT3 promoter, which promotes LPCAT3 transcription after ZEB binding. ZEB and YAP bind, and the ZEB zinc-finger cluster domain and YAP WW domain are crucial for their binding. EP300 may bind with YAP via its Bromo domain and with ZEB via its CBP/p300-HAT domain. In addition, the combination of ACSL4, LPCAT3, and YAP to determine ferroptosis sensitivity of LUAD cells is better than prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), transferrin receptor (TFRC), or NADPH oxidase 1 (NOX1). Conclusion: LPCAT3 transcription is regulated by YAP, ZEB, and EP300. LUAD ferroptosis sensitivity can be determined by the combination of ACSL4, LPCAT3, and YAP. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 39, 491-511.

Knockdown of SETD2 promotes erastin-induced ferroptosis in ccRCC

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common subtype of kidney cancer and is associated with poor prognosis. The histone H3 lysine 36 methyltransferase SET-domain-containing 2 (SETD2) has been reported to be expressed at low levels and frequently mutated in ccRCC. Ferroptosis, a form of death distinct from apoptosis and necrosis, has been reported in recent years in renal cancer. However, the relationship between SETD2 and ferroptosis in renal cancer is not clear. Here, we demonstrated that SETD2 was expressed at low levels in ccRCC and was associated with poor prognosis. Moreover, we found that knockdown of SETD2 increased lipid peroxidation and Fe2+ levels in tumor cells, thereby increasing the sensitivity of erastin, a ferroptosis inducer. Mechanistically, histone H3 lysine 36 trimethylation (H3K36me3) which was catalyzed by SETD2, interacted with the promoter of ferrochelatase (FECH) to regulate its transcription and ferroptosis-related signaling pathways. In conclusion, the presesnt study revealed that knockdown of the epigenetic molecule, SETD2, significantly increases the sensitivity of ferroptosis inducers which promotes tumor cell death, thereby indicating that SETD2 may be a potential therapeutic target for ccRCC.

Unleashing T cell anti-tumor immunity: new potential for 5-Nonloxytryptamine as an agent mediating MHC-I upregulation in tumors

BACKGROUND

New therapies are urgently needed in melanoma, particularly in late-stage patients not responsive to immunotherapies and kinase inhibitors. To uncover novel potentiators of T cell anti-tumor immunity, we carried out an ex vivo pharmacological screen and identified 5-Nonyloxytryptamine (5-NL), a serotonin agonist, as increasing the ability of T cells to target tumor cells.

METHODS

The pharmacological screen utilized lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV)-primed splenic T cells and melanoma B16.F10 cells expressing the LCMV gp33 CTL epitope. In vivo tumor growth in C57BL/6 J and NSG mice, in vivo antibody depletion, flow cytometry, immunoblot, CRISPR/Cas9 knockout, histological and RNA-Seq analyses were used to decipher 5-NL's immunomodulatory effects in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

5-NL delayed tumor growth in vivo and the phenotype was dependent on the hosts' immune system, specifically CD8+ T cells. 5-NL's pro-immune effects were not directly consequential to T cells. Rather, 5-NL upregulated antigen presenting machinery in melanoma and other tumor cells in vitro and in vivo without increasing PD-L1 expression. Mechanistic studies indicated that 5-NL's induced MHC-I expression was inhibited by pharmacologically preventing cAMP Response Element-Binding Protein (CREB) phosphorylation. Importantly, 5-NL combined with anti-PD1 therapy showed significant improvement when compared to single anti-PD-1 treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates novel therapeutic opportunities for augmenting immune responses in poorly immunogenic tumors.

Vitronectin Destroyed Intestinal Epithelial Cell Differentiation through Activation of PDE4-Mediated Ferroptosis in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Objective

Vitronectin (VTN) has been reported to trigger cell pyroptosis to aggravate inflammation in our previous study. However, the function of VTN in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains to be addressed.

Methods

Real-time PCR and western blotting were performed to analyze VTN-regulated intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) differentiation through ferroptosis, and immunofluorescence (IF), luciferase, and chromatin immunoprecipitation were used to identify whether VTN-modulated ferroptosis is dependent on phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4)/protein kinase A (PKA)/cyclic adenosine monophosphate-response element-binding protein (CREB) cascade pathway. In vivo experiment in mice and a pilot study in patients with IBD were used to confirm inhibition of PDE4-alleviated IECs ferroptosis, leading to cell differentiation during mucosal healing.

Results

Herein, we found that caudal-related homeobox transcription factor 2-mediated IECs differentiation was impaired in response to VTN, which was attributed to enhanced ferroptosis characterized by decreased glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and solute carrier family 7 member 11 expression. Inhibition of ferroptosis in IECs rescued the inhibitory effect of VTN on cell differentiation. Further analysis showed that VTN triggered phosphorylation of PDE4, leading to inhibit PKA/CREB activation and CREB nuclear translocation, which further reduced GPX4 transactivation. Endogenous PKA interacted with CREB, and this interaction was destroyed in response to VTN stimulation. What is more, overexpression of CREB in CaCO₂ cells overcame the promotion of VTN on ferroptosis. Most importantly, inhibition of PDE4 by roflumilast or dipyridamole could alleviate dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice and in a pilot clinical study confirmed by IF.

Conclusions

These findings demonstrated that highly expressed VTN disrupted IECs differentiation through PDE4-mediated ferroptosis in IBD, suggesting targeting PDE4 could be a promising therapeutic strategy for patients with IBD.

Inhibition of CREB promotes glucocorticoids action on airway inflammation in pediatric asthma by promoting ferroptosis of eosinophils

BACKGROUND

Pediatric asthma is a common chronic disease of childhood with airway inflammation. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein (CREB) plays a significant role in the transcription of proinflammatory genes, but its role in pediatric asthma has remained unclear. Herein, we investigated the functions of CREB in pediatric asthma.

METHODS

Eosinophils were purified from the peripheral blood of interleukin 5 (IL5) transgenic (IL5T) neonatal mice. The contents of CREB, long-chain fatty-acid-CoA ligase 4, transferrin receptor protein 1, ferritin heavy chain 1, and glutathione peroxidase 4 in eosinophils were examined by Western blot analysis. The viability of eosinophils, and the mean fluorescence intensity of Siglec F, C-C motif chemokine receptor 3 (CCR3), and reactive oxygen species were examined by flow cytometry. The concentration of iron in eosinophils was assessed by a commercial kit. The contents of malondialdehyde, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, IL-5, and IL-4 were discovered by enzyme-linked-immunosorbent serologic assay. The C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups: sham, ovalbumin (OVA), OVA+Ad-shNC, and OVA+Ad-shCREB. The bronchial and alveolar structures were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Leukocytes and eosinophils in the blood were measured using a HEMAVET 950.

RESULTS

The abundance of CREB in eosinophils was enhanced by CREB overexpression vector transfection, but reduced by short hairpin (sh)CREB transfection. Downregulation of CREB triggered the cell death of eosinophils. Knockdown of CREB could obviously contribute to ferroptosis of eosinophils. In addition, downregulation of CREB facilitated dexamethasone (DXMS, a type of glucocorticoid)-induced eosinophils death. Moreover, we established an asthma mouse model by OVA treatment. The CREB was upregulated in OVA group mice, but Ad-shCREB treatment obviously downregulated CREB level. Downregulation of CREB diminished OVA-induced asthmatic airway inflammation by reducing the number of inflammatory cells and the levels of proinflammatory factors. Downregulated CREB enhanced the anti-inflammatory effect of DXMS in OVA-induced mice.

CONCLUSION

Inhibition of CREB promoted the effect of glucocorticoids on airway inflammation in pediatric asthma through promoting ferroptosis of eosinophils.

The old second messenger cAMP teams up with novel cell death mechanisms: potential translational therapeutical benefit for Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) represent the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders severely impacting life expectancy and quality of life of millions of people worldwide. AD and PD exhibit both a very distinct pathophysiological disease pattern. Intriguingly, recent researches, however, implicate that overlapping mechanisms may underlie AD and PD. In AD and PD, novel cell death mechanisms, encompassing parthanatos, netosis, lysosome-dependent cell death, senescence and ferroptosis, apparently rely on the production of reactive oxygen species, and seem to be modulated by the well-known, "old" second messenger cAMP. Signaling of cAMP via PKA and Epac promotes parthanatos and induces lysosomal cell death, while signaling of cAMP via PKA inhibits netosis and cellular senescence. Additionally, PKA protects against ferroptosis, whereas Epac1 promotes ferroptosis. Here we review the most recent insights into the overlapping mechanisms between AD and PD, with a special focus on cAMP signaling and the pharmacology of cAMP signaling pathways.

Tetrandrine citrate suppresses lung adenocarcinoma growth via SLC7A11/GPX4-mediated ferroptosis

Ferroptosis is a mode of programmed cell death that plays a crucial role in tumor biology processes. Although tetrandrine citrate (TetC) has been demonstrated to exert anti-tumor effects, it is still unclear whether TetC inhibits lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) progression by inducing ferroptosis. The study showcased the inhibitory effect of TetC on the viability and progression of tumor cells, including intracellular iron overload, accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), over-expression of malondial-dehyde (MDA), and depletion of glutathione (GSH). Notably, TetC-induced cell death was clearly reversed by three different ferroptosis-related inhibitors. TetC also induced changes in the mitochondrial morphology of LUAD cells, similar to those observed in typical ferroptosis. Further analysis through Western blot (WB) and Immunofluorescence (IF) assays identified that TetC inhibited the expression and fluorescence intensity of both solute carrier family 7 (SLC7A11) and glutathione peroxidase-4 (GPX4). More importantly, over-expression of SLC7A11 could rescue the TetC-induced ferroptosis. Finally, in our vivo experiment, we discovered that TetC significantly slowed the growth rate of subcutaneous transplanted A549 cells, ultimately proving to be biosafe. In conclusion, our study first identified the mechanism by which TetC-induced ferroptosis in LUAD via SLC7A11/GPX4 signaling.

Protectin conjugates in tissue regeneration 1 alleviates sepsis-induced acute lung injury by inhibiting ferroptosis

BACKGROUND

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a common and serious complication of sepsis with high mortality. Ferroptosis, categorized as programmed cell death, contributes to the development of lung injury. Protectin conjugates in tissue regeneration 1 (PCTR1) is an endogenous lipid mediator that exerts protective effects against multiorgan injury. However, the role of PCTR1 in the ferroptosis of sepsis-related ALI remains unknown.

METHODS

A pulmonary epithelial cell line and a mouse model of ALI stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were established in vitro and in vivo. Ferroptosis biomarkers, including ferrous (Fe²⁺), glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-Hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), were assessed by relevant assay kits. Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) protein levels were determined by western blotting. Lipid peroxides were examined by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Cell viability was determined by a CCK-8 assay kit. The ultrastructure of mitochondria was observed with transmission electron microscopy. Morphology and inflammatory cytokine levels predicted the severity of lung injury. Afterward, related inhibitors were used to explore the potential mechanism by which PCTR1 regulates ferroptosis.

RESULTS

PCTR1 treatment protected mice from LPS-induced lung injury, which was consistent with the effect of the ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1. PCTR1 treatment decreased Fe²⁺, PTGS2 and lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents, increased GSH and GPX4 levels and ameliorated mitochondrial ultrastructural injury. Administration of LPS or the ferroptosis agonist RSL3 resulted in reduced cell viability, which was rescued by PCTR1. Mechanistically, inhibition of the PCTR1 receptor lipoxin A4 (ALX), protein kinase A (PKA) and transcription factor cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) partly decreased PCTR1 upregulated GPX4 expression and a CREB inhibitor blocked the effects ofPCTR1 on ferroptosis inhibition and lung protection.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that PCTR1 suppresses LPS-induced ferroptosis via the ALX/PKA/CREB signaling pathway, which may offer promising therapeutic prospects in sepsis-related ALI.

Targeting GPX4 in human cancer: Implications of ferroptosis induction for tackling cancer resilience

Cancer metabolic alterations have been emphasized to protect cancer cells from cell death. The metabolic reprogramming toward a mesenchymal state makes cancer cells resistant to therapy but vulnerable to ferroptosis induction. Ferroptosis is a new form of regulated cell death based on the iron-dependent accumulation of excessive lipid peroxidation. Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) is the core regulator of ferroptosis by detoxifying cellular lipid peroxidation using glutathione as a cofactor. GPX4 synthesis requires selenium incorporation into the selenoprotein through isopentenylation and selenocysteine tRNA maturation. GPX4 synthesis and expression can be regulated by multiple levels of its transcription, translation, posttranslational modifications, and epigenetic modifications. Targeting GPX4 in cancer may be a promising strategy for effectively inducing ferroptosis and killing therapy-resistant cancer. Several pharmacological therapeutics targeting GPX4 have been developed constantly to activate ferroptosis induction in cancer. The potential therapeutic index of GPX4 inhibitors remains to be tested with thorough examinations of their safety and adverse effects in vivo and clinical trials. Many papers have been published continuously in recent years, requiring state-of-the-art updates in targeting GPX4 in cancer. Herein, we summarize targeting the GPX4 pathway in human cancer, which leads to implications of ferroptosis induction for tackling cancer resilience.

Ferroptosis in lung cancer: a novel pathway regulating cell death and a promising target for drug therapy

Lung cancer is a common malignant tumor that occurs in the human body and poses a serious threat to human health and quality of life. The existing treatment methods mainly include surgical treatment, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. However, due to the strong metastatic characteristics of lung cancer and the emergence of related drug resistance and radiation resistance, the overall survival rate of lung cancer patients is not ideal. There is an urgent need to develop new treatment strategies or new effective drugs to treat lung cancer. Ferroptosis, a novel type of programmed cell death, is different from the traditional cell death pathways such as apoptosis, necrosis, pyroptosis and so on. It is caused by the increase of iron-dependent reactive oxygen species due to intracellular iron overload, which leads to the accumulation of lipid peroxides, thus inducing cell membrane oxidative damage, affecting the normal life process of cells, and finally promoting the process of ferroptosis. The regulation of ferroptosis is closely related to the normal physiological process of cells, and it involves iron metabolism, lipid metabolism, and the balance between oxygen-free radical reaction and lipid peroxidation. A large number of studies have confirmed that ferroptosis is a result of the combined action of the cellular oxidation/antioxidant system and cell membrane damage/repair, which has great potential application in tumor therapy. Therefore, this review aims to explore potential therapeutic targets for ferroptosis in lung cancer by clarifying the regulatory pathway of ferroptosis. Based on the study of ferroptosis, the regulation mechanism of ferroptosis in lung cancer was understood and the existing chemical drugs and natural compounds targeting ferroptosis in lung cancer were summarized, with the aim of providing new ideas for the treatment of lung cancer. In addition, it also provides the basis for the discovery and clinical application of chemical drugs and natural compounds targeting ferroptosis to effectively treat lung cancer.

METTL5 stabilizes c-Myc by facilitating USP5 translation to reprogram glucose metabolism and promote hepatocellular carcinoma progression

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent cancers in the world, with a high likelihood of metastasis and a dismal prognosis. The reprogramming of glucose metabolism is critical in the development of HCC. The Warburg effect has recently been confirmed to occur in a variety of cancers, including HCC. However, little is known about the molecular biological mechanisms underlying the Warburg effect in HCC cells. In this study, we sought to better understand how methyltransferase 5, N6-adenosine (METTL5) controls the development of HCC and the Warburg effect.

METHODS

In the current study, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of METTL5 in HCC tissues and cell lines. Several different cell models and animal models were established to determine the role of METTL5 in glucose metabolism reprogramming and the underlying molecular mechanism of HCC. Glutathione-S-transferase pulldown, coimmunoprecipitation, RNA sequencing, non-targeted metabolomics, polysome profiling, and luciferase reporter assays were performed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of METTL5 in HCC cells.

RESULTS

We discovered that METTL5 drove glucose metabolic reprogramming to promote the proliferation and metastasis of HCC. Mechanistically, upregulation of METTL5 promoted c-Myc stability and thus activated its downstream glycolytic genes lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), enolase 1 (ENO1), triosephosphate isomerase 1 (TPI1), solute carrier family 2 member 1 (SLC2A1), and pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2). The c-Box and ubiquitin binding domain (UBA) regions of ubiquitin specific peptidase 5 (USP5) binded to c-Myc protein and inhibited K48-linked polyubiquitination of c-Myc. Further study revealed that METTL5 controled the USP5 translation process, which in turn regulated the ubiquitination of c-Myc. Furthermore, we identified cAMP responsive element binding protein 1 (CREB1)/P300 as a critical transcriptional regulator of METTL5 that promoted the transcription of METTL5 in HCC. In patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDX) models, adenovirus-mediated knockout of METTL5 had a good antitumor effect and prolonged the survival of PDX-bearing mice.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings point to a novel mechanism by which CREB1/P300-METTL5-USP5-c-Myc controls abnormal glucose metabolism and promotes tumor growth, suggesting that METTL5 is a potential therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker for HCC.

GPX4: The hub of lipid oxidation, ferroptosis, disease and treatment

Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPx4) moonlights as structural protein and antioxidase that powerfully inhibits lipid oxidation. In the past years, it is considered as a key regulator of ferroptosis, which takes role in the lipid and amine acid metabolism and influences the cell aging, oncogenesis, and cell death. More and more evidences show that targeting GPX4-induced ferroptosis is a promising strategy for disease therapy, especially cancer treatment. In view of these, we generalize the function of GPX4 and regulatory mechanism between GPX4 and ferroptosis, discuss its roles in the disease pathology, and focus on the recent advances of disease therapeutic potential.

Dexmedetomidine attenuates myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury via inhibiting ferroptosis by the cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway

This study is to investigate the effects of dexmedetomidine on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury and its molecular mechanisms. H9c2 cell injury model was constructed by the hypoxia/normoxia (H/R) conditions. Besides, cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) overexpression and knockdown cell lines were constructed. Cell viability was determined by cell-counting kit 8. Biochemical assays were used to detect oxidative stress-related biomarkers, cell apoptosis, and ferroptosis-related markers. Our results showed that dexmedetomidine's protective effects on H/R-induced cell damage were reversed by the inhibition of protein kinase A (PKA), CREB, and extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2). Treatment of dexmedetomidine ameliorated oxidative stress in the cardiomyocytes induced by H/R, whereas inhibition of PKA, CREB, or ERK1/2 reversed these protective effects. Cell death including cell necrosis, apoptosis, and ferroptosis was found in the cells under H/R insult. Interestingly, targeting CREB ameliorated ferroptosis and oxidative stress in these cells. In conclusion, dexmedetomidine attenuates myocardial I/R injury by suppressing ferroptosis through the cAMP/PKA/CREB signaling pathway.

Ferroptosis-based drug delivery system as a new therapeutic opportunity for brain tumors

The brain tumor is a kind of malignant tumor with brutal treatment, high recurrence rate, and poor prognosis, and the incidence and death rate is increasing yearly. Surgery is often used to remove the primary tumor, supplemented by radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which have highly toxic side effects. Therefore, there is an urgent need to explore new strategies, methods, and technologies that can genuinely improve the treatment of brain tumors. Ferroptosis differs from traditional apoptosis's morphological and biochemical characteristics, and ferroptosis possesses its unique characteristics and mechanisms, opening up a new field of ferroptosis treatment for cancer. It has been found that there is a close relationship between ferroptosis and brain tumors, and a novel nano-drug delivery system based on ferroptosis has been used for the ferroptosis treatment of brain tumors with remarkable effects. This review firstly analyzes the characteristics of ferroptosis, summarizes the mechanism of its occurrence and some factors that can be involved in the regulation of ferroptosis, introduces the potential link between ferroptosis and brain tumors, and clarifies the feasibility of ferroptosis in the treatment of brain tumors. It then presents the ferroptosis nano drug delivery systems developed under different metabolic pathways for ferroptosis treatment of brain tumors. Finally, it summarizes the current problems and solutions of ferroptosis nano drugs for brain tumor treatment, aiming to provide a reference for developing ferroptosis nano drugs against brain tumors.

Prognostic markers of ferroptosis-related long non-coding RNA in lung adenocarcinomas

Ferroptosis is a recently established type of iron-dependent programmed cell death. Growing studies have focused on the function of ferroptosis in cancers, including lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). However, the factors involved in the regulation of ferroptosis-related genes are not fully understood. In this study, we collected data from lung adenocarcinoma datasets of the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA-LUAD). The expression profiles of 60 ferroptosis-related genes were screened, and two differentially expressed ferroptosis subtypes were identified. We found the two ferroptosis subtypes can predict clinical outcomes and therapeutic responses in LUAD patients. Furthermore, key long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were screened by single factor Cox and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) based on which co-expressed with the 60 ferroptosis-related genes. We then established a risk score model which included 13 LUAD ferroptosis-related lncRNAs with a multi-factor Cox regression. The risk score model showed a good performance in evaluating the outcome of LUAD. What's more, we divided TCGA-LUAD tumor samples into two groups with high- and low-risk scores and further explored the differences in clinical characteristics, tumor mutation burden, and tumor immune cell infiltration among different LUAD tumor risk score groups and evaluate the predictive ability of risk score for immunotherapy benefit. Our findings provide good support for immunotherapy in LUAD in the future.

Ferroptosis and its emerging role in esophageal cancer

The occurrence and development of tumors involve a series of life activities of cells, among which cell death has always been a crucial part in the research of tumor mechanisms and treatment methods. Ferroptosis is a non-apoptotic form of cell death, which is characterized by lipid peroxidation accumulation and further cell membrane rupture caused by excessive production of intracellular oxygen free radicals dependent on iron ions. Esophageal cancer is one of the common digestive tract tumors. Patients in the early stage are mainly treated with surgery, and the curative effect is awe-inspiring. However, surgery is far from enough for terminal patients, and it is the best choice to combine radiotherapy and chemotherapy before the operation or during the perioperative period. Although the treatment plan for patients with advanced esophageal cancer is constantly being optimized, we are disappointed at the still meager 5-year survival rate of patients and the poor quality of life. A series of complex problems, such as increased chemotherapy drug resistance and decreased radiotherapy sensitivity of esophageal cancer cells, are waiting for us to tackle. Perhaps ferroptosis can provide practical and feasible solutions and bring new hope to patients with advanced esophageal cancer. The occurrence of ferroptosis is related to the dysregulation of iron metabolism, lipid metabolism, and glutamate metabolism. Therefore, these dysregulated metabolic participant proteins and signaling pathways are essential entry points for using cellular ferroptosis to resist the occurrence and development of cancer cells. This review first introduced the main regulatory mechanisms of ferroptosis. It then summarized the current research status of ferroptosis in esophageal cancer, expecting to provide ideas for the research related to ferroptosis in esophageal cancer.

CREB1 Transcriptionally Activates LTBR to Promote the NF-κB Pathway and Apoptosis in Lung Epithelial Cells

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a prevalent chronic pediatric lung disease. Aberrant proliferation and apoptosis of lung epithelial cells are important in the pathogenesis of BPD. Lymphotoxin beta receptor (LTBR) is expressed in lung epithelial cells. Blocking LTBR induces regeneration of lung tissue and reverts airway fibrosis in young and aged mice. This study is aimed at revealing the role of LTBR in BPD. A mouse model of BPD and two in vitro models of BPD using A549 cells and type II alveolar epithelial (ATII) cells were established by exposure to hyperoxia. We found that LTBR and CREB1 exhibited a significant upregulation in lungs of mouse model of BPD. LTBR and CREB1 expression were also increased by hyperoxia in A549 and ATII cells. According to results of cell counting kit-8 assay and flow cytometry analysis, silencing of LTBR rescued the suppressive effect of hyperoxia on cell viability and its promotive effect on cell apoptosis of A549 and ATII cells. Bioinformatics revealed CREB1 as a transcriptional factor for LTBR, and the luciferase reporter assay and ChIP assay subsequently confirmed it. The NF-κB pathway was regulated by LTBR. CREB1 induced LTBR expression at the transcriptional level to regulate NF-κB pathway and further modulate A549 and ATII cells viability and apoptosis. In conclusion, this study revealed the CREB1/LTBR/NF-κB pathway in BPD and supported the beneficial role of LTBR silence in BPD by promoting viability and decreasing apoptosis of lung epithelial cells.

PM2 .5 exposure-induced ferroptosis in neuronal cells via inhibiting ERK/CREB pathway

PM_2.5 exposure has been demonstrated to correlate with neurological disorders recently. Ferroptosis is recognized as a newly found programmed form of cell death associated with neurodegenerative diseases, while glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) is a key regulator of ferroptosis. However, the relationship between PM_2.5 -induced neurotoxicity and ferroptosis is still unclear. The current study aims to investigate if ferroptosis is involved in neurotoxicity post PM_2.5 exposure and its underlying mechanism. The PM_2.5 -treated neuronal Neuro-2a (N2A) and SH-SY5Y cells were applied to the current study. The results showed that PM_2.5 significantly increased the neuronal cell death, yet the ferroptosis antagonist Ferrostain-1 (Fer-1) markedly decreased the cell death induced by PM_2.5 . Western blot further confirmed that ferroptosis was triggered post PM_2.5 treatment in N2A cells by decreasing expressions of GPX4 and ferritin heavy chain (FTH), as well as enhancing expressions of ferritin light chain (FTL) and transferrin receptor protein (TFRC). Meanwhile, PM_2.5 treatment augmented neuronal oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction. The bioinformatic analysis indicated that CREB could be the regulator of GPX4, and our results showed that ERK/CREB pathway was down-regulated in N2A cells post PM_2.5 treatment. The addition of ERK1/2 agonist post PM_2.5 treatment significantly inhibit ferroptosis via increasing the expression of GPX4. Taken together, the present study demonstrated that PM_2.5 -induced ferroptosis via inhibiting ERK/CREB pathway, and these findings will advance our knowledge of PM_2.5 -induced cytotoxicity in the nervous system.

System Xc−/GSH/GPX4 axis: An important antioxidant system for the ferroptosis in drug-resistant solid tumor therapy

The activation of ferroptosis is a new effective way to treat drug-resistant solid tumors. Ferroptosis is an iron-mediated form of cell death caused by the accumulation of lipid peroxides. The intracellular imbalance between oxidant and antioxidant due to the abnormal expression of multiple redox active enzymes will promote the produce of reactive oxygen species (ROS). So far, a few pathways and regulators have been discovered to regulate ferroptosis. In particular, the cystine/glutamate antiporter (System Xc−), glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and glutathione (GSH) (System Xc−/GSH/GPX4 axis) plays a key role in preventing lipid peroxidation-mediated ferroptosis, because of which could be inhibited by blocking System Xc−/GSH/GPX4 axis. This review aims to present the current understanding of the mechanism of ferroptosis based on the System Xc−/GSH/GPX4 axis in the treatment of drug-resistant solid tumors.

GPX4 suppresses ferroptosis to promote malignant progression of endometrial carcinoma via transcriptional activation by ELK1

Background

Glutathione Peroxidase 4 (GPX4) is a key protein that inhibits ferroptosis. However, its biological regulation and mechanism in endometrial cancer (EC) have not been reported in detail.

Methods

The expression of GPX4 in EC tissues was determined by TCGA databases, qRT-PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The effects of GPX4 on EC cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and tumorigenesis were studied in vivo and in vitro. In addition, ETS Transcription Factor ELK1 (ELK1) was identified by bioinformatics methods, dual-luciferase reporter assay, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate the association between ELK1 and GPX4 expression.

Results

The expression of GPX4 was significantly up-regulated in EC tissues and cell lines. Silencing GPX4 significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration ability, induced apoptosis, and arrested the cell cycle of Ishikawa and KLE cells. Knockdown of GPX4 accumulated intracellular ferrous iron and ROS, disrupted MMP, and increased MDA levels. The xenograft tumor model also showed that GPX4 knockdown markedly reduced tumor growth in mice. Mechanically, ELK1 could bind to the promoter of GPX4 to promote its transcription. In addition, the expression of ELK1 in EC was positively correlated with GPX4. Rescue experiments confirmed that GPX4 knockdown could reverse the strengthens of cell proliferation and migration ability and the lower level of Fe²⁺ and MDA caused by upregulating ELK1.

Conclusion

The results of the present study suggest that ELK1 / GPX4 axis plays an important role in the progress of EC by promoting the malignant biological behavior and inducing ferroptosis of EC cells, which provides evidence for investigating the potential therapeutic strategies of endometrial cancer.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09986-3.

A white paper on Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx4) forty years later

The purification of a protein inhibiting lipid peroxidation led to the discovery of the selenoperoxidase GPx4 forty years ago. Thus, the evidence of the enzymatic activity was reached after identifying the biological effect and unambiguously defined the relationship between the biological function and the enzymatic activity. In the syllogism where GPx4 inhibits lipid peroxidation and its inhibition is lethal, cell death is operated by lipid peroxidation. Based on this rationale, this form of cell death emerged as regulated iron-enforced oxygen toxicity and was named ferroptosis in 2012. In the last decades, we learned that reduction of lipid hydroperoxides is indispensable and, in cooperation with prooxidant systems, controls the critical steady state of lipid peroxidation. This concept defined the GPx4 reaction as both the target for possible anti-cancer therapy and if insufficient, as cause of degenerative diseases. We know the reaction mechanism, but the details of the interaction at the membrane cytosol interface are still poorly defined. We know the gene structure, but the knowledge about expression control is still limited. The same holds true for post-transcriptional modifications. Reverse genetics indicate that GPx4 has a role in inflammation, immunity, and differentiation, but the observations emerging from these studies need a more specifically addressed biochemical evidence. Finally, the role of GPx4 in spermatogenesis disclosed an area unconnected to lipid peroxidation. In its mitochondrial and nuclear form, the peroxidase catalyzes the oxidation of protein thiols in two specific aspects of sperm maturation: stabilization of the mid-piece and chromatin compaction. Thus, although available evidence converges to the notion that GPx4 activity is vital due to the inhibition of lipid peroxidation, it is reasonable to foresee other unknown aspects of the GPx4 reaction to be disclosed.

Understanding the mechanistic regulation of ferroptosis in cancer: gene matters

Ferroptosis has emerged as a crucial regulated cell death involved in a variety of physiological processes or pathological diseases, such as tumor suppression. Though initially being found from anti-cancer drug screening and considered not essential as apoptosis for growth and development, numerous studies have demonstrated that ferroptosis is tightly regulated by key genetic pathways and/or genes, including several tumor suppressors and oncogenes. In this review, we will first introduce the basic concepts of ferroptosis, characterized by the features of non-apoptotic, iron-dependent and overwhelmed accumulation of lipid peroxides, and the underlying regulated circuits are considered to be pro-ferroptotic pathways. Then we discuss several established lipid peroxidation defending systems within cells, including SLC7A11/GPX4, FSP1/CoQ, GCH1/BH4, and mitochondria DHODH/CoQ, all of which serve as anti-ferroptoic pathways to prevent ferroptosis. Moreover, we provide a comprehensive summary of the genetic regulation of ferroptosis via targeting the above-mentioned pro-ferroptotic or anti-ferroptotic pathways. The regulation of pro- and anti-ferroptotic pathways gives rise to more specific responses to the tumor cells in a context-dependent manner, highlighting the unceasing study and deeper understanding of mechanistic regulation of ferroptosis for the purpose of applying ferroptosis induction in cancer therapy.

Upregulation of Ferroptosis-Related Fanconi Anemia Group D2 is a Poor Prognostic Factor and an Indicator of Tumor Immune Cell Infiltration in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Fanconi anemia (FA) group D2 (FANCD2) is a ferroptosis-related gene crucial for DNA damage repair and negative ferroptosis regulation. Our study aimed to evaluate its prognostic value as well as its association with ferroptosis and immune infiltration in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Transcriptome sequencing data, clinical information, and immunohistochemistry data were collected from the TCGA, GEO, and HPA databases, respectively, for three independent cohorts. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess the correlations between FANCD2 expression and overall survival or clinicopathological parameters. cBioPortal was utilized to investigate the FANCD2 alteration status. Gene and protein networks based on FANCD2 interactions were generated using GeneMANIA and STRING, respectively. Based on the CancerSEA database, the function of FANCD2 was explored at the single-cell level. The relationships between FANCD2 expression levels and tumor-infiltrating immune cells and their equivalent gene signatures were analyzed using TIMER, GEPIA, TISIDB, and ssGSEA databases. CIBERSORT was used to analyze the relevance of the infiltration of 24 types of immune cells. The results revealed that FANCD2 expression was significantly upregulated in LUAD and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) tissues than that in normal tissues. Further, the overexpression of FANCD2 was closely associated with poor survival for Patients with LUAD but not for patients with LUSC. FANCD2 expression levels were related to tumor-infiltrating immune cells and their matching gene signatures, including CD8⁺ T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, dendritic cells (DC), and Th2 cells in cases of LUAD. Therefore, FANCD2 was identified as a crucial molecule underlying the synergistic effects of ferroptosis and immunotherapy for Patients with LUAD.

Function and regulation of GPX4 in the development and progression of fibrotic disease

Fibrosis is a common feature of fibrotic diseases that poses a serious threat to global health due to high morbidity and mortality in developing countries. There exist some chemical compounds and biomolecules associated with the development of fibrosis, including cytokines, hormones, and enzymes. Among them, glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), as a selenoprotein antioxidant enzyme, is widely found in the embryo, testis, brain, liver, heart, and photoreceptor cells. Moreover, it is shown that GPX4 elicits diverse biological functions by suppressing phospholipid hydroperoxide at the expense of decreased glutathione (GSH), including loss of neurons, autophagy, cell repair, inflammation, ferroptosis, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. Interestingly, these processes are intimately related to the occurrence of fibrotic disease. Recently, GPX4 has been reported to exhibit a decline in fibrotic disease and inhibit fibrosis, suggesting that alterations of GPX4 can change the course or dictate the outcome of fibrotic disease. In this review, we summarize the role and underlying mechanisms of GPX4 in fibrosis diseases such as lung fibrosis, liver fibrosis, kidney fibrosis, cardiac fibrosis, and myelofibrosis.

The AMPK-related kinase NUAK2 suppresses glutathione peroxidase 4 expression and promotes ferroptotic cell death in breast cancer cells

Ferroptosis is a caspase-independent form of regulated cell death strongly linked to the accumulation of reactive lipid hydroperoxides. Lipid hydroperoxides are neutralized in cells by glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and inhibitors of GPX4 are potent ferroptosis inducers with therapeutic potential in cancer. Here we report that siRNA-mediated silencing of the AMPK-related kinase NUAK2 suppresses cell death by small-molecule inducers of ferroptosis but not apoptosis. Mechanistically we find that NUAK2 suppresses the expression of GPX4 at the RNA level and enhances ferroptosis triggered by GPX4 inhibitors in a manner independent of its kinase activity. NUAK2 is amplified along with MDM4 in a subset of breast cancers, particularly the claudin-low subset, suggesting that this may predict vulnerability to GPX4 inhibitors. These findings identify a novel pathway regulating GPX4 expression as well as ferroptotic sensitivity with potential as a biomarker of breast cancer patients that might respond to GPX4 inhibition as a therapeutic strategy.

Exposure to low-dose cadmium induces testicular ferroptosis

As an environmental pollutant, cadmium (Cd) has been widely reported to induce male infertility due to its gonadotoxicity. However, the specific mechanism of Cd-induced testicular damage remains unclear. We investigated whether Cd causes testicular injury through ferroptosis. Male C57BL/6 J mice were exposed to 0, 0.5, or 5 ppm Cd via drinking water, starting in utero, and continuing through 24 weeks post-weaning. The results showed that Cd accumulated in the testes in a dose-dependent manner. Cd exposure at a concentration of 5 ppm, but not 0.5 ppm, caused a mass loss and detachment of germ cells, as well as a decreased meiotic index and testis weight. Exposure to 5 ppm Cd caused iron accumulation, increased levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitro tyrosine (3-NT), and decreased expression of Nrf2, HO-1 and SOD2. We also found that exposure to 5 ppm Cd significantly decreased the expression of SLC7A11, a marker of ferroptosis in mice, along with the expression of SLC40A1 mRNA and ferritin heavy chain (FTH) protein, whereas there was no obvious change in the mRNA expression of Tfrc, ZIP8, ZIP14, and NCOA4. These findings indicate that 5 ppm Cd exposure increased testicular ferroptosis, which may be attributed to the reduction of stored iron export.

Stratification of lung squamous cell carcinoma based on ferroptosis regulators: Potential for new therapeutic strategies involving ferroptosis induction

OBJECTIVES

Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) exhibits poor response to treatment compared with other lung cancer subtypes, resulting in worse prognosis. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies are required for advanced LSCC. Ferroptosis is a recently discovered nonapoptotic cell death caused by intracellular lipid peroxidation that can bring about effective cell death in cancer cells resistant to apoptosis. Hence, ferroptosis is a potential therapeutic strategy for refractory cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, we performed clinicopathological and molecular analyses on tumor specimens from 270 patients with squamous cell lung cancer, focusing on the expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and ferroptosis suppressor protein 1 (FSP1), which are known to be key regulators of ferroptosis, and the accumulation of 4-hydroxynoneral (4-HNE), a lipid peroxidation marker.

RESULTS

Immunohistochemistry revealed that patients with low 4-HNE accumulation and low levels of GPX4 or FSP1 had significantly worse prognoses than other patients (P = 0.001). This stratification was an independent prognostic predictor (P = 0.003). A dramatic cell death synergistic effect was observed on LSCC-derived LK-2 and EBC1 cells treated with GPX4 and FSP1 inhibitors. This effect was completely inhibited by treatment with the ferroptosis inhibitor. Notably, this was not the case in LK-2 cells treated with the apoptosis inhibitor, and in these cells, ferroptosis was induced.

CONCLUSION

Ferroptosis regulators GPX4 and FSP1 are associated with lung squamous cell cancer cancer's prognosis. We present the clinicopathological and molecular basis of novel therapeutic strategies for refractory LSCC.

Ferroptosis and Its Potential Role in Lung Cancer: Updated Evidence from Pathogenesis to Therapy

Lung cancer is characterized by high morbidity and mortality rates, and its occurrence is associated with many types of cell death. As a new form of regulated cell death, ferroptosis is an iron- dependent pattern of cell death and characterized by lethal accumulation of lipid-based reactive oxygen species (ROS), which is different from apoptosis, necrosis and autophagy at both the morphological and biochemical levels. It plays an important role in the development of lung cancer and induction of ferroptosis in lung cancer cells has become a new strategy for anti- lung cancer treatment. However, a few reviews summarized ferroptosis and its role in lung cancer has not been elucidated, and the precise mechanism of ferroptosis modeling lung cancer has not yet been revealed till date. Herein, we review the latest literature on the process of ferroptosis regarding lung cancer, including basic molecular or biology mechanistic studies both in vivo and in vitro, as well as human studies with a more translational or clinical approach. This review provides a practical, concise and updated outline on the mechanisms and therapeutic strategies in lung cancer with ferroptosis alterations. Looking ahead, further studies are required to uncover the possible modulatory relationship between ferroptosis and lung cancer.

Ferroptosis in Lung Cancer: From Molecular Mechanisms to Prognostic and Therapeutic Opportunities

Lung cancer is the second commonly diagnosed malignancy worldwide and has the highest mortality rate among all cancers. Tremendous efforts have been made to develop novel strategies against lung cancer; however, the overall survival of patients still is low. Uncovering underlying molecular mechanisms of this disease can open up new horizons for its treatment. Ferroptosis is a newly discovered type of programmed cell death that, in an iron-dependent manner, peroxidizes unsaturated phospholipids and results in the accumulation of radical oxygen species. Subsequent oxidative damage caused by ferroptosis contributes to cell death in tumor cells. Therefore, understanding its molecular mechanisms in lung cancer appears as a promising strategy to induce ferroptosis selectively. According to evidence published up to now, significant numbers of research have been done to identify ferroptosis regulators in lung cancer. Therefore, this review aims to provide a comprehensive standpoint of molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis in lung cancer and address these molecules’ prognostic and therapeutic values, hoping that the road for future studies in this field will be paved more efficiently.

Construction of a Ferroptosis-Related Long Non-coding RNA Prognostic Signature and Competing Endogenous RNA Network in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Ferroptosis-related genes play an important role in the progression of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). However, the potential function of ferroptosis-related lncRNAs in LUAD has not been fully elucidated. Thus, to explore the potential role of ferroptosis-related lncRNAs in LUAD, the transcriptome RNA-seq data and corresponding clinical data of LUAD were downloaded from the TCGA dataset. Pearson correlation was used to mine ferroptosis-related lncRNAs. Differential expression and univariate Cox analysis were performed to screen prognosis related lncRNAs. A ferroptosis-related lncRNA prognostic signature (FLPS), which included six ferroptosis-related lncRNAs, was constructed by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression. Patients were divided into a high risk-score group and low risk-score group by the median risk score. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, principal component analysis (PCA), and univariate and multivariate Cox regression were performed to confirm the validity of FLPS. Enrichment analysis showed that the biological processes, pathways and markers associated with malignant tumors were more common in high-risk subgroups. There were significant differences in immune microenvironment and immune cells between high- and low-risk groups. Then, a nomogram was constructed. We further investigated the relationship between six ferroptosis-related lncRNAs and tumor microenvironment and tumor stemness. A competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was established based on the six ferroptosis-related lncRNAs. Finally, we detected the expression levels of ferroptosis-related lncRNAs in clinical samples through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay (qRT-PCR). In conclusion, we identified the prognostic ferroptosis-related lncRNAs in LUAD and constructed a prognostic signature which provided a new strategy for the evaluation and prediction of prognosis in LUAD.

Identification and Validation of the Pyroptosis-Related Molecular Subtypes of Lung Adenocarcinoma by Bioinformatics and Machine Learning

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death globally, with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) being its most prevalent subtype. Due to the heterogeneity of LUAD, patients given the same treatment regimen may have different responses and clinical outcomes. Therefore, identifying new subtypes of LUAD is important for predicting prognosis and providing personalized treatment for patients. Pyroptosis-related genes play an essential role in anticancer, but there is limited research investigating pyroptosis in LUAD. In this study, 33 pyroptosis gene expression profiles and clinical information were collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. By bioinformatics and machine learning analyses, we identified novel subtypes of LUAD based on 10 pyroptosis-related genes and further validated them in the GEO dataset, with machine learning models performing up to an AUC of 1 for classifying in GEO. A web-based tool was established for clinicians to use our clustering model (http://www.aimedicallab.com/tool/aiml-subphe-luad.html). LUAD patients were clustered into 3 subtypes (A, B, and C), and survival analysis showed that B had the best survival outcome and C had the worst survival outcome. The relationships between pyroptosis gene expression and clinical characteristics were further analyzed in the three molecular subtypes. Immune profiling revealed significant differences in immune cell infiltration among the three molecular subtypes. GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analyses were performed based on the differential genes of the three subtypes, indicating that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were involved in multiple cellular and biological functions, including RNA catabolic process, mRNA catabolic process, and pathways of neurodegeneration-multiple diseases. Finally, we developed an 8-gene prognostic model that accurately predicted 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival. In conclusion, pyroptosis-related genes may play a critical role in LUAD, and provide new insights into the underlying mechanisms of LUAD.

The role of ferroptosis in lung cancer

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Although medical treatment has made impressive progress in recent years, it is still one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in men and women. Ferroptosis is a type of non-apoptotic cell death modality, usually characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, rather than caspase-induced protein cleavage. Excessive or lack of ferroptosis is associated with a variety of diseases, including cancer and ischaemia-reperfusion injury. Recent preclinical evidence suggests that targeting ferroptotic pathway is a potential strategy for the treatment of lung cancer. In this review, we summarize the core mechanism and regulatory network of ferroptosis in lung cancer cells, and highlight ferroptosis induction-related tumor therapies. The reviewed information may provide new insights for targeted lung cancer therapy.