Ferroptotic damage promotes pancreatic tumorigenesis through a TMEM173/STING-dependent DNA sensor pathway

Ferroptosis is a more recently recognized form of cell death that relies on iron-mediated oxidative damage. Here, we evaluate the impact of high-iron diets or depletion of Gpx4, an antioxidant enzyme reported as an important ferroptosis suppressor, in the pancreas of mice with cerulean- or L-arginine-induced pancreatitis, and in an oncogenic Kras murine model of spontaneous pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We find that either high-iron diets or Gpx4 depletion promotes 8-OHG release and thus activates the TMEM173/STING-dependent DNA sensor pathway, which results in macrophage infiltration and activation during Kras-driven PDAC in mice. Consequently, the administration of liproxstatin-1 (a ferroptosis inhibitor), clophosome-mediated macrophage depletion, or pharmacological and genetic inhibition of the 8-OHG-TMEM173 pathway suppresses Kras-driven pancreatic tumorigenesis in mice. GPX4 is also a prognostic marker in patients with PDAC. These findings provide pathological and mechanistic insights into ferroptotic damage in PDAC tumorigenesis in mice.