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Updated: Aug 23, 2025
Author Spotlight: Tracing the Ferroptotic Signatures and Cell Death Dynamics in Medulloblastoma for Advanced Therapeutics
Published on: March 15, 2024
Ferroptosis assassinates tumor
Tao Luo1, Yile Wang1, Jinke Wang2
1State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, 210096, Nanjing, China.
Abstract:
In 2020, nearly 20 million peoples got cancer and nearly 10 million peoples died of cancer, indicating the cancer remains a great threat to human health and life. New therapies are still in urgent demand. We here develop a novel cancer therapy named Ferroptosis ASsassinates Tumor (FAST) by combining iron oxide nanoparticles with cancer-selective knockdown of seven key ferroptosis-resistant genes (FPN, LCN2, FTH1, FSP1, GPX4, SLC7A11, NRF2). We found that FAST had notable anti-tumor activity in a variety of cancer cells but little effect on normal cells. Especially, FAST eradicated three different types of tumors (leukemia, colon cancer, and lung metastatic melanoma) from over 50% of cancer mice, making the mice survive up to 250 days without tumor relapse. FAST also significantly inhibited and prevented the growth of spontaneous breast cancer and improved survival in mice. FAST showed high pan anti-tumor efficacy, high cancer specificity, and in vivo safety. FAST defines a new form of advanced nanomaterials, advanced combinatorial nanomaterials, by combining two kinds of nanomaterials, a chemical nanomaterial (iron oxide nanoparticles) and a biochemical nanomaterial (adeno-associated virus), which successfully turns a general iron nanomaterial into an unprecedented assassin to cancer.
Insights
A novel cancer therapy, Ferroptosis ASsassinates Tumor (FAST), combines iron oxide nanoparticles with gene knockdown to target cancer cells. This innovative approach shows significant anti-tumor activity and safety in preclinical models, offering a new therapeutic strategy.
Area of Science:
- Nanomedicine
- Oncology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Cancer remains a significant global health threat, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
- Existing treatments face challenges, driving the urgent demand for innovative cancer therapies.
- Ferroptosis, a regulated form of cell death, presents a promising target for cancer treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a novel cancer therapy, Ferroptosis ASsassinates Tumor (FAST), for enhanced anti-tumor efficacy.
- To investigate the efficacy and safety of FAST in various cancer models.
- To establish FAST as a new class of advanced combinatorial nanomaterials for cancer treatment.
Main Methods:
- FAST therapy was developed by combining iron oxide nanoparticles with cancer-selective knockdown of seven key ferroptosis-resistant genes (FPN, LCN2, FTH1, FSP1, GPX4, SLC7A11, NRF2).
- The anti-tumor activity and specificity of FAST were assessed in vitro using various cancer cell lines and in vivo using mouse models of leukemia, colon cancer, lung metastatic melanoma, and spontaneous breast cancer.
- The survival rates and tumor relapse were monitored in treated mice.
Main Results:
- FAST demonstrated notable anti-tumor activity against a variety of cancer cells with minimal impact on normal cells.
- FAST successfully eradicated established tumors in over 50% of mice across leukemia, colon cancer, and lung metastatic melanoma models, significantly improving survival up to 250 days without relapse.
- FAST inhibited spontaneous breast cancer growth and improved survival in mice, showcasing high pan-anti-tumor efficacy, cancer specificity, and in vivo safety.
Conclusions:
- FAST represents a novel and effective cancer therapy with broad applicability and high specificity.
- The development of FAST establishes a new category of advanced combinatorial nanomaterials, merging chemical and biochemical components.
- FAST therapy holds significant promise as an innovative and safe treatment for various cancers, potentially revolutionizing cancer treatment approaches.
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