Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2025
Author Spotlight: Tracing the Ferroptotic Signatures and Cell Death Dynamics in Medulloblastoma for Advanced Therapeutics
Published on: March 15, 2024
Ferroptosis induction via targeting metabolic alterations in triple-negative breast cancer
Yaru Wang1, Yue Sun1, Feiran Wang1
1The Department of Breast Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
Abstract:
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), the most aggressive form of breast cancer, presents severe threats to women's health. Therefore, it is critical to find novel treatment approaches. Ferroptosis, a newly identified form of programmed cell death, is marked by the buildup of lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) and high iron concentrations. According to previous studies, ferroptosis sensitivity can be controlled by a number of metabolic events in cells, such as amino acid metabolism, iron metabolism, and lipid metabolism. Given that TNBC tumors are rich in iron and lipids, inducing ferroptosis in these tumors is a potential approach for TNBC treatment. Notably, the metabolic adaptability of cancer cells allows them to coordinate an attack on one or more metabolic pathways to initiate ferroptosis, offering a novel perspective to improve the high drug resistance and clinical therapy of TNBC. However, a clear picture of ferroptosis in TNBC still needs to be completely revealed. In this review, we provide an overview of recent advancements regarding the connection between ferroptosis and amino acid, iron, and lipid metabolism in TNBC. We also discuss the probable significance of ferroptosis as an innovative target for chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, nanotherapy and natural product therapy in TNBC, highlighting its therapeutic potential and application prospects.
Insights
Ferroptosis, a cell death process involving iron and lipids, shows promise for treating triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Understanding its metabolic links could overcome drug resistance in TNBC therapy.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Oncology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive malignancy with limited therapeutic options.
- Ferroptosis, a distinct form of programmed cell death, is characterized by iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation.
- TNBC tumors exhibit high iron and lipid content, making them susceptible to ferroptosis induction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements on the role of ferroptosis in TNBC.
- To explore the intricate connections between ferroptosis and amino acid, iron, and lipid metabolism in TNBC.
- To discuss ferroptosis as a potential therapeutic target for TNBC.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on ferroptosis, metabolism, and TNBC.
- Analysis of metabolic pathways influencing ferroptosis sensitivity.
- Synthesis of current research on ferroptosis-targeted therapies for TNBC.
Main Results:
- Ferroptosis induction is a viable strategy for TNBC treatment due to tumor-specific metabolic vulnerabilities.
- Metabolic adaptability in cancer cells can be leveraged to initiate ferroptosis and combat drug resistance.
- Dysregulation of amino acid, iron, and lipid metabolism significantly impacts ferroptosis in TNBC.
Conclusions:
- Ferroptosis represents a promising avenue for novel TNBC therapies, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, nanotherapy, and natural product therapy.
- Targeting metabolic pathways involved in ferroptosis offers a new perspective for improving clinical outcomes in TNBC.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the mechanisms of ferroptosis in TNBC and optimize its therapeutic application.
Related Concept Videos
01:16Necrosis
Morphological Manifestations of Necrosis
Necrotic cells show different types of morphological appearance depending on the type of tissue and infection. In coagulative necrosis, cells become...
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against...