Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 9, 2025

Author Spotlight: Tracing the Ferroptotic Signatures and Cell Death Dynamics in Medulloblastoma for Advanced Therapeutics
04:01

Author Spotlight: Tracing the Ferroptotic Signatures and Cell Death Dynamics in Medulloblastoma for Advanced Therapeutics

Published on: March 15, 2024

789

Oncogenic HNF4α inhibits ferroptotic cell death through activating SLC7A11 by recruiting p300/CBP in breast cancer

Zhuang Wang1, Sen Xu1, Jinxia Hu1

  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Binzhou Medical University, YanTai, ShanDong 264003, PR China.

Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta. Molecular Basis of Disease
|May 4, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Decreased hepatocyte nuclear factor 4-alpha (HNF4α) activity promotes ferroptosis, a novel cell death pathway, in breast cancer cells. This finding offers a potential new therapeutic strategy for chemotherapy-resistant advanced cancers.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent cell death characterized by lipid peroxide accumulation.
  • Ferroptosis is an emerging therapeutic target for cancer treatment.
  • The precise mechanisms regulating ferroptosis are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4-alpha (HNF4α) in ferroptosis.
  • To explore the potential of targeting HNF4α for breast cancer therapy.

Main Methods:

  • In vitro and in vivo studies were conducted using breast cancer cell models.
  • Investigated the binding of HNF4α to the SLC7A11 promoter.
  • Assessed the recruitment of p300/CBP by HNF4α.

Main Results:

  • Reduced HNF4α activity significantly increased ferroptosis in breast cancer cells.
  • HNF4α directly binds to the SLC7A11 promoter.
  • HNF4α recruits p300/CBP to enhance SLC7A11 transcription.

Conclusions:

  • HNF4α plays a critical role in regulating ferroptosis in breast cancer.
  • Targeting HNF4α could represent a novel therapeutic strategy for advanced, chemotherapy-resistant breast cancers.
Keywords:
Breast cancerFerroptosisHNF4α proteinSLC7A11

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