GPX3 suppresses lung adenocarcinoma progression through HSPB1 ubiquitination and Hippo pathway activation

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common subtype of lung cancer; however, its prognosis remains poor, and the underlying molecular mechanisms have yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, a prognostic model was constructed based on manganese metabolism-related genes, which effectively stratifies patients with LUAD with different prognoses and drug sensitivity. Mendelian randomization analysis identified glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPX3) as a key prognostic gene, which was downregulated in LUAD and significantly correlated with favorable outcomes. Functionally, GPX3 was found to inhibit LUAD cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis while promoting apoptosis. Mechanistically, GPX3 binds to heat shock protein β-1 (HSPB1), induces its ubiquitination, and facilitates its degradation, thereby activating the Hippo signaling pathway and suppressing malignant phenotypes in LUAD cells. In summary, this study not only established a robust prognostic model based on manganese metabolism-related genes but also uncovered the critical regulatory role of the GPX3/HSPB1/yes-associated protein (YAP) axis in LUAD progression, underscoring the therapeutic potential of targeting GPX3.