Crosstalk between ferroptosis and steroid hormone signaling in gynecologic cancers

Stachydrine hydrochloride induces cell senescence and ferroptosis of castration-resistant prostate cancer

Paclitaxel resistance of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) remains a substantial challenge in clinical oncology. Our investigation aimed to explore the potential of stachydrine hydrochloride in addressing paclitaxel resistance within CRPC. Parental prostate cancer cells, PC3 and DU145, and the corresponding paclitaxel-resistant counterparts, PC3-TxR and DU145-TxR, were subjected to indicated concentrations to determine the IC50 of paclitaxel and stachydrine hydrochloride. Cell viability and proliferation were evaluated by MTT and colony formation assays. Stachydrine hydrochloride-mediated apoptosis, senescence, and ferroptosis were detected using Western blot, SA-β-gal staining, and QuantiChrom iron assay. We found a pronounced reduction in paclitaxel resistance in both PC3-TxR and DU145-TxR cells following exposure to stachydrine hydrochloride. The considerable decrease in paclitaxel's IC50 values in these cells highlights the potential of stachydrine hydrochloride in sensitizing CRPC cells to paclitaxel-based therapies. Mechanistically, stachydrine hydrochloride treatment significantly upregulated the expression of estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) and promoted cell apoptosis, senescence, and ferroptosis pathways in CRPC. Our study provides promising insights into the potential of stachydrine hydrochloride as a novel therapeutic adjunct in overcoming paclitaxel resistance in CRPC.

Oxysterol 25-hydroxycholesterol activation of ferritinophagy inhibits the development of squamous intraepithelial lesion of cervix in HPV-positive patients

Squamous intraepithelial lesion of cervix (SIL) in human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive patient often undergoes a silent and long-course development, and most of them with high-grade transit to cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). The oxysterol 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-HC) is associated with HPV inhibition, autophagy and cholesterol synthesis, however, its function in this long process of SIL development remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that 25-HC generation is inhibited through HSIL-to-CSCC transition. The 25-HC activates ferritinophagy in the early stage of SIL, promoting the vulnerability of HSILs to ferroptosis. Therefore, maintaining 25-HC level is crucial for suppressing HSIL progression and holds promise for developing novel clinical therapies for CSCC.