1
|
Zhang P, Zhou C, Ren X, Jing Q, Gao Y, Yang C, Shen Y, Zhou Y, Hu W, Jin F, Xu H, Yu L, Liu Y, Tong X, Li Y, Wang Y, Du J. Inhibiting the compensatory elevation of xCT collaborates with disulfiram/copper-induced GSH consumption for cascade ferroptosis and cuproptosis. Redox Biol 2024; 69:103007. [PMID: 38150993 PMCID: PMC10788306 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2023.103007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent malignant tumors and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death globally, which is characterized by complicated pathophysiology, high recurrence rate, and poor prognosis. Our previous study has demonstrated that disulfiram (DSF)/Cu could be repurposed for the treatment of HCC by inducing ferroptosis. However, the effectiveness of DSF/Cu may be compromised by compensatory mechanisms that weaken its sensitivity. The mechanisms underlying these compensatory responses are currently unknown. Herein, we found DSF/Cu induces endoplasmic reticulum stress with disrupted ER structures, increased Ca2+ level and activated expression of ATF4. Further studies verified that DSF/Cu induces both ferroptosis and cuproptosis, accompanied by the depletion of GSH, elevation of lipid peroxides, and compensatory increase of xCT. Comparing ferroptosis and cuproptosis, it is interesting to note that GSH acts at the crossing point of the regulation network and therefore, we hypothesized that compensatory elevation of xCT may be a key aspect of the therapeutic target. Mechanically, knockdown of ATF4 facilitated the DSF/Cu-induced cell death and exacerbated the generation of lipid peroxides under the challenge of DSF/Cu. However, ATF4 knockdown was unable to block the compensatory elevation of xCT and the GSH reduction. Notably, we found that DSF/Cu induced the accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins, promoted the half-life of xCT protein, and dramatically dampened the ubiquitination-proteasome mediated degradation of xCT. Moreover, both pharmacologically and genetically suppressing xCT exacerbated DSF/Cu-induced cell death. In conclusion, the current work provides an in-depth study of the mechanism of DSF/Cu-induced cell death and describes a framework for the further understanding of the crosstalk between ferroptosis and cuproptosis. Inhibiting the compensatory increase of xCT renders HCC cells more susceptible to DSF/Cu, which may provide a promising synergistic strategy to sensitize tumor therapy and overcome drug resistance, as it activates different programmed cell death.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zhang
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital(Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Department of Central Laboratory, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chaoting Zhou
- Department of Central Laboratory, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xueying Ren
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qiangan Jing
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital(Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yan Gao
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital(Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chen Yang
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital(Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yuhuan Shen
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital(Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yi Zhou
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital(Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wanye Hu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Feifan Jin
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital(Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Haifeng Xu
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital(Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lingyan Yu
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital(Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yingchao Liu
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital(Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiangmin Tong
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital(Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Department of Central Laboratory, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Yanchun Li
- Department of Central Laboratory, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Ying Wang
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital(Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Department of Central Laboratory, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Jing Du
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital(Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| |
Collapse
|