Drugs That Weaponize Iron to Kill Cancer

The Alpha Human Podcast

In this episode of The Alpha Human Podcast, Lawrence delves into drugs that can induce Ferroptosis, a form of cell death characterized by the accumulation of lipid peroxides and iron-dependent reactive oxygen species, as this might be an Achilles' heel for cancers that exhibit iron overload. Although there are currently no approved drugs designed for this purpose, there are a number of existing pharmaceuticals that have demonstrated the ability to trigger ferroptosis in cancer cells. For instance, Lawrence highlights Auranofin, a rheumatoid arthritis drug, and Metformin, a widely prescribed drug for diabetes that have both demonstrated the ability to induce ferroptotic death in cancer cells. Additionally, Lawrence discusses the effectiveness of Artesunate, a derivative of artemisinin commonly prescribed as an anti-malarial drug, and Sulfasalazine, primarily used for treating inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis, as both have shown the capability to trigger ferroptosis as well. Targeting glutamine metabolism as a therapeutic strategy for cancer nature.com/articles/s12276-023-00971-9 Auranofin mitigates systemic iron overload and induces ferroptosis via distinct mechanisms | Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy nature.com/articles/s41392-020-00253-0 Mechanisms of metformin inhibiting cancer invasion and migration: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7540116/ Metformin may induce ferroptosis by inhibiting autophagy via lncRNA H19 in breast cancer ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8727937/ Iron plays a role in sulfasalazine-induced ferroptosis with autophagic flux blockage in K7M2 osteosarcoma cells academic.oup.com/metallomics/article-abstract/14/5/mfac027/6571254 Sulfasalazine impacts on ferroptotic cell death and alleviates the tumor microenvironment and glioma-induced brain edema oncotarget.com/article/8651/text/#F2 Sulfasalazine‑induced ferroptosis in breast cancer cells is reduced by the inhibitory effect of estrogen receptor on the transferrin receptor spandidos-publications.com/or/42/2/826 Artesunate synergizes with sorafenib to induce ferroptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8026986/#CR25 Identification of Artesunate as a specific activator of ferroptosis in pancreatic cancer cells ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4468338/ Artesunate induces ferroptosis via modulation of p38 and ERK signaling pathway in glioblastoma cells sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S134786132200007X Artesunate Inhibits the Growth Behavior of Docetaxel-Resistant Prostate Cancer Cells frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2022.789284/full Artesunate Inhibits Growth of Sunitinib-Resistant Renal Cell Carcinoma Cells through Cell Cycle Arrest and Induction of Ferroptosis ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7692972/ Disclaimer: The content of this podcast, and any information, advice, opinions or statements within it are not intended, and are not to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition you may have, and you should seek the assistance of a healthcare professional for any such conditions, and always inform your doctor of any changes you make, or are thinking about making to your lifestyle.