Ferroxitosis: a cell death from modulation of oxidative phosphorylation and PKM2-dependent glycolysis in melanoma

Oncotarget. 2014 Dec 30;5(24):12694-703. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.3031.

Abstract

Reliance on glycolysis is a characteristic of malignancy, yet the development of resistance to BRAF inhibitors in melanoma is associated with gain of mitochondrial function. Concurrent attenuation of oxidative phosphorylation and HIF-1α/PKM2-dependent glycolysis promotes a non-apoptotic, iron- and oxygen-dependent cell death that we term ferroxitosis. The redox cycling agent menadione causes a robust increase in oxygen consumption, accompanied by significant loss of intracellular ATP and rapid cell death. Conversely, either hypoxic adaptation or iron chelation prevents menadione-induced ferroxitosis. Ectopic expression of K213Q HIF-1α mutant blunts the effects of menadione. However, knockdown of HIF-1α or PKM2 restores menadione-induced cytotoxicity in hypoxia. Similarly, exposure of melanoma cells to shikonin, a menadione analog and a potential PKM2 inhibitor, is sufficient to induce ferroxitosis under hypoxic conditions. Collectively, our findings reveal that ferroxitosis curtails metabolic plasticity in melanoma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Death / physiology
  • Cell Hypoxia / physiology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / physiology
  • Glycolysis*
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / metabolism
  • Iron Chelating Agents / pharmacology*
  • Male
  • Melanoma / drug therapy*
  • Melanoma / metabolism*
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred NOD
  • Mice, SCID
  • Oxidative Phosphorylation
  • Random Allocation
  • Thyroid Hormone-Binding Proteins
  • Thyroid Hormones / metabolism*
  • Transfection
  • Vitamin K 3 / pharmacology*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
  • Iron Chelating Agents
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Thyroid Hormones
  • Vitamin K 3