Recent research progress based on ferroptosis-related signaling pathways and the tumor microenvironment on it effects

Eur J Med Chem. 2024 Apr 5:269:116290. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116290. Epub 2024 Mar 7.

Abstract

The existing therapies for cancer are not remote satisfactory due to drug-resistance in tumors that are malignant. There is a pressing necessity to take a step forward to develop innovative therapies that can complement current ones. Multiple investigations have demonstrated that ferroptosis therapy, a non-apoptotic modality of programmed cell death, has tremendous potential in face of multiple crucial events, such as drug resistance and toxicity in aggressive malignancies. Recently, ferroptosis at the crosswalk of chemotherapy, materials science, immunotherapy, tumor microenvironment, and bionanotechnology has been presented to elucidate its therapeutic feasibility. Given the burgeoning progression of ferroptosis-based nanomedicine, the newest advancements in this field at the confluence of ferroptosis-inducers, nanotherapeutics, along with tumor microenvironment are given an overview. Here, the signaling pathways of ferroptosis-related were first talked about briefly. The emphasis discussion was placed on the pharmacological mechanisms and the nanodrugs design of ferroptosis inducing agents based on multiple distinct metabolism pathways. Additionally, a comprehensive overview of the action mechanisms by which the tumor microenvironment influences ferroptosis was elaborately descripted. Finally, some limitations of current researches and future research directions were also deliberately discussed to provide details about therapeutic avenues for ferroptosis-related diseases along with the design of anti-drugs.

Keywords: Ferroptosis; Nanodrug design; Pathway; Pharmacological mechanism; Tumor microenvironment.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis
  • Ferroptosis*
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy
  • Nanomedicine
  • Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Tumor Microenvironment