Cited by 1,168Nanoplatforms for cancer theranosticsSulfur Compounds in BiologyRedox biology and oxidative stress

Application of glutathione depletion in cancer therapy: Enhanced ROS-based therapy, ferroptosis, and chemotherapy

Niu, Boyi, Liao, Kaixin, Zhou, Yixian, Wen, Ting, Quan, Guilan, Pan, Xin, Wu, Chuanbin·2021·Biomaterials

Abstract

Glutathione (GSH) is an important member of cellular antioxidative system. In cancer cells, a high level of GSH is indispensable to scavenge excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and detoxify xenobiotics, which make it a potential target for cancer therapy. Plenty of studies have shown that loss of intracellular GSH makes cancer cells more susceptible to oxidative stress and chemotherapeutic agents. GSH depletion has been proved to improve the therapeutic efficacy of ROS-based therapy (photodynamic therapy, sonodynamic therapy, and chemodynamic therapy), ferroptosis, and chemotherapy. In this review, various strategies for GSH depletion used in cancer therapy are comprehensively summarized and discussed. First, the functions of GSH in cancer cells are analyzed to elucidate the necessity of GSH depletion in cancer therapy. Then, the synthesis and metabolism of GSH are briefly introduced to bring up some crucial targets for GSH modulation. Finally, different approaches to GSH depletion in the literature are classified and discussed in detail according to their mechanisms. Particularly, functional materials with GSH-consuming ability based on nanotechnology are elaborated due to their unique advantages and potentials. This review presents the ingenious application of GSH-depleting strategy in cancer therapy for improving the outcomes of various therapeutic regimens, which may provide useful guidance for designing intelligent drug delivery system.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2021.121110

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251 of 251 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Hypoxia and high glutathione concentrations in the tumor microenvironment greatly limit the efficacy of SDT.

    “Furthermore, hypoxia and high glutathione (GSH) concentrations in the tumor microenvironment (TME) greatly limit the efficacy of SDT [24–26].”

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Authors
Niu, B., Liao, K., Zhou, Y., Wen, T., Quan, G., Pan, X., & Wu, C.
Affiliations
  • Sun Yat-sen University (CN)
  • Jinan University (CN)
Corresponding author
  • Pan, Xin
  • Wu, Chuanbin
Venue
Biomaterials
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2021-10
Volume
277
Pages
121110
ISSN
0142-9612 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3198675921
Cited by
1,168
References
254
Citations by year
2026: 168 · 2025: 353 · 2024: 330 · 2023: 201 · 2022: 110 · 2021: 6
FWCI
13.84
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Biomaterials (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biochemistry › Sulfur Compounds in Biology
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Redox biology and oxidative stress
Keywords
glutathione depletion, cancer therapy, reactive oxygen species, ferroptosis, photodynamic therapy, sonodynamic therapy, chemodynamic therapy, oxidative stress, glutathione metabolism, glutathione synthesis, drug delivery systems, chemotherapy enhancement
MeSH terms
Ferroptosis, Antineoplastic Agents, Glutathione, Neoplasms, Photochemotherapy, Reactive Oxygen Species

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