Cited by 18,691Ferroptosis and cancer prognosisCell death mechanisms and regulationIron Metabolism and Disorders

Ferroptosis: An Iron-Dependent Form of Nonapoptotic Cell Death

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Dixon, Scott J., Lemberg, Kathryn M., Lamprecht, Michael R., Skouta, Rachid, Zaitsev, Eleina M., Gleason, Caroline E., Patel, Darpan N., Bauer, Andras J. +4 more·2012·Cell

Abstract

Nonapoptotic forms of cell death may facilitate the selective elimination of some tumor cells or be activated in specific pathological states. The oncogenic RAS-selective lethal small molecule erastin triggers a unique iron-dependent form of nonapoptotic cell death that we term ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is dependent upon intracellular iron, but not other metals, and is morphologically, biochemically, and genetically distinct from apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy. We identify the small molecule ferrostatin-1 as a potent inhibitor of ferroptosis in cancer cells and glutamate-induced cell death in organotypic rat brain slices, suggesting similarities between these two processes. Indeed, erastin, like glutamate, inhibits cystine uptake by the cystine/glutamate antiporter (system x(c)(-)), creating a void in the antioxidant defenses of the cell and ultimately leading to iron-dependent, oxidative death. Thus, activation of ferroptosis results in the nonapoptotic destruction of certain cancer cells, whereas inhibition of this process may protect organisms from neurodegeneration.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.cell.2012.03.042

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  • Loss of GPX4 in invasive cancer cells with a mesenchymal and drug-resistant phenotype causes accumulation of lipid hydroperoxides that trigger ferroptosis.

    “At the same time, the loss of the lipid repair enzyme glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) in invasive cancer cells with a mesenchymal and drug-resistant phenotype causes the accumulation of lipid hydroperoxides (lipid-ROS) triggering the iron-dependent cell death known as ferroptosis (7).”

    From Secreted Apoe rewires melanoma cell state vulnerability to ferroptosis (2024) · cites this paper as [7]

    The Discussion (page unavailable in our copy) describes ferroptosis in cancer cells as iron-dependent death involving lethal lipid ROS. It does not establish that loss of GPX4 causes this process in invasive, mesenchymal, drug-resistant cancer cells; its account instead discusses inhibition of cystine uptake and RSL3, whose target it describes as uncertain. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Daily injection of ferrostatin markedly reduces oligodendrocyte death and 4-HNE accumulation at two days and two weeks of cuprizone consumption.

    “Daily injection of ferrostatin—a lipid ROS scavenger [286]—markedly reduces oligodendrocyte death and 4-HNE accumulation at two days and two weeks of cuprizone consumption [101].”
  • Eprenetapopt is the first compound to reach a phase 3 clinical trial where triggering ferroptosis is central to its anticancer efficacy.

    “eprenetapopt is the first compound to reach a phase 3 clinical trial where triggering ferroptosis is central to its anticancer efficacy.”

    From Eprenetapopt triggers ferroptosis, inhibits NFS1 cysteine desulfurase, and synergizes with serine and glycine dietary restriction (2022) · cites this paper as [21]

    The Abstract and Discussion describe ferroptosis in cancer cells and discuss erastin, RSL3, and other experimental compounds. Searches for eprenetapopt and phase 3 clinical trials found no passage addressing that drug, its trial status, or its mechanism of anticancer efficacy; page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.78)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Erastin triggers ferroptosis by indirectly affecting the catalytic cycle of GPX4 via inhibition of the cystine/glutamate antiporter system xc− and consequent decrease in intracellular cysteine and GSH.

    “erastin triggers ferroptosis by (indirectly) affecting the catalytic cycle of GPX4 via a mechanism that involves the inhibition of the cystine/glutamate antiporter system xc− and consequent decrease in intracellular cysteine (which derives from cystine reduction in the cytoplasm) and GSH (which is synthesized from cysteine) [539, 548, 549, 551].”
  • Ferroptosis occurs independently of caspases, necrosome components, CYPD, and the molecular machinery for autophagy.

    “Ferroptosis occurs independently of caspases, necrosome components and CYPD, and the molecular machinery for autophagy [539]”

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Authors
Dixon, S. J., Lemberg, K. M., Lamprecht, M. R., Skouta, R., Zaitsev, E. M., Gleason, C. E., Patel, D. N., Bauer, A. J., Cantley, A. M., Yang, W. S., Morrison, B., & Stockwell, B. R.
Affiliations
  • Columbia University (US)
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
Corresponding author
Stockwell, Brent R.
Venue
Cell
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2012-05
Volume
149
Issue
5
Pages
1060-1072
ISSN
0092-8674 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1997183854
Cited by
18,691
References
48
Citations by year
2026: 2902 · 2025: 3499 · 2024: 3393 · 2023: 2809 · 2022: 2342 · 2021: 1539 · 2020: 828 · 2019: 500 · 2018: 294 · 2017: 209 · 2016: 160 · 2015: 92 · 2014: 61 · 2013: 29 · 2012: 14
FWCI
50.51
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cell (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (5R01CA097061, 5R01GM085081, R01CA161061)
  • Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation
  • Columbia University
  • Empire State Development's Division of Science, Technology and Innovation
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research
  • National Science Foundation (CHE-0840451)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Ferroptosis and cancer prognosis
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Cell death mechanisms and regulation
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Hematology › Iron Metabolism and Disorders
Keywords
ferroptosis, non-apoptotic cell death, iron-dependent cell death, erastin, ferrostatin-1, SLC7A11, system xc-, cystine uptake, glutamate-induced cell death, neurodegeneration, cancer cell death, oxidative stress, antioxidant defense
MeSH terms
Animals, Cyclohexylamines, Fibroblasts, Hippocampus, Humans, Iron, Neoplasms, Phenylenediamines, Piperazines, Cell Death, Reactive Oxygen Species, Glutamic Acid, Lipid Metabolism, Rats, In Vitro Techniques

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