Recent Progress in Ferroptosis Inducers for Cancer Therapy

Abstract

Ferroptosis is a newly discovered form of regulated cell death that is the nexus between metabolism, redox biology, and human health. Emerging evidence shows the potential of triggering ferroptosis for cancer therapy, particularly for eradicating aggressive malignancies that are resistant to traditional therapies. Recently, there has been a great deal of effort to design and develop anticancer drugs based on ferroptosis induction. Recent advances of ferroptosis-inducing agents at the intersection of chemistry, materials science, and cancer biology are presented. The basis of ferroptosis is summarized first to highlight the feasibility and characteristics of triggering ferroptosis for cancer therapy. A literature review of ferroptosis inducers (including small molecules and nanomaterials) is then presented to delineate their design, action mechanisms, and anticancer applications. Finally, some considerations for research on ferroptosis inducers are spotlighted, followed by a discussion on the challenges and future development directions of this burgeoning field.

Keywords: cancer therapy; ferroptosis inducers; iron metabolism; nanomedicine; tumor microenvironment.