Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023 Jul 26:14:1203447.
doi: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1203447. eCollection 2023.

Targeting copper metabolism: a promising strategy for cancer treatment

Ruimin Kong  1 , Guojuan Sun  2
Affiliations
Review

Targeting copper metabolism: a promising strategy for cancer treatment

Ruimin Kong et al. Front Pharmacol. .

Abstract

Copper is an essential micronutrient that plays a critical role in many physiological processes. However, excessive copper accumulation in cancer cells has been linked to tumor growth and metastasis. This review article explores the potential of targeting copper metabolism as a promising strategy for cancer treatment. Excessive copper accumulation in cancer cells has been associated with tumor growth and metastasis. By disrupting copper homeostasis in cancer cells and inducing cell death through copper-dependent mechanisms (cuproplasia and cuprotosis, respectively), therapies can be developed with improved efficacy and reduced side effects. The article discusses the role of copper in biological processes, such as angiogenesis, immune response, and redox homeostasis. Various approaches for targeting copper metabolism in cancer treatment are examined, including the use of copper-dependent enzymes, copper-based compounds, and cuprotosis-related genes or proteins. The review also explores strategies like copper chelation therapy and nanotechnology for targeted delivery of copper-targeting agents. By understanding the intricate network of cuprotosis and its interactions with the tumor microenvironment and immune system, new targets for therapy can be identified, leading to improved cancer treatment outcomes. Overall, this comprehensive review highlights the significant potential of targeting copper metabolism as a promising and effective approach in cancer treatment, while providing valuable insights into the current state of research in this field.

Keywords: cancer treatment; copper; cuprotosis; metabolism; tumor microenvironment.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Copper hemostasis and cuprotosis in cells.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Mechanism of targeting copper or cuprotosis and its potential role in targeted therapy of cancer treatment.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Agarwal A., Kasinathan A., Ganesan R., Balasubramanian A., Bhaskaran J., Suresh S., et al. (2018). Curcumin induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest via the activation of reactive oxygen species–independent mitochondrial apoptotic pathway in Smad4 and p53 mutated colon adenocarcinoma HT29 cells. Nutr. Res. 51, 67–81. 10.1016/j.nutres.2017.12.011 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Antoniades V., Sioga A., Dietrich E. M., Meditskou S., Ekonomou L., Antoniades K. (2013). Is copper chelation an effective anti-angiogenic strategy for cancer treatment? Med. Hypotheses 81 (6), 1159–1163. 10.1016/j.mehy.2013.09.035 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Babak M. V., Ahn D. (2021). Modulation of intracellular copper levels as the mechanism of action of anticancer copper complexes: Clinical relevance. Biomedicines 9 (8), 852. 10.3390/biomedicines9080852 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Batinic-Haberle I., Tome M. E. (2019). Thiol regulation by Mn porphyrins, commonly known as SOD mimics. Redox Biol. 25, 101139. 10.1016/j.redox.2019.101139 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Bresciani G., da Cruz I. B. M., González-Gallego J. (2015). Manganese superoxide dismutase and oxidative stress modulation. Adv. Clin. Chem. 68, 87–130. 10.1016/bs.acc.2014.11.001 - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources