Ferroptosis: A Key Mechanism in Anti-Androgen Treatments for Prostate Cancer

A significant proportion of advanced prostate cancers gradually become resistant to the main line of treatment, which involves inhibition of androgen receptors through androgen deprivation and/or administration of anti-androgens. In this study, the researchers showed that enzalutamide reduced glutathione production, increased lipid peroxidation, and induced ferroptosis in tumor cells. Transcriptomic data revealed that the expression of a cystine transporter gene (SLC7A11) could modulate anti-androgen-induced ferroptosis. Changes in the expression of this gene may explain part of the resistance to ferroptosis, and thus the resistance of prostate tumors to androgen receptor inhibition.