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Ferroptosis, a mode of cell death characterized by iron-dependent phospholipid peroxidation, has a substantial therapeutic potential for the treatment of various cancers. This study investigated the effects of trifluoperazine (TFP), an FDA-approved drug traditionally utilized for mental health disorder, on oral cancer cells, with a particular focus on the mechanisms involved in its potential anti-tumor properties. Our findings indicate that TFP significantly elevates the levels of lipid-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induces ferroptotic cell death in oral cancer cells through pathways involving autophagy, the SLC7A11/GPX4 axis, and mitochondrial damage. Additionally, molecular docking analyses revealed that TFP acts as an inhibitor of GPX4. The elevated expression level of GPX4 in oral cancer biopsies was also found to correlate with a poor prognosis. Together, these results provide evidence that TFP selectively induces GPX4-mediated, autophagy-dependent ferroptosis, thereby exerting anti-cancer effects against oral cancer and preventable death.
Tsai et al. (Mon,) studied this question.