IMR Press / FBL / Volume 29 / Issue 1 / DOI: 10.31083/j.fbl2901006
Open Access Original Research
ARHGAP6 Suppresses Breast Cancer Tumor Growth by Promoting Ferroptosis via RhoA-ROCK1-p38 MAPK Signaling
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1 Department of Breast Medicine, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, 528000 Foshan, Guangdong, China
*Correspondence: zhudajiang@163.com (Dajiang Zhu)
These authors contributed equally.
Front. Biosci. (Landmark Ed) 2024, 29(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.31083/j.fbl2901006
Submitted: 10 July 2023 | Revised: 21 August 2023 | Accepted: 24 August 2023 | Published: 12 January 2024
Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Abstract

Background: Ferroptosis, a distinct iron-dependent form of regulated cell death, is induced by severe lipid peroxidation due to reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Breast cancer patient survival is correlated with the tumor-suppressing properties of Rho guanosine triphosphatase hydrolase enzyme (GTPase)-activating protein 6 (ARHGAP6). This study investigates the impact and mechanisms of ARHGAP6 on ferroptosis in breast cancer. Methods: Using quantitative RT-PCR, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence staining, ARHGAP6 expression was detected in a gene expression dataset, cancer tissue samples, and cells. ARHGAP6 was overexpressed or silenced in breast cancer cell lines. Cell proliferation was measured using 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay, and cell death rate was determined using LDH cytotoxicity assay. As indicators of ferroptosis, Fe2+ ion content, lipid ROS, glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), ChaC glutathione specific gamma-glutamylcyclotransferase 1 (CHAC1), prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), and acyl-CoA synthetase long chain family member 4 (ACSL4) levels were evaluated. Results: ARHGAP6 was obviously downregulated in cancer tissues and cells. ARHGAP6 overexpression decreased cell proliferation, elevated cell death and lipid ROS, decreased GPX4 and SLC7A11, increased PTGS2, ACSL4, and CHAC1, and inhibited RhoA/ROCK1 and p38 MAPK signaling in cancer cells. ARHGAP6 knockdown exerted opposite effects to those of ARHGAP6 overexpression. p38 signaling suppression reversed the effect of ARHGAP6 knockdown on ferroptosis, while RhoA/ROCK1 signaling inhibition compromised the effect of ARHGAP6 on p38 MAPK signaling. In mice models, ARHGAP6 together with the ferroptosis inducer RSL3 cooperatively enhanced ferroptosis and inhibited tumor growth of cancer cells. ARHGAP6 mRNA level was positively correlated with that of ferroptosis indicators in tumor tissues. Conclusions: This study revealed that ARHGAP6 inhibited tumor growth of breast cancer by inducing ferroptosis via RhoA/ROCK1/p38 MAPK signaling. Integrating ARHGAP6 with ferroptosis-inducing agents may be a promising therapeutic strategy for breast cancer treatment.

Keywords
breast cancer
ARHGAP6
ferroptosis
p38 MAPK
Funding
FEYJZX-2020-006/Innovation Project of Women and Children medical research center affiliated to Foshan Institute of Fetal Medicine
2020001005568/Foundation of Bureau of Science and Technology of Foshan
2220001004898/Foundation of Bureau of Science and Technology of Foshan
20230819A010163/Medical Research Project of Foshan Health Commission
Figures
Fig. 1.
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