A small molecule cryptotanshinone induces non-enzymatic NQO1-dependent necrosis in cancer cells through the JNK1/2/Iron/PARP/calcium pathway

Human NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is a flavoenzyme expressed at high levels in multiple solid tumors, making it an attractive target for anticancer drugs. Bioactivatable drugs targeting NQO1, such as β-lapachone (β-lap), are currently in clinical trials for the treatment of cancer. β-La...

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Main Authors: Ying Hou, Bingling Zhong, Lin Zhao, Heng Wang, Yanyan Zhu, Xianzhe Wang, Haoyi Zheng, Jie Yu, Guokai Liu, Xin Wang, Jose M. Martin-Garcia, Xiuping Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-02-01
Series:Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383524004623
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author Ying Hou
Bingling Zhong
Lin Zhao
Heng Wang
Yanyan Zhu
Xianzhe Wang
Haoyi Zheng
Jie Yu
Guokai Liu
Xin Wang
Jose M. Martin-Garcia
Xiuping Chen
author_facet Ying Hou
Bingling Zhong
Lin Zhao
Heng Wang
Yanyan Zhu
Xianzhe Wang
Haoyi Zheng
Jie Yu
Guokai Liu
Xin Wang
Jose M. Martin-Garcia
Xiuping Chen
author_sort Ying Hou
collection DOAJ
description Human NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is a flavoenzyme expressed at high levels in multiple solid tumors, making it an attractive target for anticancer drugs. Bioactivatable drugs targeting NQO1, such as β-lapachone (β-lap), are currently in clinical trials for the treatment of cancer. β-Lap selectively kills NQO1-positive (NQO1+) cancer cells by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) via catalytic activation of NQO1. In this study, we demonstrated that cryptotanshinone (CTS), a naturally occurring compound, induces NQO1-dependent necrosis without affecting NQO1 activity. CTS selectively kills NQO1+ cancer cells by inducing NQO1-dependent necrosis. Interestingly, CTS directly binds to NQO1 but does not activate its catalytic activity. In addition, CTS enables activation of JNK1/2 and PARP, accumulation of iron and Ca2+, and depletion of ATP and NAD+. Furthermore, CTS selectively suppressed tumor growth in the NQO1+ xenograft models, which was reversed by NQO1 inhibitor and NQO1 shRNA. In conclusion, CTS induces NQO1-dependent necrosis via the JNK1/2/iron/PARP/NAD+/Ca2+ signaling pathway. This study demonstrates the non-enzymatic function of NQO1 in inducing cell death and provides new avenues for the design and development of NQO1-targeted anticancer drugs.
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spelling doaj-art-cfc751c60df541f9a89ee02987d656212025-08-20T02:47:37ZengElsevierActa Pharmaceutica Sinica B2211-38352025-02-01152991100610.1016/j.apsb.2024.12.005A small molecule cryptotanshinone induces non-enzymatic NQO1-dependent necrosis in cancer cells through the JNK1/2/Iron/PARP/calcium pathwayYing Hou0Bingling Zhong1Lin Zhao2Heng Wang3Yanyan Zhu4Xianzhe Wang5Haoyi Zheng6Jie Yu7Guokai Liu8Xin Wang9Jose M. Martin-Garcia10Xiuping Chen11State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao 999078, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao 999078, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao 999078, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao 999078, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao 999078, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao 999078, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao 999078, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao 999078, ChinaSchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaFaculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, the University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UKDepartment of Crystallography & Structural Biology, Institute of Physical Chemistry Blas Cabrera, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid 28006, SpainState Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao 999078, China; MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Macao 999078, China; GMU-GIBH Joint School of Life Sciences, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Laboratory for Cell Fate Regulation and Diseases, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510005, China; Corresponding author.Human NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is a flavoenzyme expressed at high levels in multiple solid tumors, making it an attractive target for anticancer drugs. Bioactivatable drugs targeting NQO1, such as β-lapachone (β-lap), are currently in clinical trials for the treatment of cancer. β-Lap selectively kills NQO1-positive (NQO1+) cancer cells by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) via catalytic activation of NQO1. In this study, we demonstrated that cryptotanshinone (CTS), a naturally occurring compound, induces NQO1-dependent necrosis without affecting NQO1 activity. CTS selectively kills NQO1+ cancer cells by inducing NQO1-dependent necrosis. Interestingly, CTS directly binds to NQO1 but does not activate its catalytic activity. In addition, CTS enables activation of JNK1/2 and PARP, accumulation of iron and Ca2+, and depletion of ATP and NAD+. Furthermore, CTS selectively suppressed tumor growth in the NQO1+ xenograft models, which was reversed by NQO1 inhibitor and NQO1 shRNA. In conclusion, CTS induces NQO1-dependent necrosis via the JNK1/2/iron/PARP/NAD+/Ca2+ signaling pathway. This study demonstrates the non-enzymatic function of NQO1 in inducing cell death and provides new avenues for the design and development of NQO1-targeted anticancer drugs.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383524004623NQO1CryptotanshinoneIronFerroptosisNAD+ depletionCalcium
spellingShingle Ying Hou
Bingling Zhong
Lin Zhao
Heng Wang
Yanyan Zhu
Xianzhe Wang
Haoyi Zheng
Jie Yu
Guokai Liu
Xin Wang
Jose M. Martin-Garcia
Xiuping Chen
A small molecule cryptotanshinone induces non-enzymatic NQO1-dependent necrosis in cancer cells through the JNK1/2/Iron/PARP/calcium pathway
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B
NQO1
Cryptotanshinone
Iron
Ferroptosis
NAD+ depletion
Calcium
title A small molecule cryptotanshinone induces non-enzymatic NQO1-dependent necrosis in cancer cells through the JNK1/2/Iron/PARP/calcium pathway
title_full A small molecule cryptotanshinone induces non-enzymatic NQO1-dependent necrosis in cancer cells through the JNK1/2/Iron/PARP/calcium pathway
title_fullStr A small molecule cryptotanshinone induces non-enzymatic NQO1-dependent necrosis in cancer cells through the JNK1/2/Iron/PARP/calcium pathway
title_full_unstemmed A small molecule cryptotanshinone induces non-enzymatic NQO1-dependent necrosis in cancer cells through the JNK1/2/Iron/PARP/calcium pathway
title_short A small molecule cryptotanshinone induces non-enzymatic NQO1-dependent necrosis in cancer cells through the JNK1/2/Iron/PARP/calcium pathway
title_sort small molecule cryptotanshinone induces non enzymatic nqo1 dependent necrosis in cancer cells through the jnk1 2 iron parp calcium pathway
topic NQO1
Cryptotanshinone
Iron
Ferroptosis
NAD+ depletion
Calcium
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383524004623
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