Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42393460›Full record

ArticleBritish journal of cancer2026

Altretamine induces ferroptosis in small cell lung cancer by promoting epigenetic silencing and lysosomal degradation of GPX4.

Qin Li, Hang Yuan, Liang Li, Gang Zhao, Kai Liu, Siqi Li, Shan Li, Minghui Zhao, Qiming Kou, Qijing Wang and 9 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in British journal of cancer, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

19 authors.

Qin Li *Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Hang Yuan *Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Liang LiCancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Gang ZhaoDivision of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Kai LiuChengdu Qingshan Likang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Siqi LiCancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Shan LiCancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Minghui ZhaoCancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Qiming KouCancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Qijing WangCancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Guanru WangCancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Huayang YuCancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Kang ChenCancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Jie QuCancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Hongbai ChenCancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Chenghong LuCancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Shiyu SunCancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Lin PingCancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. linping@scu.edu.cn.
Kai LiCancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. likai@scu.edu.cn.

Funding

Department of Science and Technology of Sichuan Province (Sichuan Provincial Department of Science and Technology) 2023ZYD0044Department of Science and Technology of Sichuan Province (Sichuan Provincial Department of Science and Technology) 2024YFFK0383Department of Science and Technology of Sichuan Province (Sichuan Provincial Department of Science and Technology) 2025ZNSFSC1805National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82272892National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82404000
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSmall cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a high-grade and aggressive neuroendocrine carcinoma that remains incurable due to the emergence of drug resistance and frequent relapse. This study aimed to clarify the therapeutic potential and detailed mechanism of altretamine against SCLC.

methodsAltretamine-triggered cytotoxicity and lipid peroxidation were determined by EdU, FerroOrange probes, etc. GPX4 promoter methylation was evaluated by Methylation-specific PCR, chromatin immunoprecipitation, etc. Altretamine-induced GPX4 degradation was examined by bio-layer interferometry, immunoprecipitation, etc.

resultsAltretamine mainly initiates ferroptosis in SCLC cells, accompanied by accumulation of intracellular ROS and lipid peroxidation. Mechanistically, altretamine facilitated the binding of DNMT3A to GPX4 promoter, leading to DNA methylation of GPX4 gene and subsequent transcriptional repression. Moreover, altretamine directly bound to GPX4 protein and accelerated the lysosomal degradation of GPX4 protein in a HSC70-dependent manner. Inhibition of DNA demethylation by inactivating Ten-eleven translocation (TET) proteins synergistically strengthened the anti-SCLC activity of altretamine.

conclusionsOur findings revealed the first time that altretamine induced ferroptotic cell death by promoting DNMT3A-mediated epigenetic silencing of GPX4 gene and HSC70-mediated lysosomal degradation of GPX4 protein in SCLC cells. Altretamine alone or in combination with TET inhibitors is a valuable and credible strategy for the clinical treatment of SCLC.

Indexed as

FerroptosisLung NeoplasmsPhospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione PeroxidaseSmall Cell Lung CarcinomaCell Line, TumorDNA (Cytosine-5-)-MethyltransferasesDNA MethylationDNA Methyltransferase 3AEpigenesis, GeneticGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticGene SilencingHumansLipid PeroxidationLysosomesPromoter Regions, GeneticDNA (Cytosine-5-)-MethyltransferasesDNA Methyltransferase 3ADNMT3A protein, humanPhospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase

Identifiers

PMID42393460
PMCPMC13578261

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.