Iron-(Fe3+) dependent reactivation of telomerase drives colorectal cancers.
Cancer Discov
; 2024 Jun 14.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38885349
ABSTRACT
Over-consumption of iron-rich red meat and hereditary or genetic iron overload are associated with increased risk of colorectal carcinogenesis, yet the mechanistic basis of how metal-mediated signaling leads to oncogenesis remains enigmatic. Using fresh colorectal cancer (CRC) samples we identify Pirin, an iron sensor, that overcomes a rate-limiting step in oncogenesis, by re-activating the dormant human-reverse-transcriptase (hTERT) subunit of telomerase holoenzyme in an iron-(Fe3+)-dependent-manner and thereby drives CRCs. Chemical genetic screens combined with isothermal-dose response fingerprinting and mass-spectrometry identified a small molecule SP2509, that specifically inhibits Pirin-mediated hTERT reactivation in CRCs by competing with iron-(Fe3+) binding. Our findings, first to document how metal ions reactivate telomerase, provide a molecular mechanism for the well-known association between red meat, and increased incidence of CRCs. Small molecules like SP2509 represent a novel modality to target telomerase that acts as driver of 90% human cancers and is yet to be targeted in clinic.
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MEDLINE
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En
Ano de publicação:
2024
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Article