Ferritinophagy-mediated apoptosis and paraptosis induction involved MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathway in mechanism of an iron chelator

Melanoma cells were more resistant to ferroptosis with still poor therapy outcomes. Sensitizing melanoma cell to the ferroptosis inducer was a crucial strategy for treatment of melanoma. In the present study, 2,2'-di-pyridylketone hydrazone dithiocarbamate s-butyric acid (DpdtbA) displayed superior inhibitory activity than ferroptosis inducer Erastin in melanoma cells, which prompt us to explore the underlying mechanism. The analyses from flow cytometry and Western blot showed that the growth inhibition of DpdtbA against SK-MEL-28 and A375 cells involved apoptosis induction and G1 phase arrest. Surprisingly, the cytoplasmic vacuoles were found upon the treatment; transmission electron microscopy and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) staining revealed that the cytoplasmic vacuoles were in ER; while down-regulation of alix and requirement of protein synthesis suggested there was an occurrence of paraptosis. However, both NAC and 3-MA could significantly attenuate the cytoplasmic vacuolization and growth inhibition, hinting that both ROS and autophagy involved the paraptosis induction. The additional evidence revealed that there was an occurrence of continuous ferritinophagy, which was responsible for the ROS production. Downregulation of NCOA4 clearly attenuated the apoptosis and paraptosis induction. In addition, activation of MAPK involved regulation of paraptosis, but only ERK and JNK had role in the formation of cytoplasmic vacuoles and growth inhibition. Furthermore, a ROS dependent regulation of PI3K/AKT pathway was also involved. Taken together, our result firstly demonstrated that a continuous ferritinophagy contributed to the apoptosis and paraptosis induction, highlighting that the lysosomal labile iron pool had a crucial role in control of melanoma cell fate.