Hsp90-Acsl4 Pathway Drives Glioma Ferroptosis via Drp1 Dephosphorylation

Abstract

Ferroptosis is a newly identified form of regulated cell death (RCD) characterized by the iron-dependent lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, but its mechanism in gliomas remains elusive. Acyl–coenzyme A (CoA) synthetase long-chain family member 4 (Acsl4), a pivotal enzyme in the regulation of lipid biosynthesis, benefits the initiation of ferroptosis, but its role in gliomas needs further clarification. Erastin, a classic inducer of ferroptosis, has recently been found to regulate lipid peroxidation by regulating Acsl4 other than glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) in ferroptosis. In this study, we demonstrated that heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) actively regulated and stabilized Acsl4 expression in erastin-induced ferroptosis in gliomas. Hsp90 overexpression and calcineurin (CN)–mediated Drp1 dephosphorylation at serine 637 (Ser637) promoted ferroptosis by altering mitochondrial morphology and increasing Acsl4-mediated lipid peroxidation. Importantly, promotion of the Hsp90–Acsl4 pathway augmented anticancer activity of erastin in vitro and in vivo. Our discovery reveals a novel and efficient approach to ferroptosis-mediated glioma therapy.