NRF2 controls iron homeostasis and ferroptosis through HERC2 and VAMP8

Abstract

Enhancing the intracellular labile iron pool (LIP) represents a powerful, yet untapped strategy for driving ferroptotic death of cancer cells. Here, we show that NRF2 maintains iron homeostasis by controlling HERC2 (E3 ubiquitin ligase for NCOA4 and FBXL5) and VAMP8 (mediates autophagosome-lysosome fusion). <i>NFE2L2/NRF2</i> knockout cells have low <i>HERC2</i> expression, leading to a simultaneous increase in ferritin and NCOA4 and recruitment of apoferritin into the autophagosome. <i>NFE2L2/NRF2</i> knockout cells also have low <i>VAMP8</i> expression, which leads to ferritinophagy blockage. Therefore, deletion of <i>NFE2L2/NRF2</i> results in apoferritin accumulation in the autophagosome, an elevated LIP, and enhanced sensitivity to ferroptosis. Concordantly, NRF2 levels correlate with HERC2 and VAMP8 in human ovarian cancer tissues, as well as ferroptosis resistance in a panel of ovarian cancer cell lines. Last, the feasibility of inhibiting NRF2 to increase the LIP and kill cancer cells via ferroptosis was demonstrated in preclinical models, signifying the impact of NRF2 inhibition in cancer treatment.