阻断NCOA4蛋白，消灭急性髓系白血病干细胞

急性髓性白血病是最致命的癌症之一。

Acute myeloid leukemia is one of the deadliest cancers.

导致这种疾病的白血病干细胞有很强的耐药性。

Leukemic stem cells responsible for the disease are highly resistant to treatment.

来自日内瓦大学等单位的研究人员发现白血病干细胞的一些遗传和能量特征，特别是特定的铁利用过程。这个过程可以被阻断，导致这些干细胞死亡或衰弱，而不影响健康细胞。

A team from the University of Geneva identified some of the genetic and energetic characteristics of these stem cells, notably a specific iron utilization process.This process could be blocked, leading to the death or weakening of these stem cells without affecting healthy cells.

这些结果发表在《科学转化医学》杂志上。

These results, published in Science Translational Medicine.

一般来说，为了生存，细胞会触发化学反应，使它们能够分解营养物质，从而产生能量。

In general, to survive, cells trigger chemical reactions that enable them to break down nutrients and thus produce energy.

这也涉及到“自噬”，这一过程允许细胞回收细胞成分以产生新的细胞，并在缺乏外部营养物质的情况下提供能量。

This also involves ''autophagy'', a process that allows cells to recycle cellular components to generate new ones and to provide energy in case of a lack of external nutrients.

科学家们发现，休眠的白血病干细胞依赖于“铁蛋白自噬”。这个过程由NCOA4介导。

Scientists have discovered that dormant leukemic stem cells depend on ''ferritinophagy''. 'This process is mediated by a protein called NCOA4.

用小鼠模型进行的实验证实，阻断NCOA4蛋白可降低肿瘤生长、白血病干细胞的生存能力和自我更新。

Experiments conducted with mouse models have confirmed that blocking the NCOA4 protein reduces tumor growth, viability and self-renewal of leukemic stem cells.

因此，通过这种抑制途径靶向铁蛋白吞噬可能是一种很有前景的治疗策略。

Targeting ferritinophagy through this inhibition pathway could therefore be a promising therapeutic strategy.

Journal reference:

Larrue, C., et al. (2024) Targeting ferritinophagy impairs quiescent cancer stem cells in acute myeloid leukemia in vitro and in vivo models. Science Translational Medicine. doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.adk1731.