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REVIEW article

Front. Immunol.
Sec. Cancer Immunity and Immunotherapy
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1526749
This article is part of the Research Topic Crosstalk in Ferroptosis, Immunity & Inflammation View all 15 articles

The role of ferroptosis in colorectal cancer and its potential synergy with immunotherapy

Provisionally accepted
Wenhua Xia Wenhua Xia 1Lv Yuanhao Lv Yuanhao 1Yan Zou Yan Zou 1*Zhanting Kang Zhanting Kang 1*Zhaoyi Li Zhaoyi Li 1*Jiaqi Tian Jiaqi Tian 1Hongyan Zhou Hongyan Zhou 2*Wei Su Wei Su 1*Jiateng Zhong Jiateng Zhong 1*
  • 1 Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
  • 2 The First People’s Hospital of Xinxiang, Xinxiang, Henan Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent and deadly malignancies worldwide. Recently, ferroptosis, a novel form of regulated cell death characterized by iron dependency and lipid peroxidation, has garnered significant attention from researchers. The mechanisms underlying ferroptosis, including intracellular iron levels, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant system regulation, offer new insights into cancer treatment strategies. This study aims to explore the emerging role of ferroptosis in the context of immunotherapy for CRC, highlighting its potential mechanisms and clinical applications. We employed a comprehensive review of current literature to elucidate the biological mechanisms of ferroptosis, its relationship with CRC, and the interplay between ferroptosis and immunotherapy. Ferroptosis reshapes the tumor microenvironment (TME) by regulating intracellular iron levels, lipid metabolism, and antioxidant systems, significantly enhancing the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Meanwhile, traditional Chinese medicine therapies promote antitumor immunity by modulating the TME and inducing ferroptosis. Additionally, advances in nanotechnology have facilitated precise therapy by enabling targeted delivery of ferroptosis inducers or immunomodulators, transforming "cold" tumors into "hot" tumors and further boosting ICI efficacy. This study comprehensively reviews the latest developments in ferroptosis, immunotherapy, traditional Chinese medicine, and nanotechnology in CRC, highlighting the importance of ferroptosis-related biomarkers and novel inducers for personalized treatment. In summary, ferroptosis offers a promising strategy to overcome CRC therapy resistance and enhance immunotherapy efficacy, warranting further investigation and translational application.

    Keywords: ferroptosis, colorectal cancer, Immunotherapy, Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICBs), Tumor Microenvironment

    Received: 12 Nov 2024; Accepted: 20 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Xia, Yuanhao, Zou, Kang, Li, Tian, Zhou, Su and Zhong. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Yan Zou, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
    Zhanting Kang, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
    Zhaoyi Li, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
    Hongyan Zhou, The First People’s Hospital of Xinxiang, Xinxiang, Henan Province, China
    Wei Su, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
    Jiateng Zhong, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.