Open Access

REVIEW

The role of glutathione peroxidase 4 in the progression, drug resistance, and targeted therapy of non-small cell lung cancer

JIAHENG WEI¹, LIANGMING ZHU^2,*

1 School of Clinical Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, 261000, China
2 Department of Thoracic Surgery, Jinan Central Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, 250000, China

* Corresponding Author: LIANGMING ZHU. Email:

Oncology Research 2025, 33(4), 863-872. https://doi.org/10.32604/or.2024.054201

Received 21 May 2024; Accepted 26 August 2024; Issue published 19 March 2025

Abstract

Lung cancer is one of the main causes of cancer-related deaths globally, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) being the most prevalent histological subtype of lung cancer. Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) is a crucial antioxidant enzyme that plays a role in regulating ferroptosis. It is also involved in a wide variety of biological processes, such as tumor cell growth invasion, migration, and resistance to drugs. This study comprehensively examined the role of GPX4 in NSCLC and investigated the clinical feasibility of targeting GPX4 for NSCLC treatment. We discovered that GPX4 influences the progression of NSCLC by modulating multiple signaling pathways, and that blocking GPX4 can trigger ferroptosis and increase the sensitivity to chemotherapy. As a result, GPX4 represents a prospective therapeutic target for NSCLC. Targeting GPX4 inhibits the development of NSCLC cells and decreases their resistance to treatment.

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Keywords

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