Cytoglobin dependent transcriptomic changes determine sensitivity of melanoma to ferroptopsis

In this study, we investigated the potential effect of CYGB on the cellular sensitivity towards (1S, 3R)-RAS-selective lethal small molecule (RSL3)-mediated ferroptosis in the G361 melanoma cells with abundant endogenous expression. Our findings show that an increased basal ROS level and higher degree of lipid peroxidation upon RSL3 treatment contributes to the increased sensitivity of CYGB knockdown G361 cells to ferroptosis. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis demonstrates the enrichment of multiple cancer malignancy pathways upon CYGB knockdown, supporting a tumor suppressive role for CYGB. Remarkably, CYGB knockdown also triggered activation of the NOD-, LRR- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and subsequent induction of pyroptosis target genes. Altogether, we show that silencing of CYGB expression modulates cancer therapy sensitivity via modulation of ferroptosis and pyroptosis cell death signalling pathways. Overall design: Differential gene expression analysis of CYGB knockdown G361 melanoma cells under basal conditions (untreated) and upon treatment with ferroptosis inducer RSL3.