Cuproptosis in cancer therapy: mechanisms, therapeutic application and future prospects

Abstract

Cuproptosis is a regulated form of cell death induced by the accumulation of metal ions and is closely linked to aspects of cellular drug resistance, cellular metabolism, and signalling pathways. Due to its crucial role in regulating physiological and pathological processes, cuproptosis has gained increasing significance as a potential target for anticancer drug development. In this review, we introduce the definition of cuproptosis and provide a comprehensive discussion of the mechanisms of cuproptosis. In addition, the methods for the detection of cuproptosis are summarized, and recent advances in cuproptosis in cancer therapy are reviewed, mainly in terms of elesclomol (ES)-mediated cuproptosis and disulfiram (DSF)-mediated cuproptosis, which provided practical value for applications. Finally, the current challenges and future development of cuproptosis-mediated cancer therapy are discussed. In summary, this review highlights recent progress on cuproptosis in cancer therapy, offering novel ideas and strategies for future research and applications.