Researchers have identified a protein that helps cancer cells stay alive, offering a promising new target for therapy.
The enzyme, known as ferroptosis suppressor protein 1 (FSP1), acts as a defense system against a type of cell death called ferroptosis, which causes cells to break down from within.
In two independent studies published in Nature, scientists at Harvard University and New York University found that blocking FSP1 in mice with melanoma or lung cancer slowed tumor growth.
When the protein was disabled, cancer cells became more vulnerable and began to die naturally.
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The studies findings
Earlier research suggested that another enzyme, GPX4, was the main shield against ferroptosis.
But Harvard scientists, led by Jessalyn Ubellacker, discovered that melanoma cells in lymph nodes could survive even when GPX4 was turned off.
When the team instead targeted FSP1, tumor growth dropped dramatically by about a third compared to untreated mice.
At New York University, researchers observed a similar effect in lung cancer models.
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Mice treated with FSP1 inhibitors had smaller tumors and lived slightly longer than those in the control group.
The results suggest that FSP1 may protect a wide range of cancers, not just a few specific types.
What comes next?
Experts say the research is still at an early stage. The findings in mice will need to be tested carefully in humans before new treatments can be developed.
However, FSP1 inhibitors might prove safer than earlier approaches that targeted GPX4, which can also harm healthy immune cells.
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If confirmed in clinical studies, this strategy could mark an important step toward therapies that make cancer destroy itself, using the body’s own biology to fight back.
Sources: National Geographic, Harvard University, and New York University.
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