Nobiletin promotes ferroptosis in breast cancer through targeting AKR1C1-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of GPX4.

Yangfeng Wu, Yuhao Li, Y Huang, Qing Li, Zhuorong Li, Lin Lv, Yaozog Yuan, Kun Zhang, Yen-Ni Liu, Liduan Zheng

Phytomedicine

Sep 30, 2025

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Nobiletin, a major component derived from the natural product Citrus reticulata Blanco, has been shown to exhibit potent anti-cancer activity across various cancer types. However, the mechanisms underlying its anti-breast cancer effects, particularly in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), remain poorly understood. PURPOSE: The study aims to explore the role of nobiletin in promoting ferroptosis in TNBC by targeting aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C1 (AKR1C1) to facilitate ubiquitination and degradation of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4). METHODS: Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay were conducted to evaluate the effect of nobiletin on TNBC cell proliferation. Transmission electron microscopy and mitochondrial membrane potential assays were used to observe mitochondrial changes. A ferrous ion detection kit was used to assess intracellular ferrous ion levels. Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and dihydroethidium (DHE) and BODIPY 581/591 C11 detection kits were used to measure changes in redox-related molecules. Western blot analysis was performed to detect alterations in ferroptosis-related proteins following nobiletin treatment. Further, RNA sequencing was conducted to identify target genes and pathways affected by nobiletin treatment. Molecular docking, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) were used to determine the interaction sites between nobiletin and AKR1C1. Plasmid construction, viral transfection, co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP), and in vitro ubiquitination assays were employed to investigate the effect of the nobiletin-AKR1C1 interaction on GPX4 ubiquitination. Immunohistochemistry of breast cancer patient tumour tissues was performed to analyse AKR1C1 expression in tumour and adjacent normal tissues. In addition, an orthotopic breast tumour mouse model was established to explore the in vivo effects of nobiletin on tumour growth and ferroptosis. Swiss ADME analysis was conducted to predict the pharmacokinetic properties of nobiletin. RESULTS: In our research, we demonstrate that nobiletin effectively suppresses proliferation and induces ferroptosis in TNBC cell liness, accompanied by the release of ROS, iron accumulation, production of MDA, and depletion of GSH, changes that can be reversed by the ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) and the ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Furthermore, RNA sequencing analyses revealed that nobiletin significantly upregulates the expression of AKR1C1 which correlates with improved patient survival, suggesting its potential as a prognostic marker. Using SPR, molecular docking techniques, and CETSA, we identified AKR1C1 as a direct binding target of nobiletin, with the likely binding sites being HIS117A, LYS207A, and SER217A. Subsequently, through co-IP and in vitro ubiquitination experiments, we demonstrated that the nobiletin-AKR1C1 complex promotes the degradation of GPX4 by enhancing its ubiquitination. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that nobiletin induces ferroptosis through a direct and previously unrecognised molecular mechanism: targeting AKR1C1 to promote GPX4 ubiquitination and degradation. These results emphasise the promising role of nobiletin as an effective therapeutic approach for TNBC.