Available online 11 November 2023, 101018

Cuproptosis is a newly identified form of cell death driven by copper. Recently, the role of copper and copper triggered cell death in the pathogenesis of cancers have attracted attentions. Cuproptosis has garnered enormous interest in cancer research communities because of its great potential for cancer therapy. Copper-based treatment exerts an inhibiting role in tumor growth and may open the door for the treatment of chemotherapy-insensitive tumors. In this review, we provide a critical analysis on copper homeostasis and the role of copper dysregulation in the development and progression of cancers. Then the core molecular mechanisms of cuproptosis and its role in cancer is discussed, followed by summarizing the current understanding of copper-based agents (copper chelators, copper ionophores, and copper complexes-based dynamic therapy) for cancer treatment. Additionally, we summarize the emerging data on copper complexes-based agents and copper ionophores to subdue tumor chemotherapy resistance in different types of cancers. We also review the small-molecule compounds and nanoparticles (NPs) that may kill cancer cells by inducing cuproptosis, which will shed new light on the development of anticancer drugs through inducing cuproptosis in the future. Finally, the important concepts and pressing questions of cuproptosis in future research that should be focused on were discussed. This review article suggests that targeting cuproptosis could be a novel antitumor therapy and treatment strategy to overcome cancer drug resistance.

aldehyde dehydrogenase 2

copper chaperone antioxidant 1 copper chaperone

copper exporter ATPase copper transporting beta

Cu chaperone for superoxide dismutase

Cu transport protein 1

duodenal cytochrome b

lipoylated dihydrolipoamide S-acetyltransferase

divalent metal transporter 1

epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

mitochondrial intermembrane space

Mediator of ErbB2-driven cell Motility

oxidative phosphorylation

synthesis of cytochrome C oxidase 1

solute carrier family 25 member 3

six-transmembrane epithelial antigen of the prostate

mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid

copper chelator ammonium tetrathiomolybdate

Cuproptosis

Cancer

Copper

Drug resistance

Nanoparticles

© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.