Downregulation of ELOVL5 Gene Expression Alters the Mechanism of Ferroptosis in MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells

To date, breast cancer is the most common oncological pathology among the female population both in Russia and worldwide. Previously, our laboratory team identified a significant prognostic marker for breast cancer, namely the ELOVL5 gene, the expression level of which coupled with the IGFBP6 gene allowed one to predict with high sensitivity (82%) and specificity (62.5%) the risk of breast cancer recurrence during the first five years of observation. At the same time, low expression of these genes in tumor tissue corresponded to an unfavorable prognosis. ELOVL5 is a human elongase of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), the use of which is often associated with antitumor effects due to the induction of ferroptotic cell death associated with accelerated peroxidation of intracellular lipids. Thus, activation of ferroptosis, an alternative pathway of programmed cell death, in tumor cells is considered a promising approach to overcome drug resistance. Here, changes in the dynamics of ferroptotic cell death, as well as the transcriptome profile of breast cancer cells with decreased ELOVL5 gene expression were investigated.