Tetraarsenic hexoxide enhances generation of mitochondrial ROS to promote pyroptosis by inducing the activation of caspase-3/GSDME in triple-negative breast cancer cells

Abstract Although tetraarsenic hexoxide is known to exert an anti-tumor effect by inducing apoptosis in various cancer cells, its effect on other forms of regulated cell death remains unclear. Here, we show that tetraarsenic hexoxide induces the pyroptotic cell death through activation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated caspase-3/gasdermin E (GSDME) pathway, thereby suppressing tumor growth and metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Interestingly, tetraarsenic hexoxide-treated TNBC cells exhibited specific pyroptotic characteristics, including cell swelling, balloon-like bubbling, and LDH releases through pore formation in the plasma membrane, eventually suppressing tumor formation and lung metastasis of TNBC cells. Mechanistically, tetraarsenic hexoxide markedly enhanced the production of mitochondrial ROS by inhibiting phosphorylation of mitochondrial STAT3, subsequently inducing caspase-3-dependent cleavage of GSDME, which consequently promoted pyroptotic cell death in TNBC cells. Collectively, our findings highlight tetraarsenic hexoxide-induced pyroptosis as a new therapeutic strategy that may inhibit cancer progression of TNBC cells.