Isoquercitrin promotes ferroptosis and oxidative stress in nasopharyngeal carcinoma via the AMPK/NF‐κB pathway

Abstract Isoquercitrin has been discovered with various biological properties, including anticancer, anti‐inflammation, antioxidation, and neuroprotection. The aim of this study is to explore the efficacy of isoquercitrin in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and to disclose its potential regulating mechanisms. CNE1 and HNE1 cells were treated with various concentrations of isoquercitrin. Ferrostatin‐1 (Fer‐1, a ferroptosis inhibitor) and alpha‐lipoic acid (ALA, an activator of the AMP‐activated protein kinase [AMPK] pathway) treatments were conducted to verify the effects of isoquercitrin, respectively. Cell viability, proliferation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and lipid peroxidation were determined, respectively. GPX4 expression and ferroptosis‐ and pathway‐related protein expression were measured. A xenograft tumor model was constructed by subcutaneously inoculating CNE1 cells into the middle groin of each mouse. We found that the IC50 values of CNE1 and HNE1 cells were 392.45 and 411.38 μM, respectively. CNE1 and HNE1 viability and proliferation were both markedly reduced with the increasing concentration of isoquercitrin. ROS generation and lipid peroxidation were both enhanced with declined ferroptosis‐related markers under isoquercitrin treatment. The nuclear factor kappa B (NF‐κB) pathway, the AMPK pathway, and the interleukin (IL)‐1β expression were all markedly suppressed by isoquercitrin. Moreover, isoquercitrin restrained the tumor growth and enhanced lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis in vivo. Interestingly, both Fer‐1 and ALA treatments distinctly offset isoquercitrin‐induced effects in vitro and in vivo. These findings indicated that isoquercitrin might enhance oxidative stress and ferroptosis in NPC via AMPK/NF‐κB p65 inhibition.