biostudies-literatureZhao CScience and Technology Bureau of Jiangning District1549https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12354449biostudies-literatureUnknown16(1)Cuproptosis is a newly defined regulated cell death model and is considered as a potential approach for cancer treatment. We have previously found that cervical cancer cells have the capability of anti-ferroptosis. A recent study has reported that elesclomol (ES) is able to induce copper-dependent ferroptosis. However, its effect on cervical cancer cell ferroptosis is still unclear. In this study, we found that the expression levels of copper metabolism-related genes ATP7A and ATP7B were decreased in cervical cancer tissues. In cervical cancer cells, combined treatment of ES and Cu²⁺ inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell death, but did not promote cuproptosis. However, ES-Cu²⁺ treatment led to the accumulation of cellular reactive oxygen species, increased ceDiscover oncologyCopper-overload promotes ferroptosis in cervical cancer cells by upregulating HMOX1 expression.PMC123544492024048SZhao CChen JLu YWang TZhou YJu RfalseCopper-overload promotes ferroptosis in cervical cancer cells by upregulating HMOX1 expression.Cuproptosis is a newly defined regulated cell death model and is considered as a potential approach for cancer treatment. We have previously found that cervical cancer cells have the capability of anti-ferroptosis. A recent study has reported that elesclomol (ES) is able to induce copper-dependent ferroptosis. However, its effect on cervical cancer cell ferroptosis is still unclear. In this study, we found that the expression levels of copper metabolism-related genes ATP7A and ATP7B were decreased in cervical cancer tissues. In cervical cancer cells, combined treatment of ES and Cu²⁺ inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell death, but did not promote cuproptosis. However, ES-Cu²⁺ treatment led to the accumulation of cellular reactive oxygen species, increased ce2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Aug2026-07-15T06:30:34.316Z2026-06-30T03:23:06.7ZS-EPMC123544494081077810.1007/s12672-025-03421-2