Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42083452›Full record

ArticleMolecular cancer therapeutics2026

Targeting NDUFS4 Disrupts Oxidative Phosphorylation and Induces Ferroptosis in Olaparib-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

Zachary A Schaaf, Shu Ning, Amy R Leslie, Masuda Sharifi, Richard Y Gao, James P Maine, Kristina D Leslie, Yuqiu Shen, Alan P Lombard, Wei Lou and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular cancer therapeutics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Zachary A SchaafDepartment of Urologic Surgery, University of California Davis, Davis, California.ORCID 0000-0001-6930-1256
Shu NingDepartment of Urologic Surgery, University of California Davis, Davis, California.ORCID 0000-0002-6514-0376
Amy R LeslieDepartment of Urologic Surgery, University of California Davis, Davis, California.ORCID 0000-0002-6209-022X
Masuda SharifiDepartment of Urologic Surgery, University of California Davis, Davis, California.ORCID 0000-0001-7759-401X
Richard Y GaoDepartment of Urologic Surgery, University of California Davis, Davis, California.ORCID 0009-0009-8758-390X
James P MaineDepartment of Urologic Surgery, University of California Davis, Davis, California.ORCID 0009-0008-3312-3097
Kristina D LeslieDepartment of Urologic Surgery, University of California Davis, Davis, California.ORCID 0009-0000-7470-6274
Yuqiu ShenDepartment of Urologic Surgery, University of California Davis, Davis, California.ORCID 0009-0008-7492-7729
Alan P LombardDepartment of Urologic Surgery, University of California Davis, Davis, California.ORCID 0000-0002-0266-4420
Wei LouDepartment of Urologic Surgery, University of California Davis, Davis, California.ORCID 0000-0002-4688-1216
Pui-Kai LiDivision of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.ORCID 0000-0002-4831-7213
Chengfei LiuDepartment of Urologic Surgery, University of California Davis, Davis, California.ORCID 0000-0002-2452-8788
Marc Dall'EraDepartment of Urologic Surgery, University of California Davis, Davis, California.ORCID 0000-0002-2301-2683
Allen C GaoDepartment of Urologic Surgery, University of California Davis, Davis, California.ORCID 0000-0002-5966-9038

Funding

Staff InvestigatorsP30CA093373 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS · PI KC KENT LLOYD · 2002 to 2026
$84.9M
Novel therapeutics dual targeting intracrine androgen synthesis and AR for advanced prostate cancerR01CA271327 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · PI Allen C. Gao, PUI-KAI LI · 2022 to 2026
$3.0M
The UC Davis enhanced Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Training ProgramT32GM153586 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · PI Frederic Louis Chedin, ELVA D DIAZ · 2024 to 2026
$2.3M
Therapeutic targeting steroid sulfatase for advanced prostate cancerR01CA253605 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · PI GAO, ALLEN C. · 2020 to 2024
$2.0M
Therapeutic targeting Wnt5A signaling for advanced prostate cancerR01CA250082 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · PI GAO, ALLEN C. · 2021 to 2025
$1.9M
Targeting AR variants in advanced prostate cancerR01CA225836 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · PI GAO, ALLEN C. · 2019 to 2023
$1.8M
BLRD VA I01 BX004036BLRD VA I01 BX006198BLRD VA IK6 BX005222National Cancer Institute (NCI) CA225836National Cancer Institute (NCI) CA250082National Cancer Institute (NCI) CA253605National Cancer Institute (NCI) CA271327NCI NIH HHS P30 CA093373NCI NIH HHS R01 CA225836NCI NIH HHS R01 CA250082NCI NIH HHS R01 CA253605NCI NIH HHS R01 CA271327NIGMS NIH HHS T32 GM153586U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) I01BX004036U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) IK6BX005222
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Resistance to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) remains a major challenge in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. Although metabolic rewiring has been implicated in this process, the molecular drivers and therapeutic vulnerabilities underlying this adaptation remain poorly defined. We integrated transcriptomic, functional, and clinical analyses to identify mitochondrial regulators of PARPi resistance. RNA sequencing and gene set enrichment analysis revealed robust enrichment of oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) pathways in PARPi-resistant prostate cancer cells, with consistent upregulation of NDUFS4, a nuclear-encoded subunit of electron transport chain complex I. Elevated NDUFS4 expression correlated with poor survival in patient cohorts from The Cancer Genome Atlas and SU2C/PCF. Functional analyses demonstrated that genetic knockdown of NDUFS4 impaired complex I activity, reduced mitochondrial mass, and resensitized resistant cells to olaparib. Pharmacologic targeting of NDUFS4 using the niclosamide analog ARVib-7 phenocopied genetic depletion, suppressing mitochondrial respiration and enhancing olaparib efficacy to inhibit the growth of resistant spheroids. Both NDUFS4 silencing and ARVib-7 treatment induced ferroptotic stress, as evidenced by intracellular iron accumulation and altered expression of ferroptosis-associated markers, including COX2, CHAC1, NRF2, and GPX4. These findings identify NDUFS4 as a key mediator of PARPi resistance and a therapeutic vulnerability in advanced prostate cancer. Targeting NDUFS4 disrupts OxPhos and induces ferroptosis, providing a strong rationale for combination strategies with PARPis to overcome drug resistance.

Indexed as

Drug Resistance, NeoplasmElectron Transport Complex IFerroptosisOxidative PhosphorylationPhthalazinesPiperazinesProstatic NeoplasmsAnimalsCell Line, TumorGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMaleMiceMitochondriaPoly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase InhibitorsElectron Transport Complex IolaparibPhthalazinesPiperazinesPoly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors

Identifiers

PMID42083452
PMCPMC13159469

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.