Estrogen receptor 1 regulates ovarian cancer cell stemness and ferroptosis through modulation of the canonical RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway

Figure 6 Effect of estrogen receptor 1 downregulation on cell stemness and ferroptosis in A2780 cells by inhibiting the Ras homolog gene family member A/Rho-associated coiled-coil containing protein kinase signaling pathway. A2780 cells were transfected with si-NC and si-ESR1, and treated with CN03. A: Aldehyde dehydrogenas activity significantly decreased in A2780 cells post si-ESR1 transfection, which was partially restored by CN03 treatment; B: Cell spheroidization assay demonstrated a decrease in cell stemness in the si-ESR1 group, with a reversal observed upon CN03 introduction; C: Protein levels of octamer-binding transcription factor 4 and Nanog decreased significantly in the si-ESR1 group, but were restored by CN03 treatment; D: Fe²⁺ content in A2780 cells increased following si-ESR1 transfection, and decreased with CN03 supplementation; E: Expression levels of ferritin heavy chain and ferritin light chain increased, while transferrin receptor 1 expression decreased in the si-ESR1 group, and these changes were reversed by CN03 treatment. Data was expressed as mean ± SD (n = 3). ^bP < 0.01 vs si-NC group; ^dP < 0.01 vs si-ESR1 group. ALDH: Aldehyde dehydrogenas; ESR1: Estrogen receptor 1; OCT4: Octamer-binding transcription factor 4; FTH: Ferritin heavy chain; FTL: Ferritin light chain; TFR1: Transferrin receptor 1.