Fig. 5

Combination therapy of TMZ and ABX induced ferroptosis of GBM cells by regulating HOXM1 (HO-1) and GPX4 expression. a KEGG pathway enrichment analysis was performed based on the different expressed proteins identified in proteomics research. b Gene set enrichment pathway analysis (GSEA) showed enrichment of ferroptosis signaling pathway in TMZ plus ABX treatment group. c Protein expression heatmap of the ferroptosis-promoted and inhibited proteins in U87-MG cells treated with TMZ (400 µM) with or without ABX (12 nM) according to LC–MS/MS data. d-e Representative confocal fluorescence microscopy images of iron staining with ferroOrange (d) lipid-ROS staining with liperfluo (e) in GBM cells with indicated treatments for 72 h. Scale bar, 50 µm. f Relative glutathione levels in GBM cells with indicated treatments for 72 h. g Relative mRNA levels of PTGS2 in GBM cells with indicated treatments for 72 h. h Cell viability of GBM cells treated with indicated concentrations of TMZ or ABX, and with or without addition of ferrostain-1 (2 µM, ferroptosis inhibitor). i Protein expression level of HO-1 and GPX4 were analyzed by western blotting in GBM cells with indicated treatment for 72 h