Cancer persister cells activate NMDARs to survive ferroptosis
Simona Punzi, ILARIA VILLANTI, Guido Gatti, Davide Cittaro, Gemma Crupi, Michela Prunella, Nicola Altini, GIULIA CASAROLI, ELISA GUERRERA, Giovanni F.M. Gallo, CLAUDIA FELICI, Oronza Antonietta Botrugno, EMANUELE TANZI, Vitoantonio Bevilacqua, Antonella Nai, , Giovanni Tonon
This paper identifies that cancer persister cells activate NMDARs to survive ferroptosis, and inhibiting both the Xc- antiporter and NMDAR/NFE2L2 axis resensitizes them to ferroptosis.
bioRxiv · Jul 14, 2026 · PreprintCancer Biology