Carbonic Anhydrase 9: mastering ferropoptosis resistance in cancer, protector or weak point?

Ferroptosis is a recently discovered form of iron-dependent programmed cell death, characterized by the toxic accumulation of lipid peroxides that disrupt cell membrane function. Cancer cells are particularly susceptible to ferroptosis due to their high iron requirements for growth and a metabolism that creates an intracellular environment conducive to triggering this death mechanism. However, cancer cells counteract this vulnerability through carbonic anhydrase 9 (CA9), a protein that regulates intracellular pH, ensuring conditions unfavorable for ferroptosis.\\nThis minireview explores the factors necessary to induce ferroptosis and examines how CA9 not only protects cancer cells but also facilitates their migration. The aim is to highlight potential therapeutic opportunities arising from disrupting the functionality of this protein.