Scientists discover vitamin B2 may help cancer cells survive
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- Vitamin B2 metabolism fuels the activity of the protein FSP1, which shields cells from ferroptosis.
- Rudolf Virchow Centre researchers at Julius‑Maximilians‑Universität Würzburg discovered that cancer cells rely on vitamin B2 to evade ferroptosis.
- Roseoflavin, a vitamin B2‑like compound, was shown in lab experiments to dismantle the protective shield and trigger cancer cell death.
- Nature Cell Biology published the study reporting these findings.
Why it matters: Limiting vitamin B2 makes tumors more vulnerable to ferroptosis, giving researchers a concrete metabolic target for future cancer therapies and improving outcomes for patients with resistant cancers.
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