Investigating Active Site Binding of Ligands to High and Low Activity Carbonic Anhydrase Enzymes Using Native Mass Spectrometry.

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are a family of enzymes that play an important pH regulatory role in health and disease. While different CA isozymes have a high degree of structural similarity, they have variable enzymatic activity, with CA III being the least active and having less than 1% of the activity of CA II, the most active. Furthermore, ligand binding studies for CA III are limited, and a resulting lack of chemical probes impedes understanding of this CA isozyme in comparison to other CA family members where studies are abundant. Therefore, we employed native mass spectrometry (nMS), also known as intact mass spectrometry, to assess ligand binding to CA II and CA III and discovered two novel compounds that for the first time display strong binding to CA III. We present a new data visualization and quantification tool developed to display native mass spectra as an intuitive stacked heat map representation for rapidly interpreting the results of ligand-protein binding from nMS screening.

Exploring the Redox and pH Dimension of Carbonic Anhydrases in Cancer: A Focus on Carbonic Anhydrase 3.

Significance: Both redox and pH are important regulatory processes that underpin cell physiological functions, in addition to influencing cancer cell development and tumor progression. The thioredoxin (Trx) and glutathione redox systems and the carbonic anhydrase (CA) proteins are considered key regulators of cellular redox and pH, respectively, with components of the Trx system and CAs regarded as cancer therapeutic targets. However, the redox and pH axis in cancer cells is an underexplored topic of research. Recent Advances: Structural studies of a CA family member, CA3, localized two of its five cysteine residues to the protein surface. Redox-regulated modifications to CA3 have been identified, including glutathionylation. CA3 has been shown to bind to other proteins, including B cell lymphoma-2-associated athanogene 3, and squalene epoxidase, which can modulate autophagy and proinflammatory signaling, respectively, in cancer cells. Critical Issues: CA3 has also been associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition processes, which promote cancer cell metastasis, whereas CA3 overexpression activates the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/AKT/mTOR) pathway, which upregulates cell growth and inhibits autophagy. It is not yet known if CA3 modulates cancer progression through its reported antioxidant functions. Future Directions: CA3 is one of the least studied CA isozymes. Further studies are required to assess the cellular antioxidant role of CA3 and its impact on cancer progression. Identification of other binding partners is also required, including whether CA3 binds to Trx in human cells. The development of specific CA3 inhibitors will facilitate these functional studies and allow CA3 to be investigated as a cancer therapeutic target.

Co-Targeting of BTK and TrxR as a Therapeutic Approach to the Treatment of Lymphoma.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a haematological malignancy representing the most diagnosed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) subtype. Despite the approved chemotherapies available in clinics, some patients still suffer from side effects and relapsed disease. Recently, studies have reported the role of the Trx system and the BCR signalling pathway in cancer development and drug resistance. In this regard, we assessed a potential link between the two systems and evaluated the effects of [Au(d2pype)2]Cl (TrxR inhibitor) and ibrutinib (BTK inhibitor) alone and in combination on the cell growth of two DLBCL lymphoma cell lines, SUDHL2 and SUDHL4. In this study, we show higher expression levels of the Trx system and BCR signalling pathway in the DLBCL patient samples compared to the healthy samples. The knockdown of TrxR using siRNA reduced BTK mRNA and protein expression. A combination treatment with [Au(d2pype)2]Cl and ibrutinib had a synergistic effect on the inhibition of lymphoma cell proliferation, the activation of apoptosis, and, depending on lymphoma cell subtype, ferroptosis. Decreased BTK expression and the cytoplasmic accumulation of p65 were observed after the combination treatment in the DLBCL cells, indicating the inhibition of the NF-κB pathway. Thus, the co-targeting of BTK and TrxR may be an effective therapeutic strategy to consider for DLBCL treatment.

Expanding the armory for treating lymphoma: Targeting redox cellular status through thioredoxin reductase inhibition.

Lymphoma refers to a group of cancers that arise from lymphocytes and is the most common form of hematological malignancy in adults. While the recent availability of specific chemotherapy regimes has resulted in good patient outcomes for some lymphoma subtypes, relapsed and refractory lymphoma is still a challenge that needs to be overcome. This review discusses how Nrf-2 regulated antioxidant systems such as the thioredoxin and glutathione systems are upregulated in lymphomas and have been linked with several signaling pathways involved in lymphoma development and progression, including the B cell receptor, the NF-κB, and the STAT3 signaling pathways. Thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) has been recognized as a potential anticancer target and, as a consequence, the synthesis of TrxR inhibitors, along with the discovery of inhibitors from natural resources and evaluation of their anti-cancer effects, is an ongoing active area of research. Targeting antioxidant systems, especially TrxR, may represent a new valid therapeutic approach for lymphoma, potentially in combination with existing therapies.

Application of traditional Chinese medicine as skin depigmentation agents.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been frequently used as skin lightning agents. However, the mechanism of action of their effect is unclear. The present study aims to evaluate anti-tyrosinase activity of 10 commonly used TCM on mushroom (ab), human (hs) and mouse melanoma B16F0 (mm) tyrosinase (TYR) respectively. The results showed that at 1.0 mg/mL, extracts from Rosa rugosa Thumb, Morus alba L. and Paeonia lactiflora Pall were active against both abTYR and hsTYR (>50% inhibition), extracts from Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Rchb. F., Centella asiatica (L.) Urb, Cynanchum atratum L., Rosa canina L., Rhus chinensis Mill. and Glycyrrhiza urolensis Fisch. Ex DC. inhibited either abTYR or hsTYR (>50%), while extract from Tribulus terrestris L. had no/minimal activity (<10% inhibition). When treated with melanoma B16F0 cells, M. alba also significantly reduced mmTYR activity (70% at 250 µg/mL) and melanin content (50% at 250 µg/mL). These findings demonstrated inhibitory effects of 9 TCM against TYR and hence support their application as skin lightning agents. Our results also showed discrepancies in TYR activity from different sources, suggesting a testing regime of combining abTYR, hsTYR and mmTYR when developing depigmentation agents for human application.

Correction: Inhibition of thioredoxin 1 leads to apoptosis in drug-resistant multiple myeloma.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.3795.].

Modulating skin colour: role of the thioredoxin and glutathione systems in regulating melanogenesis.

Different skin colour among individuals is determined by the varying amount and types of melanin pigment. Melanin is produced in melanocytes, a type of dendritic cell located in the basal layer of the epidermis, through the process of melanogenesis. Melanogenesis consists of a series of biochemical and enzymatic reactions catalysed by tyrosinase and other tyrosinase-related proteins, leading to the formation of two types of melanin, eumelanin and pheomelanin. Melanogenesis can be regulated intrinsically by several signalling pathways, including the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/protein kinase A (PKA), stem cell factor (SCF)/c-kit and wingless-related integration site (Wnt)/ß-catenin signalling pathways. Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is the major extrinsic factor in the regulation of melanogenesis, through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Antioxidants or antioxidant systems, with the ability to scavenge ROS, may decrease melanogenesis. This review focuses on the two main cellular antioxidant systems, the thioredoxin (Trx) and glutathione (GSH) systems, and discusses their roles in melanogenesis. In the Trx system, high levels/activities of thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) are correlated with melanin formation. The GSH system is linked with regulating pheomelanin formation. Exogenous addition of GSH has been shown to act as a depigmenting agent, suggesting that other antioxidants may also have the potential to act as depigmenting agents for the treatment of human hyperpigmentation disorders.

Investigating the Thioredoxin and Glutathione Systems' Response in Lymphoma Cells after Treatment with [Au(d2pype)2]CL.

Lymphoma is a blood cancer comprising various subtypes. Although effective therapies are available, some patients fail to respond to treatment and can suffer from side effects. Antioxidant systems, especially the thioredoxin (Trx) and glutathione (GSH) systems, are known to enhance cancer cell survival, with thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) recently reported as a potential anticancer target. Since the GSH system can compensate for some Trx system functions, we investigated its response in three lymphoma cell lines after inhibiting TrxR activity with [Au(d2pype)2]Cl, a known TrxR inhibitor. [Au(d2pype)2]Cl increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and induced caspase-3 activity leading to cell apoptosis through inhibiting both TrxR and glutathione peroxidase (Gpx) activity. Expression of the tumour suppresser gene TXNIP increased, while GPX1 and GPX4 expression, which are related to poor prognosis of lymphoma patients, decreased. Unlike SUDHL2 and SUDHL4 cells, which exhibited a decreased GSH/GSSG ratio after treatment, in KMH2 cells the ratio remained unchanged, while glutathione reductase and glutaredoxin expression increased. Since KMH2 cells were less sensitive to treatment with [Au(d2pype)2]Cl, the GSH system may play a role in protecting cells from apoptosis after TrxR inhibition. Overall, our study demonstrates that inhibition of TrxR represents a valid therapeutic approach for lymphoma.

Carbonic anhydrase XII inhibition overcomes P-glycoprotein-mediated drug resistance: a potential new combination therapy in cancer.

Intrinsic or acquired resistance to chemotherapy is a major hurdle in the treatment of cancer. One of the key mechanisms of resistance is the overexpression of the drug efflux transporter P-glycoprotein (Pgp). Pgp overexpression renders a large number of mechanistically unrelated chemotherapies ineffective. Targeting Pgp inhibition directly to overcome drug resistance, although conceptually and mechanistically attractive, has not translated to the clinic, in part because Pgp also has a critical protective function in many healthy tissues. It was recently discovered that carbonic anhydrase XII (CA XII), an enzyme associated with pH regulation in cancer, is co-expressed and co-located with Pgp in drug resistant cancer cells. CA XII is also upregulated by hypoxia, which is another microenvironmental factor that contributes to drug resistance. Here, we review findings that demonstrate modulation of CA XII may offer a promising new approach towards overcoming the longstanding hurdle of drug resistance and therapy failure against solid cancers. This review covers the use of CA XII inhibitors, both small molecule and antibody, in combination with chemotherapeutics that are substrates for Pgp. This combination therapy approach restores the efficacy of chemotherapy in resistant cells and offers a potential new therapeutic window to re-examine the targeting of Pgp as a safe, effective, and novel anticancer strategy.

The regulation of bcr-abl in hypoxia is through the mTOR pathway.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is usually characterized by the formation of the fusion onco-protein bcr-abl. Therefore, the majority of CML treatments are bcr-abl specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). TKI resistance in CML treatment is becoming a major obstacle in managing this disease. One well-studied form of drug resistance is hypoxia-induced drug resistance, a phenomenon observed in many other cancers. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of TKIs in CML cells cultured in hypoxia. It was observed that bcr-abl translation was severely halted in hypoxia, rendering TKIs ineffective. We found that the mechanism by which bcr-abl protein levels were being suppressed in hypoxia was through the mTOR pathway, specifically via ribosomal protein S6 (RPS6). This information is vital to the improvement of CML treatments, as it can be used to determine how to best combat hypoxia-induced drug resistance in CML and subsequently to identify new targets for treatment.

Cross-talk between Bcr-abl and the Thioredoxin System in Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia: Implications for CML Treatment.

Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is currently treated with inhibitors of the CML specific oncoprotein, bcr-abl. While this strategy is initially successful, drug resistance can become a problem. Therefore, new targets need to be identified to ensure the disease can be appropriately managed. The thioredoxin (Trx) system, comprised of Trx, thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), and NADPH, is an antioxidant system previously identified as a target for therapies aimed at overcoming drug resistance in other cancers. We assessed the effectiveness of TrxR inhibitors on drug resistant CML cells and examined links between TrxR and the bcr-abl cell-signalling pathway. Two TrxR inhibitors, auranofin and [Au(d2pype)2]Cl, increased intracellular ROS levels and elicited apoptosis in both sensitive and imatinib resistant CML cells. Inhibition of TrxR activity by these pharmacological inhibitors, or by specific siRNA, also resulted in decreased bcr-abl mRNA and protein levels, and lower bcr-abl downstream signalling activity, potentially enhancing the effectiveness of TrxR inhibitors as CML therapies. In addition, imatinib resistant CML cell lines showed upregulated expression of the Trx system. Furthermore, analysis of datasets showed that CML patients who did not respond to imatinib had higher Trx mRNA levels than patients who responded to treatment. Our study demonstrates a link between the Trx system and the bcr-abl protein and highlights the therapeutic potential of targeting the Trx system to improve CML patients' outcomes.

Anticancer activity of a Gold(I) phosphine thioredoxin reductase inhibitor in multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM), the second most common haematological malignancy, is a clonal plasma B-cell neoplasm that forms within the bone marrow. Despite recent advancements in treatment, MM remains an incurable disease. Auranofin, a linear gold(I) phosphine compound, has previously been shown to exert a significant anti-myeloma activity by inhibiting thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) activity. A bis-chelated tetrahedral gold(I) phosphine complex [Au(d2pype)2]Cl (where d2pype is 1,2-bis(di-2-pyridylphosphino)ethane) was previously designed to improve the gold(I) compound selectivity towards selenol- and thiol-containing proteins, such as TrxR. In this study, we show that [Au(d2pype)2]Cl significantly inhibited TrxR activity in both bortezomib-sensitive and resistant myeloma cells, which led to a significant reduction in cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis, both of which were dependent on ROS. In clonogenic assays, treatment with [Au(d2pype)2]Cl completely abrogated the tumourigenic capacity of MM cells, whereas auranofin was less effective. We also show that [Au(d2pype)2]Cl exerted a significant anti-myeloma activity in vivo in human RPMI8226 xenograft model in immunocompromised NOD/SCID mice. The MYC oncogene, known to drive myeloma progression, was downregulated in both in vitro and in vivo models when treated with [Au(d2pype)2]Cl. This study highlights the "proof of concept" that improved gold(I)-based compounds could potentially be used to not only treat MM but as an alternative tool to understand the role of the Trx system in the pathogenesis of this blood disease.

Therapeutic cooperation between auranofin, a thioredoxin reductase inhibitor and anti-PD-L1 antibody for treatment of triple-negative breast cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBCs) is a very aggressive and lethal form of breast cancer with no effective targeted therapy. Neoadjuvant chemotherapies and radiotherapy remains a mainstay of treatment with only 25-30% of TNBC patients responding. Thus, there is an unmet clinical need to develop novel therapeutic strategies for TNBCs. TNBC cells have increased intracellular oxidative stress and suppressed glutathione, a major antioxidant system, but still, are protected against higher oxidative stress. We screened a panel of antioxidant genes using the TCGA and METABRIC databases and found that expression of the thioredoxin pathway genes is significantly upregulated in TNBC patients compared to non-TNBC patients and is correlated with adverse survival outcomes. Treatment with auranofin (AF), an FDA-approved thioredoxin reductase inhibitor caused specific cell death and impaired the growth of TNBC cells grown as spheroids. Furthermore, AF treatment exerted a significant in vivo antitumor activity in multiple TNBC models including the syngeneic 4T1.2 model, MDA-MB-231 xenograft and patient-derived tumor xenograft by inhibiting thioredoxin redox activity. We, for the first time, showed that AF increased CD8+Ve T-cell tumor infiltration in vivo and upregulated immune checkpoint PD-L1 expression in an ERK1/2-MYC-dependent manner. Moreover, combination of AF with anti-PD-L1 antibody synergistically impaired the growth of 4T1.2 primary tumors. Our data provide a novel therapeutic strategy using AF in combination with anti-PD-L1 antibody that warrants further clinical investigation for TNBC patients.

The Multifaceted Roles of DJ-1 as an Antioxidant.

The DJ-1 protein was originally linked with Parkinson's disease and is now known to have antioxidant functions. The protein has three redox-sensitive cysteine residues, which are involved in its dimerisation and functional properties. A mildly oxidised form of DJ-1 is the most active form and protects cells from oxidative stress conditions. DJ-1 functions as an antioxidant through a variety of mechanisms, including a weak direct antioxidant activity by scavenging reactive oxygen species. DJ-1 also regulates a number of signalling pathways, including the inhibition of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1)-induced apoptosis under oxidative stress conditions. Other proteins regulated by DJ-1 include enzymes, chaperones, the 20S proteasome and transcription factors, including Nrf2. Once activated by oxidative stress, Nrf2 upregulates antioxidant gene expression including members of the thioredoxin and glutathione pathways, which in turn mediate an antioxidant protective function. Crosstalk between DJ-1 and both the thioredoxin and glutathione systems has also been identified. Thioredoxin reduces a cysteine residue on DJ-1 to modulate its activity, while glutaredoxin1 de-glutathionylates DJ-1, preventing degradation of DJ-1 and resulting in its accumulation. DJ-1 also regulates the activity of glutamate cysteine ligase, which is the rate-limiting step for glutathione synthesis. These antioxidant functions of DJ-1 are key to its role in protecting neurons from oxidative stress and are hypothesised to protect the brain from the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and to protect cardiac tissues from ischaemic-reperfusion injury. However, DJ-1, as an antioxidant, also protects cancer cells from undergoing oxidative stress-induced apoptosis.

Characterisation of Photoaffinity-Based Chemical Probes by Fluorescence Imaging and Native-State Mass Spectrometry.

Chemical probes are small-molecule reagents used by researchers for labelling and detection of biomolecules. We present the design, synthesis, and characterisation of a panel of 11 structurally diverse photoaffinity labelling (PAL) probes as research tools for labelling the model enzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA) in challenging environments, including in protein mixtures and cell lysates. We targeted the ubiquitous CA II as well as the two cancer-associated CAs (CA IX and CA XII) that are of high priority as potential biomarkers of aggressive and/or multidrug-resistant cancer. We utilise an atypical biophysical approach, native state mass spectrometry, to monitor the initial protein-probe binding and subsequent UV crosslinking efficiency of the protein:probe complex. This mass spectrometry methodology represents a new approach for chemical probe optimisation and development that might have broader applications to chemical probe characterisation beyond this study. This also represents one of the first studies, to the best of our knowledge, in which a comprehensive set of PAL probes has been used to establish the relationship between probe structure, noncovalent protein-probe binding, and covalent protein-probe crosslinking efficiency. Our results demonstrate the benefits of a comprehensive analysis of chemical probe structure-activity relationships to support the development of optimum chemical probes.

Targeted knockdown of DJ-1 induces multiple myeloma cell death via KLF6 upregulation.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable plasma B cell malignancy. Despite recent advancements in anti-MM therapies, development of drug resistance remains a major clinical hurdle. DJ-1, a Parkinson's disease-associated protein, is upregulated in many cancers and its knockdown suppresses tumor growth and overcomes chemoresistance. However, the role of DJ-1 in MM remains unknown. Using gene expression databases we found increased DJ-1 expression in MM patient cells, which correlated with shorter overall survival and poor prognosis in MM patients. Targeted DJ-1 knockdown using siRNAs induced necroptosis in myeloma cells. We found that Krüppel-like factor 6 (KLF6) is expressed at lower levels in myeloma cells compared to PBMCs, and DJ-1 knockdown increased KLF6 expression in myeloma cells. Targeted knockdown of KLF6 expression in DJ-1 knockdown myeloma cells rescued these cells from undergoing cell death. Higher DJ-1 levels were observed in bortezomib-resistant myeloma cells compared to parent cells, and siRNA-mediated DJ-1 knockdown reversed bortezomib resistance. DJ-1 knockdown increased KLF6 expression in bortezomib-resistant myeloma cells, and subsequent siRNA-mediated KLF6 knockdown rescued bortezomib-resistant myeloma cells from undergoing cell death. We also demonstrated that specific siRNA-mediated DJ-1 knockdown reduced myeloma cell growth under a hypoxic microenvironment. DJ-1 knockdown reduced the expression of HIF-1α and its target genes in hypoxic-myeloma cells, and overcame hypoxia-induced bortezomib resistance. Our findings demonstrate that elevated DJ-1 levels correlate with myeloma cell survival and acquisition of bortezomib resistance. Thus, we propose that inhibiting DJ-1 may be an effective therapeutic strategy to treat newly diagnosed as well as relapsed/refractory MM patients.

Expression of the thioredoxin system in an in vivo-like cancer cell environment upon auranofin treatment.

As essential elements of the tumor microenvironment, the variable oxygenation state of the tumor tissue, the extracellular matrix (ECM) and different cell types are important determinants of carcinogenesis. These elements may also influence how tumor cells respond to therapeutic treatments. In the present study, we assessed the anti-cancer activity of auranofin and its effect on the thioredoxin (Trx) system under conditions that closely resemble the in vivo tumor microenvironment with respect to the oxygen levels and tissue architecture. We utilised an oxygen scheme involving growth of cancer cells under normoxia (20%) and hypoxia (0.1%). We also preconditioned cells with intermittent hypoxia (IH) prior to a prolonged hypoxic incubation. This oxygen scheme did not affect the cytotoxicity of auranofin; however, IH preconditioned cells were less sensitive towards the inhibition of thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) specific activity upon treatment with auranofin. IH preconditioning also upregulated Trx protein levels in auranofin treated cells. We also compared the activity of auranofin against cancer cells cultured in 2D monolayer and 3D spheroid-based culture models. Auranofin was less potent against cells grown under a more in vivo-like 3D environment. The results presented in this paper implicate the importance of the tumor oxygen environment and tissue architecture in influencing the response of cancer cells towards auranofin.

Synthesis and in Vivo Biological Evaluation of (68)Ga-Labeled Carbonic Anhydrase IX Targeting Small Molecules for Positron Emission Tomography.

Tumor hypoxia contributes resistance to chemo- and radiotherapy, while oxygenated tumors are sensitive to these treatments. The indirect detection of hypoxic tumors is possible by targeting carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX), an enzyme overexpressed in hypoxic tumors, with sulfonamide-based imaging agents. In this study, we present the design and synthesis of novel gallium-radiolabeled small-molecule sulfonamides targeting CA IX. The compounds display favorable in vivo pharmacokinetics and stability. We demonstrate that our lead compound, [(68)Ga]-2, discriminates CA IX-expressing tumors in vivo in a mouse xenograft model using positron emission tomography (PET). This compound shows specific tumor accumulation and low uptake in blood and clears intact to the urine. These findings were reproduced in a second study using PET/computed tomography. Small molecules investigated to date utilizing (68)Ga for preclinical CA IX imaging are scarce, and this is one of the first effective (68)Ga compounds reported for PET imaging of CA IX.

An Unusual Natural Product Primary Sulfonamide: Synthesis, Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibition, and Protein X-ray Structures of Psammaplin C.

Psammaplin C is one of only two described natural product primary sulfonamides. Here we report the synthesis of psammaplin C and evaluate the inhibition profile against therapeutically relevant carbonic anhydrase (CA) zinc metalloenzymes. The compound exhibited unprecedented inhibition of an important cancer-associated isozyme, hCA XII, with a Ki of 0.79 nM. The compound also displayed good isoform selectivity for hCA XII over other CAs. We present the first reported protein X-ray crystal structures of psammaplin C in complex with human CAs. We engineered the easily crystallized hCA II enzyme to mimic both the hCA IX and hCA XII binding sites and then utilized protein X-ray crystallography to determine the binding pose of psammaplin C within the hCA II, hCA IX, and hCA XII mimic active sites, all to high resolution. This is the first time a natural product primary sulfonamide inhibitor has been assessed for inhibition and binding to CAs.

The thioredoxin system in breast cancer cell invasion and migration.

Metastasis is the most life threatening aspect of breast cancer. It is a multi-step process involving invasion and migration of primary tumor cells with a subsequent colonization of these cells at a secondary location. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of thioredoxin (Trx1) in the invasion and migration of breast cancer cells and to assess the strength of the association between high levels of Trx1 and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR1) expression with breast cancer patient survival. Our results indicate that the expression of both Trx1 and TrxR1 are statistically significantly increased in breast cancer patient cells compared with paired normal breast tissue from the same patient. Over-expression of Trx1 in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines enhanced cell invasion in in vitro assays while expression of a redox inactive mutant form of Trx1 (designated 1SS) or the antisense mRNA inhibited cell invasion. Addition of exogenous Trx1 also enhanced cell invasion, while addition of a specific monoclonal antibody that inhibits Trx1 redox function decreased cell invasion. Over-expression of intracellular Trx1 did not increase cell migration but expression of intracellular 1SS inhibited migration. Addition of exogenous Trx1 enhanced cell migration while 1SS had no effect. Treatment with auranofin inhibited TrxR activity, cell migration and clonogenic activity of MDA-MB-231 cells, while increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Analysis of 25 independent cohorts with 5910 patients showed that Trx1 and TrxR1 were both associated with a poor patient prognosis in terms of overall survival, distant metastasis free survival and disease free survival. Therefore, targeting the Trx system with auranofin or other specific inhibitors may provide improved breast cancer patient outcomes through inhibition of cancer invasion and migration.