Redox-Modulatory and MET-Inhibitory Triad: Synergistic Cytotoxicity of L-Cysteine, NAC, and MET Inhibition in Cervical Cancer Cells

The study investigates the synergistic cytotoxic effects of combining L-cysteine, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), and MET inhibition in cervical cancer cells. The research involved human and murine cancer cell lines treated with these compounds, showing that while L-cysteine and NAC alone did not reduce cell death, their combination with the MET inhibitor crizotinib significantly increased cytotoxicity. This triple treatment suppressed pMET activation and increased late apoptosis, suggesting that redox stabilization sensitizes cells to MET inhibition by limiting compensatory pro-survival pathways. The findings propose a novel therapeutic approach that enhances MET-targeted therapies and potentially mitigates adverse effects like chemotherapy-induced alopecia, due to the protective roles of NAC and MET inhibitors in hair follicle stem cell maintenance.