Desferal inhibits breast tumor growth and does not interfere with the tumoricidal activity of doxorubicin.

Desferal is a clinically approved iron chelator used to treat iron overload. Doxorubicin is an anthracycline cancer chemotherapy drug used in the treatment of breast cancer. It can undergo redox cycling in the presence of iron to produce reactive oxygen species.

Serum-derived protein S binds to phosphatidylserine and stimulates the phagocytosis of apoptotic cells.

Rapid phagocytosis of apoptotic cells is thought to limit the development of inflammation and autoimmune disease. Serum enhances macrophage phagocytosis of apoptotic cells. Here we identified protein S as the factor responsible for serum-stimulated phagocytosis of apoptotic cells.