The Role of Heat Shock Factor 1 in Preserving Proteomic Integrity During Copper-Induced Cellular Toxicity.

Copper is crucial for many physiological processes across mammalian cells, including energy metabolism, neurotransmitter synthesis, and antioxidant defense mechanisms. However, excessive copper levels can lead to cellular toxicity and "cuproptosis", a form of programmed cell death characterized by the accumulation of copper within mitochondria. Tumor cells are less sensitive to this toxicity than normal cells, the mechanism for which remains unclear.