Light-Activated PROTACs Wake Dormant Lung Cancer Cells

Researchers engineered light-switchable PROTACs that degrade the glucocorticoid receptor, which can drive cancer cells into a dormancy state. In lab tests with human lung cancer cells, the active E-form of two lead compounds destroyed the receptor and reversed dormancy-linked gene activity, while the inactive Z-form largely did nothing. The switch is controlled by different wavelengths of light, though UV light was used in experiments to keep the inactive form stable; these wavelengths do not penetrate tissue well, posing a major barrier to clinical use. The work is early-stage and lab-only, with future goals to develop red/near-infrared–sensitive versions for deeper tissue targeting and eventual therapeutic applications.