Scientists find vitamin B2 could shield cancer cells from a natural form of cell death

New research has raised significant questions about the role of vitamin B2 in cancer biology, suggesting that the nutrient may help cancer cells survive by shielding them from a natural form of programmed cell death.

What is vitamin B2?

Riboflavin, more commonly known as vitamin B2, is an essential water-soluble nutrient that plays a central role in metabolising fats and proteins. It works in conjunction with other nutrients to convert carbohydrates from food into usable energy, whilst also supporting the release of energy from proteins.

As the body cannot produce riboflavin on its own, it must be obtained through dietary sources such as dairy products, eggs, meat, and green vegetables.

Beyond its metabolic functions, vitamin B2 is vital for maintaining healthy skin, blood cells, and mucous membranes.

The new findings

Researchers have now discovered that vitamin B2 metabolism may also serve a more troubling purpose: shielding cancer cells from destruction. The study found that the nutrient supports a cellular defence mechanism that protects tumours from ferroptosis — a specific form of programmed cell death that has been closely linked to cancer suppression.

"Vitamin B2 plays a crucial role in protecting cancer cells from ferroptosis, a special form of programmed cell death," said the lead researcher.

How ferroptosis works

Programmed cell death is one of the body's most important natural defence systems, allowing damaged or dangerous cells to self-destruct in a controlled manner without triggering inflammation in surrounding tissue.

Ferroptosis is one such process, and has been associated not only with cancer but also with neurodegenerative diseases and other serious conditions. It occurs when iron-driven damage to cell membranes overwhelms a cell's antioxidant defences, ultimately leading to cell death.

How vitamin B2 provides a cellular shield

Once absorbed by the body, vitamin B2 is converted into molecules that help protect cells from oxidative damage whilst supporting a range of other important biological functions. The new research found that this metabolic process plays a meaningful role in the protective defences that cancer cells deploy against ferroptosis.

Roseoflavin as a potential therapeutic tool

During laboratory testing, researchers used roseoflavin — a compound that closely resembles vitamin B2 — to disrupt this protective mechanism and trigger cancer cell death. The findings suggest that targeting vitamin B2 metabolism could represent a promising avenue for future cancer therapies.

About the study

The research was led by José Pedro Friedmann Angeli, Professor of Translational Cell Biology, and was published in the journal Nature Cell Biology. The project received financial support from the German Research Foundation (DFG).