Glutaminolysis and Transferrin Regulate Ferroptosis

Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of the hepatotoxicity of dichloroacetonitrile

Dichloroacetonitrile (DCAN), an emerged nitrogenous disinfection by-product (N-DBP) in drinking water, has garnered attention owing to its strong cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and carcinogenicity. However, there are limited studies on its potential hepatotoxicity mechanisms. Understanding hepatotoxicity is essential in order to identify and assess the potential risks posed by environmental pollutants on liver health and to safeguard public health. Here, we investigated the viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and cell cycle profile of DCAN-exposed HepG2 cells and analyzed the mechanism of DCAN-induced hepatotoxicity using both transcriptomic and metabolomic techniques. The study revealed that there was a decrease in cell viability, increase in ROS production, and increase in the number of cells in the G2/M phase with an increase in the concentration of DCAN. Omics analyses showed that DCAN exposure increased cellular ROS levels, leading to oxidative damage in hepatocytes, which further induced DNA damage, cell cycle arrest, and cell growth impairment. Thus, DCAN has significant toxic effects on hepatocytes. Integrated analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics offers new insights into the mechanisms of DCAN-induced hepatoxicity.

Gut microbiota regulates the ALK5/NOX1 axis by altering glutamine metabolism to inhibit ferroptosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cells

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a kind of hepatobiliary tumor that is increasing in incidence and mortality. The gut microbiota plays a role in the onset and progression of cancer, however, the specific mechanism by which the gut microbiota acts on ICC remains unclear. In this study, feces and plasma from healthy controls and ICC patients were collected for 16S rRNA sequencing or metabolomics analysis. Gut microbiota analysis showed that gut microbiota abundance and biodiversity were altered in ICC patients compared with controls. Plasma metabolism analysis showed that the metabolite glutamine content of the ICC patient was significantly higher than that of the controls. KEGG pathway analysis showed that glutamine plays a vital role in ICC. In addition, the use of antibiotics in ICC animals further confirmed that changes in gut microbiota affect changes in glutamine. Further experiments showed that supplementation with glutamine inhibited ferroptosis and downregulated ALK5 and NOX1 expression in HuCCT1 cells. ALK5 overexpression or NOX1 overexpression increased NOX1, p53, PTGS2, ACSL4, LPCAT3, ROS, MDA and Fe2+ and decreased FTH1, SLC7A11 and GSH. Knockdown of NOX1 suppressed FIN56-induced ferroptosis. In vivo, supplementation with glutamine promoted tumor growth. Overexpression of ALK5 repressed tumor growth and induced ferroptosis in nude mice, which could be reversed by the addition of glutamine. Our results suggested that the gut microbiota altered glutamine metabolism to inhibit ferroptosis in ICC by regulating the ALK5/NOX1 axis.

Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targeting of Ferroptosis in Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity

Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death, has received increasing attention for its pathophysiologic contribution to the onset and development of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Moreover, modulation of ferroptosis with specific inhibitors may provide new therapeutic opportunities for doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Here, we will review the molecular mechanisms and therapeutic promise of targeting ferroptosis in doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.

HMOX1 regulates ferroptosis via mic14 and its impact on chemotherapy resistance in small-cell lung cancer

This study aimed to investigate the role and molecular mechanism of heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1) in chemotherapy resistance in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Employed bioinformatics, qPCR, and Western Blot to assess HMOX1 levels in SCLC versus normal tissues and its prognostic relevance. CCK-8, flow cytometry, and thiobarbituric acid assays determined HMOX1's impact on SCLC chemosensitivity, ferroptosis markers, lipid peroxidation, and mic14's role in chemoresistance. In the GSE40275 and GSE60052 cohorts, HMOX1 expression was downregulated in SCLC tissues compared to normal tissues. Higher HMOX1 expression was associated with improved prognosis in the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Hospital cohort and GSE60052 cohort. The RNA and protein levels of HMOX1 were reduced in drug-resistant SCLC cell lines compared to chemosensitive cell lines. Upregulation of HMOX1 increased chemosensitivity and reduced drug resistance in SCLC, while downregulation of HMOX1 decreased chemosensitivity and increased drug resistance. Upregulation of HMOX1 elevated the expression of ferroptosis-related proteins ACSL4, CD71, Transferrin, Ferritin Heavy Chain, and Ferritin Light Chain, while decreasing the expression of GPX4 and xCT. Conversely, downregulation of HMOX1 decreased the expression of ACSL4, CD71, Transferrin, Ferritin Heavy Chain, and Ferritin Light Chain, while increasing the expression of GPX4 and xCT. Upregulation of HMOX1 promoted cellular lipid peroxidation, whereas downregulation of HMOX1 inhibited cellular lipid peroxidation. Upregulation of HMOX1 reduced the RNA level of mic14, while downregulation of HMOX1 increased the RNA level of mic14. mic14 exhibited inhibitory effects on cellular lipid peroxidation in SCLC cells and contributed to reduced chemosensitivity and increased drug resistance in chemoresistant SCLC cell lines. HMOX1 plays a role in ferroptosis by regulating mic14 expression, thereby reversing chemoresistance in SCLC.

Ferroptosis in ulcerative colitis: Potential mechanisms and promising therapeutic targets

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a complex immune-mediated chronic inflammatory bowel disease. It is mainly characterized by diffuse inflammation of the colonic and rectal mucosa with barrier function impairment. Identifying new biomarkers for the development of more effective UC therapies remains a pressing task for current research. Ferroptosis is a newly identified form of regulated cell death characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. As research deepens, ferroptosis has been demonstrated to be involved in the pathological processes of numerous diseases. A growing body of evidence suggests that the pathogenesis of UC is associated with ferroptosis, and the regulation of ferroptosis provides new opportunities for UC treatment. However, the specific mechanisms by which ferroptosis participates in the development of UC remain to be more fully and thoroughly investigated. Therefore, in this review, we focus on the research advances in the mechanism of ferroptosis in recent years and describe the potential role of ferroptosis in the pathogenesis of UC. In addition, we explore the underlying role of the crosslinked pathway between ferroptosis and other mechanisms such as macrophages, neutrophils, autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and gut microbiota in UC. Finally, we also summarize the potential compounds that may act as ferroptosis inhibitors in UC in the future.

Ferroptosis: A double-edged sword

Ferroptosis represents a form of programmed cell death that is propelled by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, thereby being distinguished by the prominent features of iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation. Ferroptosis has been implicated in numerous physiological and pathological phenomena, with mounting indications that it holds significant implications for cancer and other medical conditions. On one side, it demonstrates anti-cancer properties by triggering ferroptosis within malignant cells, and on the other hand, it damages normal cells causing other diseases. Therefore, in this paper, we propose to review the paradoxical regulation of ferroptosis in tumors and other diseases. First, we introduce the development history, concept and mechanism of ferroptosis. The second part focuses on the methods of inducing ferroptosis in tumors. The third section emphasizes the utilization of ferroptosis in different medical conditions and strategies to inhibit ferroptosis. The fourth part elucidates the key contradictions in the control of ferroptosis. Finally, potential research avenues in associated domains are suggested.

Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity the role and mechanism of NCOA4 in ferroptosis induced by intestinal ischemia reperfusion

BACKGROUND

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent and cystathione-non-dependent non-apoptotic cell death characterized by elevated intracellular free iron levels and reduced antioxidant capacity, leading to the accumulation of lipid peroxides. Nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4) mediates ferritinophagy, increasing labile iron levels, which can result in oxidative damage. However, the specific mechanism of NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy in intestinal ischemia-reperfusion and the underlying mechanisms have not been reported in detail.

OBJECT

1. To investigate the role of NCOA4 in ferroptosis of intestinal epithelial cells induced by II/R injury in mouse. 2. To investigate the mechanism of action of NCOA4-induced ferroptosis.

METHODS

1. Construct a mouse II/R injury model and detect ferroptosis related markers such as HE staining, immunohistochemistry, ELISA, and WB methods. 2. Detect expression of NCOA4 in the intestine of mouse with II/R injury model and analyze its correlation with intestinal ferroptosis in mouse with II/R injury model. 3. Construct an ischemia-reperfusion model at the cellular level through hypoxia and reoxygenation, and overexpress/knockdown NCOA4 to detect markers related to ferroptosis. Based on animal experimental results, analyze the correlation and mechanism of action between NCOA4 and intestinal epithelial ferroptosis induced by II/R injury in mouse.

RESULTS

1. Ferroptosis occurred in the intestinal epithelial cells of II/R-injured mouse, and the expression of critical factors of ferroptosis, ACSL4, MDA and 15-LOX, was significantly increased, while the levels of GPX4 and GSH were significantly decreased. 2. The expression of NCOA4 in the intestinal epithelium of mouse with II/R injure was significantly increased, the expression of ferritin was significantly decreased, and the level of free ferrous ions was significantly increased; the expression of autophagy-related proteins LC3 and Beclin-1 protein was increased, and the expression of P62 was decreased, and these changes were reversed by autophagy inhibitors. 3. Knockdown of NCOA4 at the cellular level resulted in increased ferritin expression and decreased ferroptosis, and CO-IP experiments suggested that NCOA4 can bind to ferritin, which suggests that NCOA4 most likely mediates ferritinophagy to induce ferroptosis.

CONCLUSION

This thesis explored the role of NCOA4 in II/R injury in mice and the mechanism of action. The research results suggest that NCOA4 can mediate ferritinophagy to induce ferroptosis during II/R injury. This experiment reveals the pathological mechanism of II/R injury and provides some scientific basis for the development of drugs for the treatment of II/R injury based on the purpose of alleviating ferroptosis.

Sperm freezing damage: the role of regulated cell death

Substantial progress in research on sperm cryopreservation has occurred since the twentieth century, especially focusing on improving sperm freezing procedures and optimizing semen extenders. However, the cellular biological mechanisms of sperm freezing damage are still unclear, which greatly restricts the promotion and development of sperm cryopreservation. An essential component of sperm freezing damage is the occurrence of cell death. Considering the existence of multiple types of cell death pathways, this review discusses connections between characteristics of regulated cell death (e.g., apoptosis and ferroptosis), and accidental cell death (e.g., intracellular ice crystals) with sperm freezing damage and explores possible future research directions in this field.

Mitochondrial respiratory function is preserved under cysteine starvation via glutathione catabolism in NSCLC

Cysteine metabolism occurs across cellular compartments to support diverse biological functions and prevent the induction of ferroptosis. Though the disruption of cytosolic cysteine metabolism is implicated in this form of cell death, it is unknown whether the substantial cysteine metabolism resident within the mitochondria is similarly pertinent to ferroptosis. Here, we show that despite the rapid depletion of intracellular cysteine upon loss of extracellular cystine, cysteine-dependent synthesis of Fe-S clusters persists in the mitochondria of lung cancer cells. This promotes a retention of respiratory function and a maintenance of the mitochondrial redox state. Under these limiting conditions, we find that glutathione catabolism by CHAC1 supports the mitochondrial cysteine pool to sustain the function of the Fe-S proteins critical to oxidative metabolism. We find that disrupting Fe-S cluster synthesis under cysteine restriction protects against the induction of ferroptosis, suggesting that the preservation of mitochondrial function is antagonistic to survival under starved conditions. Overall, our findings implicate mitochondrial cysteine metabolism in the induction of ferroptosis and reveal a mechanism of mitochondrial resilience in response to nutrient stress.

Unraveling ETC complex I function in ferroptosis reveals a potential ferroptosis-inducing therapeutic strategy for LKB1-deficient cancers

The role of the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) in regulating ferroptosis is not fully elucidated. Here, we reveal that pharmacological inhibition of the ETC complex I reduces ubiquinol levels while decreasing ATP levels and activating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), the two effects known for their roles in promoting and suppressing ferroptosis, respectively. Consequently, the impact of complex I inhibitors on ferroptosis induced by glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) inhibition is limited. The pharmacological inhibition of complex I in LKB1-AMPK-inactivated cells, or genetic ablation of complex I (which does not trigger apparent AMPK activation), abrogates the AMPK-mediated ferroptosis-suppressive effect and sensitizes cancer cells to GPX4-inactivation-induced ferroptosis. Furthermore, complex I inhibition synergizes with radiotherapy (RT) to selectively suppress the growth of LKB1-deficient tumors by inducing ferroptosis in mouse models. Our data demonstrate a multifaceted role of complex I in regulating ferroptosis and propose a ferroptosis-inducing therapeutic strategy for LKB1-deficient cancers.

Ferroptosis: a potential bridge linking gut microbiota and chronic kidney disease

Ferroptosis is a novel form of lipid peroxidation-driven, iron-dependent programmed cell death. Various metabolic pathways, including those involved in lipid and iron metabolism, contribute to ferroptosis regulation. The gut microbiota not only supplies nutrients and energy to the host, but also plays a crucial role in immune modulation and metabolic balance. In this review, we explore the metabolic pathways associated with ferroptosis and the impact of the gut microbiota on host metabolism. We subsequently summarize recent studies on the influence and regulation of ferroptosis by the gut microbiota and discuss potential mechanisms through which the gut microbiota affects ferroptosis. Additionally, we conduct a bibliometric analysis of the relationship between the gut microbiota and ferroptosis in the context of chronic kidney disease. This analysis can provide new insights into the current research status and future of ferroptosis and the gut microbiota.

Ironing out the role of ferroptosis in immunity

Ferroptosis is a type of regulated cell death that drives the pathophysiology of many diseases. Oxidative stress is detectable in many types of regulated cell death, but only ferroptosis involves lipid peroxidation and iron dependency. Ferroptosis originates and propagates from several organelles, including the mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, and lysosomes. Recent data have revealed that immune cells can both induce and undergo ferroptosis. A mechanistic understanding of how ferroptosis regulates immunity is critical to understanding how ferroptosis controls immune responses and how this is dysregulated in disease. Translationally, more work is needed to produce ferroptosis-modulating immunotherapeutics. This review focuses on the role of ferroptosis in immune-related diseases, including infection, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. We discuss how ferroptosis is regulated in immunity, how this regulation contributes to disease pathogenesis, and how targeting ferroptosis may lead to novel therapies.

Ferroptotic therapy in cancer: benefits, side effects, and risks

Ferroptosis is a type of regulated cell death characterized by iron accumulation and uncontrolled lipid peroxidation, leading to plasma membrane rupture and intracellular content release. Originally investigated as a targeted therapy for cancer cells carrying oncogenic RAS mutations, ferroptosis induction now exhibits potential to complement chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy in various cancer types. However, it can lead to side effects, including immune cell death, bone marrow impairment, liver and kidney damage, cachexia (severe weight loss and muscle wasting), and secondary tumorigenesis. In this review, we discuss the advantages and offer an overview of the diverse range of documented side effects. Furthermore, we examine the underlying mechanisms and explore potential strategies for side effect mitigation.

Natural products and the balancing act of autophagy-dependent/independent ferroptosis in cancer therapy

The control of biological cell death is essential for the body's appropriate growth. The resistance of cells to the apoptotic process presents a new difficulty in the treatment of cancer. To combat cancer cells, researchers are working to find new apoptotic pathways and components to activate. One of the processes of regulated cell death (RCD) is referred to as ferroptosis marked by a decline in the activity of lipid glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) after the buildup of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Since lipid peroxidation is a crucial component of ferroptosis and is required for its start, numerous medicines have been studied, particularly for the treatment of cancer. In this context, autophagy is an additional form of RCD that can govern ferroptosis through shared signaling pathways/factors involved in both mechanisms. In this review, we will explore the molecular mechanisms underlying ferroptosis and its association with autophagy, to gain fresh insights into their interplay in cancer advancement, and the potential of natural products for its treatment.

Adverse effects of ferroptotic therapy: mechanisms and management

Ferroptosis, a nonapoptotic form of cell death characterized by iron accumulation and uncontrolled lipid peroxidation, holds promise as a therapeutic approach in cancer treatment, alongside established modalities, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy. However, recent research has raised concerns about its side effects, including damage to immune cells, hematopoietic stem cells, liver, and kidneys, the development of cachexia, and the risk of secondary tumor formation. In this review, we provide an overview of these emerging findings, with a specific emphasis on elucidating the underlying mechanisms, and underscore the critical significance of effectively managing side effects associated with targeted ferroptosis-based therapy.

Dibutyl phthalate exposure induced mitochondria-dependent ferroptosis by enhancing VDAC2 in zebrafish ZF4 cells

Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) contamination has raised global concern for decades, while its health risk with toxic mechanisms requires further elaboration. This study used zebrafish ZF4 cells to investigate the toxicity of ferroptosis with underlying mechanisms in response to DBP exposure. Results showed that DBP induced ferroptosis, characterized by accumulation of ferrous iron, lipid peroxidation, and decrease of glutathione peroxidase 4 levels in a time-dependent manner, subsequently reduced cell viability. Transcriptome analysis revealed that voltage-dependent anion-selective channel (VDAC) in mitochondrial outer membrane was upregulated in ferroptosis signaling pathways. Protecting mitochondria with a VDAC2 inhibitor or siRNAs attenuated the accumulation of mitochondrial superoxide and lipid peroxides, the opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), and the overload of iron levels, suggesting VDAC2 oligomerization mediated the influx of iron into mitochondria that is predominant and responsible for mitochondria-dependent ferroptosis under DBP exposure. Furthermore, the pivotal role of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) was identified in the transcriptional regulation of vdac2 by ChIP assay. And the intervention of atf4b inhibited DBP-induced VDAC2 upregulation and oligomerization. Taken together, this study reveals that ATF4-VDAC2 signaling pathway is involved in the DBP-induced ferroptosis in zebrafish ZF4 cells, contributing to the in-depth understanding of biotoxicity and the ecological risk assessment of phthalates.

Emerging regulatory mechanisms in cardiovascular disease: Ferroptosis

Ferroptosis, distinct from apoptosis, necrosis, autophagy, and other types of cell death, is a novel iron-dependent regulated cell death characterized by the accumulation of lipid peroxides and redox imbalance with distinct morphological, biochemical, and genetic features. Dysregulation of iron homeostasis, the disruption of antioxidative stress pathways and lipid peroxidation are crucial in ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is involved in the pathogenesis of several cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, ischemia-reperfusion injury, abdominal aortic aneurysm, aortic dissection, and heart failure. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms that regulate ferroptosis in cardiovascular diseases will enhance the prevention and treatment of these diseases. This review discusses the latest findings on the molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis and its regulation in cardiovascular diseases, the application of ferroptosis modulators in cardiovascular diseases, and the role of traditional Chinese medicines in ferroptosis regulation to provide a comprehensive understanding of the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and identify new prevention and treatment options.

The mechanisms of ferroptosis in the pathogenesis of kidney diseases

The pathological features of acute and chronic kidney diseases are closely associated with cell death in glomeruli and tubules. Ferroptosis is a form of programmed cell death characterized by iron overload-induced oxidative stress. Ferroptosis has recently gained increasing attention as a pathogenic mechanism of kidney damage. Specifically, the ferroptosis signaling pathway has been found to be involved in the pathological process of acute and chronic kidney injury, potentially contributing to the development of both acute and chronic kidney diseases. This paper aims to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of ferroptosis and its role in the pathogenesis of kidney disease, highlighting its significance and proposing novel directions for its treatment.

N-acetylcysteine Protects Against Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Through Anti-ferroptosis in Type 1 Diabetic Mice

The hearts of subjects with diabetes are vulnerable to ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). In contrast, experimentally rodent hearts have been shown to be more resistant to IRI at the very early stages of diabetes induction than the heart of the non-diabetic control mice, and the mechanism is largely unclear. Ferroptosis has recently been shown to play an important role in myocardial IRI including that in diabetes, while the specific mechanisms are still unclear. Non-diabetic control (NC) and streptozotocin-induced diabetic (DM) mice were treated with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in drinking water for 4 week starting at 1 week after diabetes induction. Mice were subjected to myocardial IRI induced by occluding the coronary artery for 30 min followed by 2 h of reperfusion, subsequently at 1, 2, and 5 week of diabetes induction. The post-ischemic myocardial infarct size in the DM mice was smaller than that in NC mice at 1 week of diabetes but greater than that in the NC mice at 2 and 5 week of diabetes, which were associated with a significant increase of ferroptosis at 2 and 5 week but a significant reduction of ferroptosis at 1 week of diabetes. NAC significantly attenuated post-ischemic ferroptosis as well as oxidative stress and reduced infarct size at 2 and 5 week of diabetes. Application of erastin, a ferroptosis inducer, reversed the cardioprotective effects of NAC. It is concluded that increased oxidative stress and ferroptosis are the major factors attributable to the increased vulnerability to myocardial IRI in diabetes and that attenuation of ferroptosis represents a major mechanism whereby NAC confers cardioprotection against myocardial IRI in diabetes.

Ferroptosis: a potential therapeutic target for stroke

Ferroptosis is a form of regulated cell death characterized by massive iron accumulation and iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, differing from apoptosis, necroptosis, and autophagy in several aspects. Ferroptosis is regarded as a critical mechanism of a series of pathophysiological reactions after stroke because of iron overload caused by hemoglobin degradation and iron metabolism imbalance. In this review, we discuss ferroptosis-related metabolisms, important molecules directly or indirectly targeting iron metabolism and lipid peroxidation, and transcriptional regulation of ferroptosis, revealing the role of ferroptosis in the progression of stroke. We present updated progress in the intervention of ferroptosis as therapeutic strategies for stroke in vivo and in vitro and summarize the effects of ferroptosis inhibitors on stroke. Our review facilitates further understanding of ferroptosis pathogenesis in stroke, proposes new targets for the treatment of stroke, and suggests that more efforts should be made to investigate the mechanism of ferroptosis in stroke.

Revolutionizing breast cancer treatment: Harnessing the related mechanisms and drugs for regulated cell death (Review)

Breast cancer arises from the malignant transformation of mammary epithelial cells under the influence of various carcinogenic factors, leading to a gradual increase in its prevalence. This disease has become the leading cause of mortality among female malignancies, posing a significant threat to the health of women. The timely identification of breast cancer remains challenging, often resulting in diagnosis at the advanced stages of the disease. Conventional therapeutic approaches, such as surgical excision, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, exhibit limited efficacy in controlling the progression and metastasis of the disease. Regulated cell death (RCD), a process essential for physiological tissue cell renewal, occurs within the body independently of external influences. In the context of cancer, research on RCD primarily focuses on cuproptosis, ferroptosis and pyroptosis. Mounting evidence suggests a marked association between these specific forms of RCD, and the onset and progression of breast cancer. For example, a cuproptosis vector can effectively bind copper ions to induce cuproptosis in breast cancer cells, thereby hindering their proliferation. Additionally, the expression of ferroptosis‑related genes can enhance the sensitivity of breast cancer cells to chemotherapy. Likewise, pyroptosis‑related proteins not only participate in pyroptosis, but also regulate the tumor microenvironment, ultimately leading to the death of breast cancer cells. The present review discusses the unique regulatory mechanisms of cuproptosis, ferroptosis and pyroptosis in breast cancer, and the mechanisms through which they are affected by conventional cancer drugs. Furthermore, it provides a comprehensive overview of the significance of these forms of RCD in modulating the efficacy of chemotherapy and highlights their shared characteristics. This knowledge may provide novel avenues for both clinical interventions and fundamental research in the context of breast cancer.

Ferroptosis: a new target for hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury?

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) can seriously affect graft survival and prognosis and is an unavoidable event during liver transplantation. Ferroptosis is a novel iron-dependent form of cell death characterized by iron accumulation and overwhelming lipid peroxidation; it differs morphologically, genetically, and biochemically from other well-known cell death types (autophagy, necrosis, and apoptosis). Accumulating evidence has shown that ferroptosis is involved in the pathogenesis of hepatic IRI, and targeting ferroptosis may be a promising therapeutic approach. Here, we review the pathways and phenomena involved in ferroptosis, explore the associations and implications of ferroptosis and hepatic IRI, and discuss possible strategies for modulating ferroptosis to alleviate the hepatic IRI.

Inhibition of Gpx4-mediated ferroptosis alleviates cisplatin-induced hearing loss in C57BL/6 mice

Cisplatin-induced hearing loss is a common side effect of cancer chemotherapy in clinics; however, the mechanism of cisplatin-induced ototoxicity is still not completely clarified. Cisplatin-induced ototoxicity is mainly associated with the production of reactive oxygen species, activation of apoptosis, and accumulation of intracellular lipid peroxidation, which also is involved in ferroptosis induction. In this study, the expression of TfR1, a ferroptosis biomarker, was upregulated in the outer hair cells of cisplatin-treated mice. Moreover, several key ferroptosis regulator genes were altered in cisplatin-damaged cochlear explants based on RNA sequencing, implying the induction of ferroptosis. Ferroptosis-related Gpx4 and Fsp1 knockout mice were established to investigate the specific mechanisms associated with ferroptosis in cochleae. Severe outer hair cell loss and progressive damage of synapses in inner hair cells were observed in Atoh1-Gpx4-/- mice. However, Fsp1-/- mice showed no significant hearing phenotype, demonstrating that Gpx4, but not Fsp1, may play an important role in the functional maintenance of HCs. Moreover, findings showed that FDA-approved luteolin could specifically inhibit ferroptosis and alleviate cisplatin-induced ototoxicity through decreased expression of transferrin and intracellular concentration of ferrous ions. This study indicated that ferroptosis inhibition through the reduction of intracellular ferrous ions might be a potential strategy to prevent cisplatin-induced hearing loss.

Programming a Ferroptosis-to-Apoptosis Transition Landscape Revealed Ferroptosis Biomarkers and Repressors for Cancer Therapy

Ferroptosis and apoptosis are key cell-death pathways implicated in several human diseases including cancer. Ferroptosis is driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation and currently has no characteristic biomarkers or gene signatures. Here a continuous phenotypic gradient between ferroptosis and apoptosis coupled to transcriptomic and metabolomic landscapes is established. The gradual ferroptosis-to-apoptosis transcriptomic landscape is used to generate a unique, unbiased transcriptomic predictor, the Gradient Gene Set (GGS), which classified ferroptosis and apoptosis with high accuracy. Further GGS optimization using multiple ferroptotic and apoptotic datasets revealed highly specific ferroptosis biomarkers, which are robustly validated in vitro and in vivo. A subset of the GGS is associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer patients and PDXs and contains different ferroptosis repressors. Depletion of one representative, PDGFA-assaociated protein 1(PDAP1), is found to suppress basal-like breast tumor growth in a mouse model. Omics and mechanistic studies revealed that ferroptosis is associated with enhanced lysosomal function, glutaminolysis, and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, while its transition into apoptosis is attributed to enhanced endoplasmic reticulum(ER)-stress and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)-to-phosphatidylcholine (PC) metabolic shift. Collectively, this study highlights molecular mechanisms underlying ferroptosis execution, identified a highly predictive ferroptosis gene signature with prognostic value, ferroptosis versus apoptosis biomarkers, and ferroptosis repressors for breast cancer therapy.

GPX4, ferroptosis, and diseases

GPX4 (Glutathione peroxidase 4) serves as a crucial intracellular regulatory factor, participating in various physiological processes and playing a significant role in maintaining the redox homeostasis within the body. Ferroptosis, a form of iron-dependent non-apoptotic cell death, has gained considerable attention in recent years due to its involvement in multiple pathological processes. GPX4 is closely associated with ferroptosis and functions as the primary inhibitor of this process. Together, GPX4 and ferroptosis contribute to the pathophysiology of several diseases, including sepsis, nervous system diseases, ischemia reperfusion injury, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. This review comprehensively explores the regulatory roles and impacts of GPX4 and ferroptosis in the development and progression of these diseases, with the aim of providing insights for identifying potential therapeutic strategies in the future.

Cycloplatinated (II) Complex Based on Isoquinoline Alkaloid Elicits Ferritinophagy-Dependent Ferroptosis in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells

The development and optimization of metal-based anticancer drugs with novel cytotoxic mechanisms have emerged as key strategies to overcome chemotherapeutic resistance and side effects. Agents that simultaneously induce ferroptosis and autophagic death have received extensive attention as potential modalities for cancer therapy. However, only a limited set of drugs or treatment modalities can synergistically induce ferroptosis and autophagic tumor cell death. In this work, we designed and synthesized four new cycloplatinated (II) complexes harboring an isoquinoline alkaloid C∧N ligand. On screening the in vitro activity of these agents, we found that Pt-3 exhibited greater selectivity of cytotoxicity, decreased resistance factors, and improved anticancer activity compared to cisplatin. Furthermore, Pt-3, which we demonstrate can initiate potent ferritinophagy-dependent ferroptosis, exhibits less toxic and better therapeutic activity than cisplatin in vivo. Our results identify Pt-3 as a promising candidate or paradigm for further drug development in cancer treatment.

Design, synthesis, and evaluation of novel ferrostatin derivatives for the prevention of HG-induced VEC ferroptosis

Ferroptosis is a nonapoptotic, iron-catalyzed form of regulated cell death. It has been shown that high glucose (HG) could induce ferroptosis in vascular endothelial cells (VECs), consequently contributing to the development of various diseases. This study synthesized and evaluated a series of novel ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) derivatives fused with a benzohydrazide moiety to prevent HG-induced VEC ferroptosis. Several promising compounds showed similar or improved inhibitory effects compared to positive control Fer-1. The most effective candidate 12 exhibited better protection against erastin-induced ferroptosis and high glucose-induced ferroptosis in VECs. Mechanistic studies revealed that compound 12 prevented mitochondrial damage, reduced intracellular ROS accumulation, upregulated the expression of GPX4, and decreased the amounts of ferrous ion, LPO and MDA in VECs. However, compound 12 still exhibited undesirable microsomal stability like Fer-1, suggesting the need for further optimization. Overall, the present findings highlight ferroptosis inhibitor 12 as a potential lead compound for treating ferroptosis-associated vascular diseases.

Therapeutic exploitation of ferroptosis

Pathological breakdown of membrane lipids through excessive lipid peroxidation (LPO) was first described in the mid-20th century and is now recognized as a form of regulated cell death, dubbed ferroptosis. Accumulating evidence unveils how metabolic regulation restrains peroxidation of phospholipids within cellular membranes, thereby impeding ferroptosis execution. Unleashing these metabolic breaks is currently therapeutically explored to sensitize cancers to ferroptosis inducing anti-cancer therapies. Reversely, these natural ferroptotic defense mechanisms can fail resulting in pathological conditions or diseases such as ischemia-reperfusion injury, multi-organ dysfunction, stroke, infarction, or neurodegenerative diseases. This minireview outlines current ferroptosis-inducing anti-cancer strategies and highlights the detection as well as the therapeutic targeting of ferroptosis in preclinical experimental settings. Herein, we also briefly summarize observations related to LPO, iron and redox deregulation in patients that might hint towards ferroptosis as a contributing factor.

The Role of Cdo1 in Ferroptosis and Apoptosis in Cancer

Cysteine dioxygenase type 1 (Cdo1) is a tumor suppressor gene. It regulates the metabolism of cysteine, thereby influencing the cellular antioxidative capacity. This function puts Cdo1 in a prominent position to promote ferroptosis and apoptosis. Cdo1 promotes ferroptosis mainly by decreasing the amounts of antioxidants, leading to autoperoxidation of the cell membrane through Fenton reaction. Cdo1 promotes apoptosis mainly through the product of cysteine metabolism, taurine, and low level of antioxidants. Many cancers exhibit altered function of Cdo1, underscoring its crucial role in cancer cell survival. Genetic and epigenetic alterations have been found, with methylation of Cdo1 promoter as the most common mutation. The fact that no cancer was found to be caused by altered Cdo1 function alone indicates that the tumor suppressor role of Cdo1 is mild. By compiling the current knowledge about apoptosis, ferroptosis, and the role of Cdo1, this review suggests possibilities for how the mild anticancer role of Cdo1 could be harnessed in new cancer therapies. Here, developing drugs targeting Cdo1 is considered meaningful in neoadjuvant therapies, for example, helping against the development of anti-cancer drug resistance in tumor cells.

Melatonin: a ferroptosis inhibitor with potential therapeutic efficacy for the post-COVID-19 trajectory of accelerated brain aging and neurodegeneration

The unprecedented pandemic of COVID-19 swept millions of lives in a short period, yet its menace continues among its survivors in the form of post-COVID syndrome. An exponentially growing number of COVID-19 survivors suffer from cognitive impairment, with compelling evidence of a trajectory of accelerated aging and neurodegeneration. The novel and enigmatic nature of this yet-to-unfold pathology demands extensive research seeking answers for both the molecular underpinnings and potential therapeutic targets. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent cell death, is a strongly proposed underlying mechanism in post-COVID-19 aging and neurodegeneration discourse. COVID-19 incites neuroinflammation, iron dysregulation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, antioxidant system repression, renin-angiotensin system (RAS) disruption, and clock gene alteration. These events pave the way for ferroptosis, which shows its signature in COVID-19, premature aging, and neurodegenerative disorders. In the search for a treatment, melatonin shines as a promising ferroptosis inhibitor with its repeatedly reported safety and tolerability. According to various studies, melatonin has proven efficacy in attenuating the severity of certain COVID-19 manifestations, validating its reputation as an anti-viral compound. Melatonin has well-documented anti-aging properties and combating neurodegenerative-related pathologies. Melatonin can block the leading events of ferroptosis since it is an efficient anti-inflammatory, iron chelator, antioxidant, angiotensin II antagonist, and clock gene regulator. Therefore, we propose ferroptosis as the culprit behind the post-COVID-19 trajectory of aging and neurodegeneration and melatonin, a well-fitting ferroptosis inhibitor, as a potential treatment.

Unlocking ferroptosis in prostate cancer - the road to novel therapies and imaging markers

Ferroptosis is a distinct form of regulated cell death that is predominantly driven by the build-up of intracellular iron and lipid peroxides. Ferroptosis suppression is widely accepted to contribute to the pathogenesis of several tumours including prostate cancer. Results from some studies reported that prostate cancer cells can be highly susceptible to ferroptosis inducers, providing potential for an interesting new avenue of therapeutic intervention for advanced prostate cancer. In this Perspective, we describe novel molecular underpinnings and metabolic drivers of ferroptosis, analyse the functions and mechanisms of ferroptosis in tumours, and highlight prostate cancer-specific susceptibilities to ferroptosis by connecting ferroptosis pathways to the distinctive metabolic reprogramming of prostate cancer cells. Leveraging these novel mechanistic insights could provide innovative therapeutic opportunities in which ferroptosis induction augments the efficacy of currently available prostate cancer treatment regimens, pending the elimination of major bottlenecks for the clinical translation of these treatment combinations, such as the development of clinical-grade inhibitors of the anti-ferroptotic enzymes as well as non-invasive biomarkers of ferroptosis. These biomarkers could be exploited for diagnostic imaging and treatment decision-making.

A review on ferroptosis and photodynamic therapy synergism: Enhancing anticancer treatment

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent programmed cell death modality, which has showed great potential in anticancer treatment. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is widely used in clinic as an anticancer therapy. PDT combined with ferroptosis-promoting therapy has been found to be a promising strategy to improve anti-cancer therapy efficacy. Fenton reaction in ferroptosis can provide oxygen for PDT, and PDT can produce reactive oxygen species for Fenton reaction to enhance ferroptosis. In this review, we briefly present the importance of ferroptosis in anticancer treatment, mechanism of ferroptosis, researches on PDT induced ferroptosis, and the mechanism of the synergistic effect of PDT and ferroptosis on cancer killing.

Potential therapies for HCC involving targeting the ferroptosis pathway

Liver cancer ranks as the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, predominantly in the form of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Conventional detection and treatment approaches have proven inadequate for addressing the elevated incidence and mortality rates associated with HCC. However, a significant body of research suggests that combating HCC through the induction of ferroptosis is possible. Ferroptosis is a regulated cell death process characterized by elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxide accumulation, both of which are dependent on iron levels. In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on investigating ferroptosis, revealing its potential as an inhibitory mechanism against various diseases, including tumors. Therefore, ferroptosis induction holds great promise for treating multiple types of cancers, including HCC. This article provides a review of the key mechanisms involved in ferroptosis and explores the potential application of multiple targets and pathways associated with ferroptosis in HCC treatment to improve therapeutic outcomes.

Deciphering Ferroptosis: From Molecular Pathways to Machine Learning-Guided Therapeutic Innovation

Ferroptosis is a unique form of cell death reliant on iron and lipid peroxidation. It disrupts redox balance, causing cell death by damaging the plasma membrane, with inducers acting through enzymatic pathways or transport systems. In cancer treatment, suppressing ferroptosis or circumventing it holds significant promise. Beyond cancer, ferroptosis affects aging, organs, metabolism, and nervous system. Understanding ferroptosis mechanisms holds promise for uncovering novel therapeutic strategies across a spectrum of diseases. However, detection and regulation of this regulated cell death are still mired with challenges. The dearth of cell, tissue, or organ-specific biomarkers muted the pharmacological use of ferroptosis. This review covers recent studies on ferroptosis, detailing its properties, key genes, metabolic pathways, and regulatory networks, emphasizing the interaction between cellular signaling and ferroptotic cell death. It also summarizes recent findings on ferroptosis inducers, inhibitors, and regulators, highlighting their potential therapeutic applications across diseases. The review addresses challenges in utilizing ferroptosis therapeutically and explores the use of machine learning to uncover complex patterns in ferroptosis-related data, aiding in the discovery of biomarkers, predictive models, and therapeutic targets. Finally, it discusses emerging research areas and the importance of continued investigation to harness the full therapeutic potential of targeting ferroptosis.

Pharmacological approaches for targeting lysosomes to induce ferroptotic cell death in cancer

Lysosomes are crucial organelles responsible for the degradation of cytosolic materials and bulky organelles, thereby facilitating nutrient recycling and cell survival. However, lysosome also acts as an executioner of cell death, including ferroptosis, a distinctive form of regulated cell death that hinges on iron-dependent phospholipid peroxidation. The initiation of ferroptosis necessitates three key components: substrates (membrane phospholipids enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids), triggers (redox-active irons), and compromised defence mechanisms (GPX4-dependent and -independent antioxidant systems). Notably, iron assumes a pivotal role in ferroptotic cell death, particularly in the context of cancer, where iron and oncogenic signaling pathways reciprocally reinforce each other. Given the lysosomes' central role in iron metabolism, various strategies have been devised to harness lysosome-mediated iron metabolism to induce ferroptosis. These include the re-mobilization of iron from intracellular storage sites such as ferritin complex and mitochondria through ferritinophagy and mitophagy, respectively. Additionally, transcriptional regulation of lysosomal and autophagy genes by TFEB enhances lysosomal function. Moreover, the induction of lysosomal iron overload can lead to lysosomal membrane permeabilization and subsequent cell death. Extensive screening and individually studies have explored pharmacological interventions using clinically available drugs and phytochemical agents. Furthermore, a drug delivery system involving ferritin-coated nanoparticles has been specifically tailored to target cancer cells overexpressing TFRC. With the rapid advancements in understandings the mechanistic underpinnings of ferroptosis and iron metabolism, it is increasingly evident that lysosomes represent a promising target for inducing ferroptosis and combating cancer.

Targeting ferroptosis for leukemia therapy: exploring novel strategies from its mechanisms and role in leukemia based on nanotechnology

The latest findings in iron metabolism and the newly uncovered process of ferroptosis have paved the way for new potential strategies in anti-leukemia treatments. In the current project, we reviewed and summarized the current role of nanomedicine in the treatment and diagnosis of leukemia through a comparison made between traditional approaches applied in the treatment and diagnosis of leukemia via the existing investigations about the ferroptosis molecular mechanisms involved in various anti-tumor treatments. The application of nanotechnology and other novel technologies may provide a new direction in ferroptosis-driven leukemia therapies. The article explores the potential of targeting ferroptosis, a new form of regulated cell death, as a new therapeutic strategy for leukemia. It discusses the mechanisms of ferroptosis and its role in leukemia and how nanotechnology can enhance the delivery and efficacy of ferroptosis-inducing agents. The article not only highlights the promise of ferroptosis-targeted therapies and nanotechnology in revolutionizing leukemia treatment, but also calls for further research to overcome challenges and fully realize the clinical potential of this innovative approach. Finally, it discusses the challenges and opportunities in clinical applications of ferroptosis.

The roles of ferroptosis in cancer: Tumor suppression, tumor microenvironment, and therapeutic interventions

In cancer treatment, the recurrent challenge of inducing apoptosis through conventional therapeutic modalities, often thwarted by therapy resistance, emphasizes the critical need to explore alternative cell death pathways. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death triggered by the lethal accumulation of lipid peroxides on cellular membranes, has emerged as one such promising frontier in oncology. Induction of ferroptosis not only suppresses tumor growth but also holds potential for augmenting immunotherapy responses and surmounting resistance to existing cancer therapies. This review navigates the role of ferroptosis in tumor suppression. Furthermore, we delve into the complex role of ferroptosis within the tumor microenvironment and its interplay with antitumor immunity, offering insights into the prospect of targeting ferroptosis as a strategic approach in cancer therapy.

Relationship of mTORC1 and ferroptosis in tumors

Ferroptosis is a novel form of programmed death, dependent on iron ions and oxidative stress, with a predominant intracellular form of lipid peroxidation. In recent years, ferroptosis has gained more and more interest of people in the treatment mechanism of targeted tumors. mTOR, always overexpressed in the tumor, and controlling cell growth and metabolic activities, has an important role in both autophagy and ferroptosis. Interestingly, the selective types of autophay plays an important role in promoting ferroptosis, which is related to mTOR and some metabolic pathways (especially in iron and amino acids). In this paper, we list the main mechanisms linking ferroptosis with mTOR signaling pathway and further summarize the current compounds targeting ferroptosis in these ways. There are growing experimental evidences that targeting mTOR and ferroptosis may have effective impact in many tumors, and understanding the mechanisms linking mTOR to ferroptosis could provide a potential therapeutic approach for tumor treatment.

Crosstalk between metabolism and cell death in tumorigenesis

It is generally recognized that tumor cells proliferate more rapidly than normal cells. Due to such an abnormally rapid proliferation rate, cancer cells constantly encounter the limits of insufficient oxygen and nutrient supplies. To satisfy their growth needs and resist adverse environmental events, tumor cells modify the metabolic pathways to produce both extra energies and substances required for rapid growth. Realizing the metabolic characters special for tumor cells will be helpful for eliminating them during therapy. Cell death is a hot topic of long-term study and targeting cell death is one of the most effective ways to repress tumor growth. Many studies have successfully demonstrated that metabolism is inextricably linked to cell death of cancer cells. Here we summarize the recently identified metabolic characters that specifically impact on different types of cell deaths and discuss their roles in tumorigenesis.

Mapping the Research of Ferroptosis in Parkinson's Disease from 2013 to 2023: A Scientometric Review

Methods

Related studies on PD and ferroptosis were searched in Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) from inception to 2023. VOSviewer, CiteSpace, RStudio, and Scimago Graphica were employed as bibliometric analysis tools to generate network maps about the collaborations between authors, countries, and institutions and to visualize the co-occurrence and trends of co-cited references and keywords.

Results

A total of 160 original articles and reviews related to PD and ferroptosis were retrieved, produced by from 958 authors from 162 institutions. Devos David was the most prolific author, with 9 articles. China and the University of Melbourne had leading positions in publication volume with 84 and 12 publications, respectively. Current hot topics focus on excavating potential new targets for treating PD based on ferroptosis by gaining insight into specific molecular mechanisms, including iron metabolism disorders, lipid peroxidation, and imbalanced antioxidant regulation. Clinical studies aimed at treating PD by targeting ferroptosis remain in their preliminary stages.

Conclusion

A continued increase was shown in the literature within the related field over the past decade. The current study suggested active collaborations among authors, countries, and institutions. Research into the pathogenesis and treatment of PD based on ferroptosis has remained a prominent topic in the field in recent years, indicating that ferroptosis-targeted therapy is a potential approach to halting the progression of PD.

Ferroptosis in age-related vascular diseases: Molecular mechanisms and innovative therapeutic strategies

Aging, an inevitable aspect of human existence, serves as one of the predominant risk factors for vascular diseases. Delving into the mystery of vascular disease's pathophysiology, the profound involvement of programmed cell death (PCD) has been extensively demonstrated. PCD is a fundamental biological process that plays a crucial role in both normal physiology and pathology, including a recently discovered form, ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is characterized by its reliance on iron and lipid peroxidation, and its significant involvement in vascular disease pathophysiology has been increasingly acknowledged. This phenomenon not only offers a promising therapeutic target but also deepens our understanding of the complex relationship between ferroptosis and age-related vascular diseases. Consequently, this article aims to thoroughly review the mechanisms that enable the effective control and inhibition of ferroptosis. It focuses on genetic and pharmacological interventions, with the goal of developing innovative therapeutic strategies to combat age-related vascular diseases.

Mitochondria-mediated Ferroptosis in Diseases Therapy: From Molecular Mechanisms to Implications

Ferroptosis, a type of cell death involving iron and lipid peroxidation, has been found to be closely associated with the development of many diseases. Mitochondria are vital components of eukaryotic cells, serving important functions in energy production, cellular metabolism, and apoptosis regulation. Presently, the precise relationship between mitochondria and ferroptosis remains unclear. In this study, we aim to systematically elucidate the mechanisms via which mitochondria regulate ferroptosis from multiple perspectives to provide novel insights into mitochondrial functions in ferroptosis. Additionally, we present a comprehensive overview of how mitochondria contribute to ferroptosis in different conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory disease, mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, and novel coronavirus pneumonia. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the involvement of mitochondria in ferroptosis could lead to more effective approaches for both basic cell biology studies and medical treatments.

Ethanol-Induced Hepatic Ferroptosis Is Mediated by PERK-Dependent MAMs Formation: Preventive Role of Quercetin

SCOPE

Iron deposition is frequently observed in alcoholic liver disease (ALD), which indicates a potential role of ferroptosis in its development. This study aims to explore the effects of quercetin on ferroptosis in ALD and elucidates the underlying mechanism involving the formation of mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum membranes (MAMs) mediated by protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK).

METHODS AND RESULTS

C57BL/6J mice are fed either a regular or an ethanol-containing liquid diet (with 28% energy form ethanol) with or without quercetin supplementation (100 mg kg-1 BW) for 12 weeks. Ethanol feeding or treatment induced ferroptosis in mice and AML12 cells, which is associated with increased MAMs formation and PERK expression within MAMs. Quercetin attenuates these changes and protects against ethanol-induced liver injury. The antiferroptotic effect of quercetin is abolished by ferroptosis inducers, but mimicked by ferroptosis inhibitors and PERK knockdown. The study demonstrates that PERK structure, rather than its kinase activity (transfected with the K618A site mutation that inhibits kinase activity-ΔK plasmid or protein C terminal knockout-ΔC plasmid of PERK), mediates the enhanced MAMs formation and ferroptosis during the ethanol exposure.

CONCLUSION

Quercetin ameliorates ethanol-induced liver injury by inhibiting ferroptosis via modulating PERK-dependent MAMs formation.

Disulfidptosis: disulfide stress-induced cell death

The cystine transporter solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) (also known as xCT) promotes glutathione synthesis and counters oxidative stress-induced cell death, including ferroptosis, by importing cystine. Also, SLC7A11 plays a crucial role in tumor development. However, recent studies have uncovered an unexpected role of SLC7A11 in promoting disulfidptosis, a novel form of regulated cell death induced by disulfide stress. In this review, we examine the opposing roles of SLC7A11 in regulating redox homeostasis and cell survival/death, summarize current knowledge on disulfidptosis, and explore its potential in disease treatment. A deeper understanding of disulfidptosis will offer new insights into fundamental cellular homeostasis and facilitate the development of innovative therapies for disease treatment.

MYC Oncogene: A Druggable Target for Treating Cancers with Natural Products

Various diseases, including cancers, age-associated disorders, and acute liver failure, have been linked to the oncogene, MYC. Animal testing and clinical trials have shown that sustained tumor volume reduction can be achieved when MYC is inactivated, and different combinations of therapeutic agents including MYC inhibitors are currently being developed. In this review, we first provide a summary of the multiple biological functions of the MYC oncoprotein in cancer treatment, highlighting that the equilibrium points of the MYC/MAX, MIZ1/MYC/MAX, and MAD (MNT)/MAX complexes have further potential in cancer treatment that could be used to restrain MYC oncogene expression and its functions in tumorigenesis. We also discuss the multifunctional capacity of MYC in various cellular cancer processes, including its influences on immune response, metabolism, cell cycle, apoptosis, autophagy, pyroptosis, metastasis, angiogenesis, multidrug resistance, and intestinal flora. Moreover, we summarize the MYC therapy patent landscape and emphasize the potential of MYC as a druggable target, using herbal medicine modulators. Finally, we describe pending challenges and future perspectives in biomedical research, involving the development of therapeutic approaches to modulate MYC or its targeted genes. Patients with cancers driven by MYC signaling may benefit from therapies targeting these pathways, which could delay cancerous growth and recover antitumor immune responses.

Vanillic acid restores homeostasis of intestinal epithelium in colitis through inhibiting CA9/STIM1-mediated ferroptosis

The damage of integrated epithelial epithelium is a key pathogenic factor and closely associated with the recurrence of ulcerative colitis (UC). Here, we reported that vanillic acid (VA) exerted potent therapeutic effects on DSS-induced colitis by restoring intestinal epithelium homeostasis via the inhibition of ferroptosis. By the CETSA assay and DARTS assay, we identified carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX, CA9) as the direct target of VA. The binding of VA to CA9 causes insulin-induced gene-2 (INSIG2) to interact with stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1), rather than SREBP cleavage-activating protein (SCAP), leading to the translocation of SCAP-SREBP1 from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi apparatus for cleavage into mature SREBP1. The activation of SREBP1 induced by VA then significantly facilitated the transcription of stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) to exert an inhibitory effect on ferroptosis. By inhibiting the excessive death of intestinal epithelial cells caused by ferroptosis, VA effectively preserved the integrity of intestinal barrier and prevented the progression of unresolved inflammation. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that VA could alleviate colitis by restoring intestinal epithelium homeostasis through CA9/STIM1-mediated inhibition of ferroptosis, providing a promising therapeutic candidate for UC.

Cellular and molecular mechanisms of cell damage and cell death in ischemia-reperfusion injury in organ transplantation

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a critical pathological condition in which cell death plays a major contributory role, and negatively impacts post-transplant outcomes. At the cellular level, hypoxia due to ischemia disturbs cellular metabolism and decreases cellular bioenergetics through dysfunction of mitochondrial electron transport chain, causing a switch from cellular respiration to anaerobic metabolism, and subsequent cascades of events that lead to increased intracellular concentrations of Na+, H+ and Ca2+ and consequently cellular edema. Restoration of blood supply after ischemia provides oxygen to the ischemic tissue in excess of its requirement, resulting in over-production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which overwhelms the cells' antioxidant defence system, and thereby causing oxidative damage in addition to activating pro-inflammatory pathways to cause cell death. Moderate ischemia and reperfusion may result in cell dysfunction, which may not lead to cell death due to activation of recovery systems to control ROS production and to ensure cell survival. However, prolonged and severe ischemia and reperfusion induce cell death by apoptosis, mitoptosis, necrosis, necroptosis, autophagy, mitophagy, mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT)-driven necrosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, cuproptosis and parthanoptosis. This review discusses cellular and molecular mechanisms of these various forms of cell death in the context of organ transplantation, and their inhibition, which holds clinical promise in the quest to prevent IRI and improve allograft quality and function for a long-term success of organ transplantation.

Piezo1 channel exaggerates ferroptosis of nucleus pulposus cells by mediating mechanical stress-induced iron influx

To date, several molecules have been found to facilitate iron influx, while the types of iron influx channels remain to be elucidated. Here, Piezo1 channel was identified as a key iron transporter in response to mechanical stress. Piezo1-mediated iron overload disturbed iron metabolism and exaggerated ferroptosis in nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs). Importantly, Piezo1-induced iron influx was independent of the transferrin receptor (TFRC), a well-recognized iron gatekeeper. Furthermore, pharmacological inactivation of Piezo1 profoundly reduced iron accumulation, alleviated mitochondrial ROS, and suppressed ferroptotic alterations in stimulation of mechanical stress. Moreover, conditional knockout of Piezo1 (Col2a1-CreERT Piezo1flox/flox) attenuated the mechanical injury-induced intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). Notably, the protective effect of Piezo1 deficiency in IVDD was dampened in Piezo1/Gpx4 conditional double knockout (cDKO) mice (Col2a1-CreERT Piezo1flox/flox/Gpx4flox/flox). These findings suggest that Piezo1 is a potential determinant of iron influx, indicating that the Piezo1-iron-ferroptosis axis might shed light on the treatment of mechanical stress-induced diseases.

Ferroptosis and secondary nephrosis

Secondary nephrosis is a series of chronic kidney diseases secondary to other underlying diseases, mainly manifesting as structural and functional abnormalities of the kidneys and metabolic disorders. It is one of the important causes of end-stage renal disease, with high morbidity and significant harm. Iron is an essential metal element in human cells, and ferroptosis is a non-traditional form of iron-dependent cell death, and its main mechanisms include iron accumulation, lipid metabolism disorders, abnormal amino acid metabolism, and damage to the antioxidant system. Recently studies have found that ferroptosis is involved in the occurrence and progression of secondary nephrosis, and the mechanism of ferroptosis in different secondary nephrosis vary. Therefore, an in-depth and systematic understanding of the association between ferroptosis and secondary nephrosis, as well as their specific regulatory mechanisms, can provide a theoretical basis for the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and prognosis assessment of secondary nephrosis, laying the foundation for exploring new clinical therapeutic targets for secondary nephrosis.

PM2.5 induce neurotoxicity via iron overload and redox imbalance mediated-ferroptosis in HT22 cells

PM2.5 is an important risk factor for the development and progression of cognitive impairment-related diseases. Ferroptosis, a new form of cell death driven by iron overload and lipid peroxidation, is proposed to have significant implications. To verify the possible role of ferroptosis in PM2.5-induced neurotoxicity, we investigated the cytotoxicity, intracellular iron content, iron metabolism-related genes, oxidative stress indices and indicators involving in Nrf2 and ferroptosis signaling pathways. Neurotoxicity biomarkers as well as the ferroptotic cell morphological changes were determined by Western Blot and TEM analysis. Our results revealed that PM2.5 induced cytotoxicity, lipid peroxidation, as indicated by MDA content, and neurotoxicity via Aβ deposition in a dose-related manner. Decreased cell viability and excessive iron accumulation in HT-22 cells can be partially blocked by ferroptosis inhibitors. Interestingly, GPX activity, Nrf2, and its regulated ferroptotic-related proteins (i.e. GPX4 and HO-1) were significantly up-regulated by PM2.5. Moreover, gene expression of DMT1, TfR1, IRP2 and FPN1 involved in iron homeostasis and NCOA4-dependent ferritinophagy were activated after PM2.5 exposure. The results demonstrated that PM2.5 triggered ferritinophagy-dependent ferroptotic cell death due to iron overload and redox imbalance. Activation of Nrf2 signaling pathways may confer a protective mechanism for PM2.5-induced oxidative stress and ferroptosis.