Wenqingyin suppresses ferroptosis in the pathogenesis of sepsis-induced liver injury by activating the Nrf2-mediated signaling pathway

Immunologic role of macrophages in sepsis-induced acute liver injury

Sepsis-induced acute liver injury (SALI), a manifestation of sepsis multi-organ dysfunction syndrome, is associated with poor prognosis and high mortality. The diversity and plasticity of liver macrophage subpopulations explain their different functional responses in different liver diseases. Kupffer macrophages, liver capsular macrophages, and monocyte-derived macrophages are involved in pathogen recognition and clearance and in the regulation of inflammatory responses, exacerbating the progression of SALI through different pathways of pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and autophagy. Concurrently, they play an important role in maintaining hepatic homeostasis and in the injury and repair processes of SALI. Other macrophages are recruited to diseased tissues under pathological conditions and are polarized into various phenotypes (mainly M1 and M2 types) under the influence of signaling molecules, transcription factors, and metabolic reprogramming, thereby exerting different roles and functions. This review provides an overview of the immune role of macrophages in SALI and discusses the multiple roles of macrophages in liver injury and repair to provide a reference for future studies.

Succinylated Type I Collagen Regulates Ferroptosis to Attenuate Skin Photoaging

During the process of photoaging in the skin, Succinylated type I collagen has a significant effect on reversing the damage caused by UVB radiation, with the regulation of cellular ferroptosis being one of its important pathophysiological mechanisms. Specifically, Succinylated type I collagen reduces the expression of key cell cycle regulators P16, P21, and P53, as well as the ferroptosis-related factor Acyl-CoA Synthetase Long Chain Family Member 4 (ACSL4), induced by UVB radiation in cells and tissues. Meanwhile, it increases the expression of key factors Glutathione Peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and Solute Carrier Family 7 Member 11 (SLC7A11), which inhibit ferroptosis. Additionally, our study also reveals the impact of Succinylated type I collagen on the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells and tissues, directly affecting the cells' ability to cope with oxidative stress. This further suggests that Succinylated type I collagen may improve skin photoaging through various pathways, including regulating ferroptosis, antioxidation, promoting collagen synthesis, protecting the skin barrier, reducing pigmentation, and inhibiting inflammatory responses, contributing to maintaining healthy and youthful skin.

Targeting ferroptosis promotes diabetic wound healing via Nrf2 activation

Wound healing impairment is a frequent diabetes problem leading to amputation. Hyperglycemia induces the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), iron overload and sustained inflammation, resulting in the persistence of chronic wounds. However, the intrinsic mechanisms of impaired diabetic wound healing remain enigmatic. A new non-apoptotic regulatory cellular death called Ferroptosis, is distinguished by iron-driven lipid peroxidation products accumulation along with insufficient antioxidant enzymes. A decline in antioxidant capacity, excess accumulation of peroxidation of iron and lipid have been identified in wound sites of streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus (DM) rats and elevated glucose (EG)-cultured macrophages. Additionally, sustained inflammation and increased inflammatory cytokines were observed in DM rats and HG-cultured macrophages. Importantly, ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) is a ferroptosis suppressor treatment significantly ameliorated diabetes-related ferroptosis and inflammation. This treatment also enhanced cell proliferation and neovascularization, ultimately thereby accelerating diabetic wound healing. Meanwhile, our study demonstrated that an anti-ferroptotic and anti-inflammatory effects of Fer-1 were mediated through stimulation of nuclear erythroid-associated factor 2 (Nrf2). The current study may provide a new rationale for diabetic wound healing.

The protective effect of Lonicera japonica Thunb. against lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in mice: Modulation of inflammation, oxidative stress, and ferroptosis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Various components of Lonicera japonica Thunb. (LJT) exhibit pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Nevertheless, the relationship between LJT and ferroptosis remains largely unexplored.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this research was to look into the role of LJT in regulating LPS-induced ferroptosis in ALI and to compare the effects of different parts of LJT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We established a mice ALI model by treating with LPS. Administered mice with different doses of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos (LJF), Lonicera Japonica Leaves (LJL) and Lonicerae Caulis (LRC) extracts, respectively. The levels of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-4, IL-10, and PGE2 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Furthermore, the concentrations of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and total ferrous ions (Fe2+) in lung tissues were evaluated. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was conducted to examine the morphological structure of lung tissues. Transmission electron microscopy was used to investigate the ultrastructural morphology of mitochondria. Furthermore, the effects of LJT were evaluated via immunohistochemical staining, western blotting, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses. Finally, employing molecular docking and molecular dynamics research techniques, we aimed to identify crucial components in LJT that might inhibit ferroptosis by targeting nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4).

RESULTS

We observed that pretreatment with LJT significantly mitigated LPS-induced lung injury and suppressed ferroptosis. This was supported by reduced accumulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, ROS, MDA, and Fe2+, along with increased levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines, SOD, GSH, Nrf2, and GPX4 in the lung tissues of ALI mice. Luteolin-7-O-rutinoside, apigenin-7-O-rutinoside, and amentoflavone in LJT exhibit excellent docking effects with key targets of ferroptosis, Nrf2 and GPX4.

CONCLUSIONS

Pretreatment with LJT may alleviate LPS-induced ALI, possibly by suppressing ferroptosis. Our initial results indicate that LJT activates the Nrf2/GPX4 axis, providing protection against ferroptosis in ALI. This finding offers a promising therapeutic candidate for ALI treatment.

Taraxasterol protects against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity by reducing liver inflammatory response and ameliorating oxidative stress in mice

Acute liver failure is mainly caused by the overdose of acetaminophen (APAP) globally. The traditional Chinese medicinal (TCM) herb, Taraxacum, contains Taraxasterol (TAX) as one of the active components. It is a pentacyclic-triterpene compound isolated from this herb. Present work aimed to investigate the in vitro and in vivo protection effect of TAX in APAP-induced acute liver injury, and determine the potential regulatory mechamisms. The liver injury caused by APAP is attenuated by TAX, as shown by the alleviated pathological changes of mice liver and the reduced serological indexes. TAX evidently controlled the oxidative stress and liver inflammation in mice liver. In vitro studies found that TAX reversed the decrease in LO2 cell viability induced by APAP, and protected LO2 cells from APAP-induced injury. In addition, TAX reduced the secretion of inflammatory factors in RAW264.7 macrophages as induced via APAP. Besides, TAX inhibited oxidative stress in LO2 cells induced by APAP in vitro. Noteworthy, TAX enhanced protein and mRNA expressions of Nrf2 in vivo, and knockdown of Nrf2 by using adeno-associated virus (AAV)-Nrf2-KO attenuated inhibitory impact of TAX in acute liver injury induced by APAP. Also, AAV-NRF2-KO weakened the inhibitory impact of TAX against APAP-triggered liver inflammation and oxidative stress of mice liver. Moreover, TAX activated the Nrf2 signaling in APAP-induced LO2 cells, as shown by the increased nuclear Nrf2 expression together with downstream HO-1 expression in vitro. Inhibition of Nrf2 by using ML-385, anNrf2inhibitor, weakened the inhibitory effect of TAX against APAP-induced oxidative stress and cell injury in LO2 cells. Moreover, inhibition of Nrf2 attenuated anti-inflammatory effect of TAX for APAP-induced RAW264.7 cells. Collectively, TAX could protect against APAP-triggered hepatotoxicitythrough suppression of liver oxidative stress and inflammatory response in mice.

Isoliquiritigenin alleviates myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury by regulating the Nrf2/HO-1/SLC7a11/GPX4 axis in mice

Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, a multifaceted pathological process, occurs when the prolongation of reperfusion duration triggers ferroptosis-mediated myocardial damage. Isoliquiritigenin (ISL), a single flavonoid from licorice, exhibits a wide range of pharmacological impacts, but its function in ferroptosis caused by myocardial I/R injury remains unclear. This study delved into the protective effect of ISL on myocardial I/R injury-induced ferroptosis and its mechanism. Neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes (NMCM) underwent hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) to simulate the pathological process of myocardial I/R. ISL significantly attenuated H/R-triggered production of reactive oxygen species in NMCM, reduced the expression of malondialdehyde and the activity of lactate dehydrogenase, enhanced superoxide dismutase and catalase activity, and increased the expression of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), thereby mitigating oxidative stress damage. CCK8 experiment revealed that the ferroptosis inhibitor Ferrostatin-1 significantly improved myocardial cell viability after 24 h of reoxygenation, and ISL treatment showed a similar effect. ISL reduced intracellular free iron accumulation, up-regulated glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) expression, and inhibited lipid peroxidation accumulation, thereby alleviating ferroptosis. The Nrf2-specific inhibitor ML385 counteracted ISL's defensive role against H/R-triggered oxidative stress damage and ferroptosis. In vivo experiments further confirmed that by regulating the translocation of Nrf2 into the nucleus, ISL treatment increased the levels of HO-1, GPX4, and SLC7A11, inhibited the expression of ACSL4, Drp1 to exert the antioxidant role, alleviated mitochondrial damage, and ferroptosis, ultimately reducing myocardial infarction area and injury induced by I/R. ML385 nearly abolished ISL's protective impact on the I/R model by inhibiting Nrf2 function. In summary, ISL is capable of mitigating oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and cardiomyocyte ferroptosis caused by I/R, thereby reducing myocardial injury. A key mechanism includes triggering the Nrf2/HO-1/SLC7A11/GPX4 pathway to prevent oxidative stress damage and cardiomyocyte ferroptosis caused by I/R.

Intravenous calcitriol administration improves the liver redox status and attenuates ferroptosis in mice with high-fat diet-induced obesity complicated with sepsis

Obesity aggravates ferroptosis, and vitamin D (VD) may inhibit ferroptosis. We hypothesized that weight reduction and/or calcitriol administration have benefits against the sepsis-induced liver redox imbalance and ferroptosis in obese mice. Mice were fed a high-fat diet for 11 weeks, then half of the mice continued to consume the diet, while the other half were transferred to a low-energy diet for 5 weeks. After feeding the respective diets for 16 weeks, sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Septic mice were divided into four experimental groups: OS group, obese mice injected with saline; OD group, obese mice with calcitriol; WS group, weight-reduction mice with saline; and WD group, weight-reduction mice with calcitriol. Mice in the respective groups were euthanized at 12 or 24 h after CLP. Results showed that the OS group had the highest inflammatory mediators and lipid peroxide levels in the liver. Calcitriol treatment reduced iron content, enhanced the reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione ratio, upregulated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, ferroptosis-suppressing protein 1, and solute carrier family 7 member 11 expression levels. Also, mitochondrion-associated nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 1, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, and heme oxidase-1 expression levels increased in the late phase of sepsis. These results were not noted in the WS group. These findings suggest that calcitriol treatment elicits a more-balanced glutathione redox status, alleviates liver ferroptosis, and enhances mitochondrial biogenesis-associated gene expressions. Weight reduction alone had minimal influences on liver ferroptosis and mitochondrial biogenesis in obese mice with sepsis.

Protective effects of Wenqingyin on sepsis-induced acute lung injury through regulation of the receptor for advanced glycation end products pathway

BACKGROUND

Wenqingyin (WQY), an ancient Chinese medicinal agent, has been extensively used in treating infectious ailments throughout history. However, the anti-sepsis mechanism remains unknown.

PURPOSE

This study investigated the diverse mechanisms of WQY in mitigating sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI). Additionally, the effects of WQY were validated using biological experiments.

METHODS

This study combined UHPLC-Orbitrap-HRMS analysis and network pharmacology to predict the potential anti-sepsis mechanism of WQY. Sepsis-induced ALI models were established in vivo via intraperitoneal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration and in vitro by LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Various techniques, including hematoxylin-eosin staining, TUNEL, qPCR, and ELISA, were used to assess lung damage and quantify inflammatory cytokines. Inflammatory cell infiltration was visualized through immunohistochemistry. Hub targets and signaling pathways were identified using Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence staining.

RESULTS

Seventy-five active components and 237 associated targets were acquired, with 145 of these targets overlapping with processes related to sepsis. Based on the comprehensive protein-protein interaction network analysis, JUN, AKT1, TP53, IL-6, HSP90AA1, CASP3, VEGFA, IL-1β, RELA, and EGFR may be targets of WQY for sepsis. Analysis of the Kyoto Gene and Genome Encyclopedia revealed that WQY is implicated in the advanced glycation end products/receptor for advanced glycation end products (AGE/RAGE) signaling pathway. In vivo, WQY alleviated sepsis-induced ALI, suppressing proinflammatory cytokines and inhibiting macrophage/neutrophil infiltration. In vitro, WQY reduced TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. Furthermore, we verified that WQY protected against sepsis-induced ALI by regulating the RAGE pathway for the first time. Baicalin, coptisine, and paeoniflorin may be the effective components of WQY that inhibit RAGE.

CONCLUSION

The primary mechanism of WQY in combating sepsis-induced ALI involves controlling RAGE levels and the PI3K/AKT pathway, suppressing inflammation, and mitigating lung damage. This study establishes a scientific foundation for understanding the mechanism of WQY and its clinical use in treating sepsis.

Research progress of ferroptosis regulating lipid peroxidation and metabolism in occurrence and development of primary liver cancer

As a highly aggressive tumor, the pathophysiological mechanism of primary liver cancer has attracted much attention. In recent years, factors such as ferroptosis regulation, lipid peroxidation and metabolic abnormalities have emerged in the study of liver cancer, providing a new perspective for understanding the development of liver cancer. Ferroptosis regulation, lipid peroxidation and metabolic abnormalities play important roles in the occurrence and development of liver cancer. The regulation of ferroptosis is involved in apoptosis and necrosis, affecting cell survival and death. Lipid peroxidation promotes oxidative damage and promotes the invasion of liver cancer cells. Metabolic abnormalities, especially the disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism, directly affect the proliferation and growth of liver cancer cells. Studies of ferroptosis regulation and lipid peroxidation may help to discover new therapeutic targets and improve therapeutic outcomes. The understanding of metabolic abnormalities can provide new ideas for the prevention of liver cancer, and reduce the risk of disease by adjusting the metabolic process. This review focuses on the key roles of ferroptosis regulation, lipid peroxidation and metabolic abnormalities in this process.

Danggui Shaoyao San protects cyclophosphamide-induced premature ovarian failure by inhibiting apoptosis and oxidative stress through the regulation of the SIRT1/p53 signaling pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

It has been reported that apoptosis and oxidative stress are related to cyclophosphamide (CYC)-induced premature ovarian failure (POF). Therefore, anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidative stress treatments exhibit therapeutic efficacy in CYC-induced POF. Danggui Shaoyao San (DSS), which has been extensively used to treat gynecologic diseases, is found to inhibit apoptosis and reduce oxidative stress. However, the roles of DSS in regulating apoptosis and oxidative stress during CYC-induced POF, and its associated mechanisms are still unknown.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This work aimed to investigate the roles and mechanisms of DSS in inhibiting apoptosis and oxidative stress in CYC-induced POF.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

CYC (75 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected in mice to construct the POF mouse model for in vivo study. Thereafter, alterations of body weight, ovary morphology and estrous cycle were monitored to assess the ovarian protective properties of DSS. Serum LH and E2 levels were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was employed for examining ovarian pathological morphology and quantifying follicles in various stages. Meanwhile, TUNEL staining and apoptosis-related proteins were adopted for evaluating apoptosis. Oxidative stress was measured by the levels of ROS, MDA, and 4-HNE. Western blot (WB) assay was performed to detect proteins related to the SIRT1/p53 pathway. KGN cells were used for in vitro experiment. TBHP stimulation was carried out for establishing the oxidative stress-induced apoptosis cell model. Furthermore, MTT assay was employed for evaluating the protection of DSS from TBHP-induced oxidative stress. The anti-apoptotic ability of DSS was evaluated by hoechst/PI staining, JC-1 staining, and apoptosis-related proteins. Additionally, the anti-oxidative stress ability of DSS was measured by detecting the levels of ROS, MDA, and 4-HNE. Proteins related to SIRT1/p53 signaling pathway were also measured using WB and immunofluorescence (IF) staining. Besides, SIRT1 expression was suppressed by EX527 to further investigate the role of SIRT1 in the effects of DSS against apoptosis and oxidative stress.

RESULTS

In the in vivo experiment, DSS dose-dependently exerted its anti-apoptotic, anti-oxidative stress, and ovarian protective effects. In addition, apoptosis, apoptosis-related protein and oxidative stress levels were inhibited by DSS treatment. DSS treatment up-regulated SIRT1 and down-regulated p53 expression. From in vitro experiment, it was found that DSS treatment protected KGN cells from TBHP-induced oxidative stress injury. Besides, DSS administration suppressed the apoptosis ratio, apoptosis-related protein levels, mitochondrial membrane potential damage, and oxidative stress. SIRT1 suppression by EX527 abolished the anti-apoptotic, anti-oxidative stress, and ovarian protective effects, as discovered from in vivo and in vitro experiments.

CONCLUSIONS

DSS exerts the anti-apoptotic, anti-oxidative stress, and ovarian protective effects in POF mice, and suppresses the apoptosis and oxidative stress of KGN cells through activating SIRT1 and suppressing p53 pathway.

Quercetin: A promising therapy for diabetic encephalopathy through inhibition of hippocampal ferroptosis

BACKGROUND

The pathophysiology of diabetic encephalopathy (DE), a significant diabetes-related pathological complication of the central nervous system, is poorly understood. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent regulated necrotic cell death process that mediates the development of neurodegenerative and diabetes-related lesions. Quercetin (QE) exerts anti-ferroptotic effects in various diseases. However, the roles of ferroptosis in DE and the potential anti-ferroptotic mechanisms of QE are unclear.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate if quercetin can ameliorate DE by inhibiting ferroptosis and to elucidate the potential anti-ferroptotic mechanisms of QE, thus providing a new perspective on the pathogenesis and prevention of DE.

METHODS

The spontaneously type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizak rats and high glucose (HG)-induced PC12 cells were used as animal and in vitro models, respectively. The Morris water maze test was performed to evaluate the cognition of rats. Pathological damage was examined using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Mitochondrial damage was assessed using transmission electron microscopy. Lipid peroxidation was evaluated by examining the levels of malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione. Additionally, the contents of iron ions were quantified. Immunofluorescence and western blotting were carried out to poke the protein levels. Network pharmacology analysis was conducted to construct a protein-protein interaction network for the therapeutic targets of QE in DE. Additionally, molecular docking and cellular thermal shift assay was performed to examine the target of QE.

RESULTS

QE alleviated cognitive impairment, decreased lipid peroxidation and iron deposition in the hippocampus, and upregulated the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. HG-induced ferroptosis in PC12 cells resulted in decreased cell viability accompanied by lipid peroxidation and iron deposition. QE mitigated HG-induced ferroptosis by upregulating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, which was partially suppressed upon Nrf2 inhibition. Network pharmacology analysis further indicated that the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway is a key target of QE. Molecular docking experiments revealed that QE binds to KEAP1 through four hydrogen bonds. Moreover, QE altered the thermostability of KEAP1.

CONCLUSION

These results indicated that QE inhibits ferroptosis in the hippocampal neurons by binding to KEAP1 and subsequently upregulating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

Pentoxifylline protects against cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion injury through ferroptosis regulation via the Nrf2/SLC7A11/GPX4 signalling pathway

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether pentoxifylline (PTX) attenuates cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in rats by inhibiting ferroptosis and to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms.

METHODS

Cerebral IRI was induced in male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats using middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The effects of PTX on cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion brain samples were detected through neurological deficit score, staining and electron microscopy; levels of ferroptosis biomarkers from brain samples were detected using kits. Additionally, the expression levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), transferrin receptor protein 1, divalent metal transporter 1, solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) were determined by immunohistochemistry, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting.

RESULTS

Pre-treatment with PTX was found to improve neurological function, evidenced by reduced neurological deficit scores, decreased infarct volume and alleviated pathological features post-MCAO. This improvement was accompanied by reduced lipid peroxidation levels and mitigated mitochondrial damage. Notably, PTX's inhibitory effect on ferroptosis was characterised by enhanced Nrf2 nuclear translocation and regulation of ferroptosis-related proteins. Moreover, inhibition of Nrf2 using ML385 (an Nrf2-specific inhibitor) reversed PTX's neuroprotective effect on MCAO-induced ferroptosis via the SLC7A11/GPX4 signalling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Ferroptosis is evident following cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion in rats. Pentoxifylline confers protection against IRI in rats by inhibiting ferroptosis through the Nrf2/SLC7A11/GPX4 signalling pathway.

Silencing KPNA2 Promotes Ferroptosis in Laryngeal Cancer by Activating the FoxO Signaling Pathway

We aim to clarify the specific role of Karyopherin α2 (KPNA2) in the progression of laryngeal cancer, a kind of malignant tumor with a poor curative effect. We performed the bioinformatic analysis to obtain the ferroptosis-related differentially expressed genes. KPNA2 was screened out. Then the CCK-8 assay, wound healing assay, and transwell assay were used to clarify the changes in the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of laryngeal cancer cells after silencing KPNA2. The concentrations of iron ions, glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and malondialdehyde were evaluated by the corresponding detection kits. The expression levels of cyclooxygenase 2, Acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4, glutathione peroxidase 4, forkhead box O (FoxO)1a and FoxO3a were determined by Western Blot. A total of 45 ferroptosis-related differentially expressed genes in laryngeal cancer were obtained, and KPNA2 was selected after bioinformatic analysis. In ferroptosis-induced laryngeal cancer cells, the cell viability, migration rate, invasion ability, and the expression of glutathione peroxidase 4, glutathione, and superoxide dismutase were further decreased and the expression of cyclooxygenase 2, Acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4, iron ions, and malondialdehyde were further increased after silencing KPNA2. The expression levels of FoxO1a and FoxO3a in laryngeal cancer cells were increased by silencing KPNA2. KPNA2 may be a promising therapeutic target for laryngeal cancer. Down-regulation of KPNA2 can promote ferroptosis in laryngeal cancer by stimulating the FoxO signaling pathway.

Construction of a Label-Detection Integrated Visual Probe to Reveal the Double-Edged Sword Principle of Ferroptosis in Liver Injury

Ferroptosis has been confirmed as a potential mediator and an indicator of the severity of liver injury. Despite the fruitful results, there are still two deficiencies in the research on the association between ferroptosis and liver injury. First, iron ions are usually selected as the target bioanalyte, but its detection based on a fluorescent probe is interfered with by specific chemical reaction mechanisms, leading to low sensitivity and poor physiological stability. Second, more efforts were focused on the harmful effects of ferroptosis on liver injury and less involved in the therapeutic value of ferroptosis for liver injury. Hence, in this work, we proposed a new nonreactive analyte (mitochondrial viscosity) as an analysis marker, which can circumvent the challenges caused by specific reaction mechanisms of iron ions. Meanwhile, we constructed a novel label-detection integrated visual probe (VPF) to explore the feasibility of ferroptosis in the treatment of liver injury. As expected, we not only successfully traced the dynamic changes in mitochondrial viscosity but also visualized the changes in cell morphology during induced and inhibited ferroptosis. Conspicuously, this work revealed that liver injury can be alleviated by regulating ferroptosis, confirming the therapeutic value of ferroptosis in liver injury. In addition, a complex biological communication network between ferroptosis and liver injury was constructed by western blotting, providing an important theoretical mechanism for revealing their double-edged sword relationship. This study not only provides a new strategy for studying the complex relationship between ferroptosis and liver injury but also facilitates the future treatment of liver injury.

Ferroptosis: A new view on the prevention and treatment of diabetic kidney disease with traditional Chinese medicine

Diabetic kidney disease is one of the complications of diabetes mellitus, which can eventually progress to end-stage kidney disease. The increasing prevalence of diabetic kidney disease has brought huge economic burden to society and seriously jeopardized public health. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent, non-apoptosis-regulated form of cell death. The regulation of ferroptosis involves different molecular mechanisms and multiple cellular metabolic pathways. In recent years, ferroptosis has been proved to be closely related to the occurrence and development of diabetic kidney disease, and can interact with pathological changes such as fibrosis, inflammation, oxidative stress, and disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism, destroying the structure, form and function of the inherent cells of the kidney, and promoting the progression of the disease. Traditional Chinese medicine has a long history of treating diabetic kidney disease with remarkable curative effect. Current scholars have shown that the oral administration of traditional Chinese medicine and the external treatment of Chinese medicine can regulate GPX4, Nrf2, ACSL4, PTGS2, TFR1 and other key signaling molecules, curb ferroptosis, and prevent the progressive deterioration of diabetic kidney disease. In this paper, the mechanism of ferroptosis and diabetic kidney disease and the prevention and treatment of traditional Chinese medicine are analyzed and summarized, in order to provide new ideas and new plans for the treatment of diabetic kidney disease.