Ferroptosis and Liver Fibrosis

Int J Med Sci. 2021 Jul 25;18(15):3361-3366. doi: 10.7150/ijms.62903. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death, which is characterized by a large amount of lipid peroxide accumulation and the imbalance of redox state in cells. Ferroptosis is usually accompanied with the dysfunction of lipid repair enzyme (glutathione peroxidase 4, GPX4), large masses of iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Ferroptosis is related to several signaling pathways, including amino acid and iron metabolism, ferritinophagy, cell adhesion and p53 and Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathways. A number of studies have indicated that ferroptosis is closely associated with acute renal failure, tumor, ischemia and reperfusion injury, neurodegenerative diseases and liver fibrosis. Liver fibrosis, which has long been a global health problem, still lacks effective treatment till now, and the discovery of ferroptosis provides a new insight into addressing this issue.

Keywords: ferroptosis; hepatic stellate cells; liver fibrosis.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / metabolism
  • Ferroptosis / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Iron / metabolism
  • Lipid Peroxidation / physiology
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Liver Cirrhosis / metabolism*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / physiology

Substances

  • Fatty Acids, Unsaturated
  • Iron
  • Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase