Brown adipose tissue (BAT) plays a crucial role in human physiology and holds significant therapeutic potential for metabolic disorders, including obesity and type 2 diabetes. White adipocytes possess the capacity to transdifferentiate into brown-like adipocytes under specific stimuli, a process termed white adipose tissue (WAT) browning. A key therapeutic strategy for metabolic diseases is to induce WAT browning, which enhances energy expenditure, improves glucose and lipid homeostasis, and reduces insulin resistance. Iron, the most abundant trace element in the body, plays a critical role in regulating adipocyte development, function, and transdifferentiation. This review critically examines the mechanisms through which iron imbalance influences adipocyte transdifferentiation and evaluates its promise as a therapeutic target for metabolic disorders.
Depression is a common mental illness, which is highly related to intestinal motor dysfunction and causes a global burden of disease. Lindera aggregata (LA), a traditional medicinal herb, has been used to treat gastrointestinal disorders; however, the effect of LA on depression remains unclear. Here, we assessed the impact of LA on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced depression in mice and explored the related mechanisms. The results showed that LA ameliorated depressive behaviors in mice exposed to CUMS, as evidenced by improved performance in the sucrose preference test, force swimming test, and open field test, as well as increased serum levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone and 5-hydroxytryptamine. In addition, LA increased the serum levels of D-xylose and ghrelin, indicating that LA can promote gastrointestinal motility. Additional studies revealed that LA relieved CUMS-induced hippocampal tissue damage, as shown by hematoxylin and eosin and Nissl staining. LA increased the expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and promoted the activation of tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) and cAMP response element-binding (CREB) in the hippocampus of CUMS-exposed mice or in corticosterone-injured HT22 cells. In conclusion, LA can improve CUMS-induced depressive behavior in mice, potentially through hippocampal neuroprotection mediated by the BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling pathway, which also contributes to improved intestinal function.
Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is a mature T-cell neoplasm characterized by large pleomorphic cells, often with horseshoe- or kidney-shaped nuclei and abundant cytoplasm (hallmark cells), and uniformly strong CD30 expression. Based on ALK expression or ALK rearrangement, ALCL is further classified into ALK-positive (ALK+) and ALK-negative types. This review focuses on the clinicopathologic, immunophenotypic, cytogenetic and molecular features of systemic ALK-negative ALCL. These patients are usually older adults who present with advanced stage disease and often a poor prognosis. ALK-negative ALCL is morphologically indistinguishable from the common pattern of ALK+ ALCL, but some cases show non-common morphology, such as "donut cells", Hodgkin-like features. ALK-negative ALCL is often negative for T-cell antigens (so-called "antigen loss") and in some cases can have a "null" immunophenotype and be confused with other hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic neoplasms. Recurrent genetic/molecular alterations have been identified in systemic ALK-negative ALCL, including rearrangements of DUSP22, TP63, JAK2, FRK, MYC, ROS1 and TYK2; mutations of JAK1, STAT3 and MSCE; and aberrant expression of ERBB4. Some of these alterations may have prognostic significance and/or provide potential therapeutic targets. Data support the idea that ALK-negative ALCL with DUSP22 rearrangement is a distinctive variant due to its unique morphologic, immunophenotypic and molecular features. Gene expression profiling data have shown that ALK-negative ALCL has distinctive molecular signatures, different from ALK+ ALCL and other T-cell lymphomas. Better understanding of the morphologic, immunophenotypic, genetic and molecular features of ALK-negative ALCL will help establish the correct diagnosis, guide therapeutic strategies and improve patient outcomes.
The tendon-bone interface (TBI) possesses a highly intricate structure, making complete restoration of its native structure postinjury particularly challenging, which often leads to suboptimal healing outcomes. Metal ions, such as calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), zinc (Zn2+), copper (Cu2+), cobalt (Co2+), strontium (Sr2+), iron (Fe2+/Fe3+), and lithium (Li+), have attached significant attention in tissue regeneration research owing to the excellent roles in promoting angiogenesis, osteogenesis, and chondrogenesis. This review systematically elucidates a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of these bioactive ions' mechanisms and their applications in TBI repair. Additionally, the review highlights the importance of incorporating metal ions into biomaterial scaffolds to enhance simultaneous multitissue regeneration while addressing current therapeutic limitations in TBI management. Finally, the review outlines future research directions for optimizing ion-based biomaterial strategies to advance TBI treatment paradigms.
Acute monocytic leukemia-M5 (AML-M5) remains a challenging disease due to its high morbidity and poor prognosis. In addition to the evidence mentioned earlier, several studies have shown that programmed cell death (PCD) serves a critical function in treatment of AML-M5. However, the role and relationship between ferroptosis and necroptosis in AML-M5 remains unclear. THP-1 cells were mainly treated with Erastin and IMP-366. The changes of ferroptosis and necroptosis levels were detected by CCK-8, western blot, quantitative real-time PCR, and electron microscopy. Flow cytometry was applied to detect the ROS and lipid ROS levels. MDA, 4-HNE, GSH and GSSG were assessed by ELISA kits. Intracellular distribution of FSP1 was studied by immunofluorescent staining and western blot. The addition of the myristoylation inhibitor IMP-366 to erastin-treated acute monocytic leukemia cell line THP-1 cell not only resulted in greater susceptibility to ferroptosis characterized by lipid peroxidation, glutathione (GSH) depletion and mitochondrial shrinkage, as the FSP1 position on membrane was inhibited, but also increased p-RIPK1 and p-MLKL protein expression, as well as a decrease in caspase-8 expression, and triggered the characteristic necroptosis phenomena, including cytoplasmic translucency, mitochondrial swelling, membranous fractures by FSP1 migration into the nucleus via binding importin α2. It is interesting to note that ferroptosis inhibitor fer-1 reversed necroptosis. We demonstrated that inhibition of myristoylation by IMP-366 is capable of switching ferroptosis and ferroptosis-dependent necroptosis in THP-1 cells. In these findings, FSP1-mediated ferroptosis and necroptosis are described as alternative mechanisms of PCD of THP-1 cells, providing potential therapeutic strategies and targets for AML-M5.
Exosomes, nano-sized small extracellular vesicles, have been shown to serve as mediators between intercellular communications by transferring bioactive molecules, such as non-coding RNA, proteins, and lipids from secretory to recipient cells, modulating a variety of physiological and pathophysiological processes. Recent studies have gradually demonstrated that altered exosome charges may represent a key mechanism driving the pathological process of ferroptosis. This review summarizes the potential mechanisms and signal pathways relevant to ferroptosis and then discusses the roles of exosome in ferroptosis. As well as transporting iron, exosomes may also indirectly convey factors related to ferroptosis. Furthermore, ferroptosis may be transmitted to adjacent cells through exosomes, resulting in cascading effects. It is expected that further research on exosomes will be conducted to explore their potential in ferroptosis and will lead to the creation of new therapeutic avenues for clinical diseases.
Death of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) may occur as ferroptosis, contributing to atherosclerotic plaque instability and rupture. Although it is involved in ROS-induced VSMC death, the role of nuclear transcription factors erythroid 2 related factor 2 (NRF2) in ferroptosis remains unclear. This study was designed to determine the coupling between NRF2 and antioxidant ferroptosis suppressor protein 1 (FSP1) in ROS-induced VSMC ferroptosis. We exposed mouse aortic VSMCs to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and cell death was characterized by increased NRF2 expression and inhibition of FSP1 expression. The results demonstrated that VSMC exposure to H2O2 emerged as the characteristic of ferroptosis. H2O2 promoted the expression and nuclear translocation of NRF2 and downregulated FSP1 expression. These data imply a novel and important role for NRF2/FSP1 in ferroptosis for treating VSMCs ferroptosis-associated diseases.
Osteoarthritis (OA), a chronic degenerative disease characterized mainly by damage to the articular cartilage, is increasingly relevant to the pathological processes of senescence, apoptosis, autophagy, proliferation, and differentiation of chondrocytes. Clinical strategies for osteoarthritis can only improve symptoms and even along with side effects due to age, sex, disease, and other factors. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify new ideas and targets for current clinical treatment. The tumor suppressor gene p53, which has been identified as a potential target for tumor therapeutic intervention, is responsible for the direct induction of the pathological processes involved in OA modulation. Consequently, deciphering the characteristics of p53 in chondrocytes is essential for investigating OA pathogenesis due to p53 regulation in an array of signaling pathways. This review highlights the effects of p53 on senescence, apoptosis, and autophagy of chondrocytes and its role in the development of OA. It also elucidates the underlying mechanism of p53 regulation in OA, which may help provide a novel strategies for the clinical treatment of OA.
Traditional treatment strategies for cancer are unsatisfactory. As a nonapoptotic cell death process and owning to the characteristics of iron-dependent lipid peroxide accumulation, ferroptosis has become a new target of tumor treatment. Numerous studies have proved that ferroptosis could enhance the immunogenicity of cancer and interact with immune cells. Cancer antigens, exposed to cancer cells that underwent ferroptosis, effectively improve the immunogenicity of the tumor microenvironment and promote the activation and maturation of immune cells. Meantime, immune cells release immunostimulatory cytokines including TNF-α and IFN-γ to downregulate the expression of SLC7A11 and SLC3A2, and reduce the absorption of cysteine, leading to lipid peroxidation and iron deposition in cancer cells. Consequently, induction of ferroptosis via iron deposition-based combination strategies could stimulate and activate natural and adaptive immune responses which release immune-stimulating factors to induce iron deposition in cancer cells. In this review, we provided a critical analysis of the correlation between ferroptosis and the immune responses, providing a novel way to effectively induce ferroptosis in cancer, which may be one of the focuses in future to improve the development of new therapeutic strategies of cancer.
This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief. Concerns raised by Dr. Sander Kersten in PubPeer pointed out that Figs. 6.1B and 6.2B of this paper were different figures but the legends and Western blots were identical; the quantification was also seen to be different between the two figures. Shortly afterwards, the authors asked to publish a corrigendum for part B of Fig. 6.1, including images of western blots and associated bar plots. Subsequently, the journal conducted an investigation and found evidence that there had been improper manipulation and duplication of images in Fig. 2 E, 6.2 B, 5 A and and 6.2 D, as shown by the reuse of several western blot bands with approximately 180° rotation in each case. After raising the complaint with the authors, the corresponding author agreed that the paper should be retracted. The authors apologise to the readers of the journal.
Ferroptosis as a novel programmed cell death that involves metabolic dysfunction due to iron-dependent excessive lipid peroxidation has been implicated in atherosclerosis (AS) development characterized by disrupted lipid metabolism, but the atherogenic role of ferroptosis in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), which are principal components of atherosclerotic plaque fibrous cap, remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of ferroptosis on AS induced by lipid overload, and the effects of that on VSMCs ferroptosis. We found intraperitoneal injection of Fer-1, a ferroptosis inhibitor, ameliorated obviously high-fat diet-induced high plasma levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, glucose and atherosclerotic lesions in ApoE(-/-) mice. Moreover, in vivo and in vitro, Fer-1 reduced the iron accumulation of atherosclerotic lesions through affecting the expression of TFR1, FTH, and FTL in VSMCs. Interestingly, Fer-1 did augment nuclear factor E2-related factor 2/ferroptosis suppressor protein 1 to enhance endogenous resistance to lipid peroxidation, but not classic p53/SCL7A11/GPX4. Those observations indicated inhibition of VSMCs ferroptosis can improve AS lesions independent of p53/SLC7A11/GPX4, which preliminarily revealed the potential mechanism of ferroptosis in aortic VSMCs on AS and provided new therapeutic strategies and targets for AS.
LncRNA HDAC11-AS1 (HDAC11-AS1) is the natural antisense transcript of HDAC11, a key enzyme for DNA histone deacetylation. We evaluated the role of HDAC11-AS1 in atherosclerosis. In this research, we found that HDAC11-AS1 ameliorated blood lipid levels and atherosclerosis in high fat-dieted apoE−/− mice by regulating HDAC11 negatively. The change in blood lipid levels is related to the expression of LPL, which is enhanced by HDAC11-AS1 through regulating adropin histone deacetylation in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, HDAC11-AS1 plays an anti-atherogenic role through adropin to induce LPL expressions, thereby enhancing TG metabolism. The results are valuable for the further development of HDAC11-AS1 and its clinical applications. It provides a new clinical therapeutic target for cardiovascular disease treatment.
Vascular endothelial cells (VECs), which are lined up in the inner surface of blood vessels, are in direct contact with the metabolite-related endogenous danger signals in the circulatory system. Moreover, VECs death impairs vasodilation and increases endothelium-dependent permeability, which is strongly correlated with the development of atherosclerosis (AS). Among several forms of cell death, regulatory death of endothelial cells frequently occurs in AS, mainly including ferroptosis, pyroptosis, apoptosis and autophagy. In this review, we summarize regulatory factors and signaling mechanisms of regulatory death in endothelial cells, discussing their effects in the context of the atherosclerotic procession.
Several epidemiologic and toxicological studies have widely regarded ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5), the particles with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm, as a strong potential threat to human health. PM2.5 exposure is mainly through the respiratory tract where it can permeate the lung alveoli and enter the blood circulation. After going into the circulation, PM2.5 directly confronts the vascular endothelial cells (VECs). The VECs, which are lined up in the innermost layer of the blood vessels, are essential in the homeostasis of physiological processes. Thus, the damage and dysfunction of VECs is a common cause of various diseases. In this review, we summarize the toxicity of PM2.5 to VECs including the pathophysiological mechanism and the effects of VEC‐mediated physiological functions. The review has discussed the association of impaired VEC function by PM2.5 with various diseases, indicating that the VECs may be an effective assessment of public health recommendations under PM2.5 exposure. Therefore, reducing the adverse effect of PM2.5 on VECs will prevent the potential occurrence and fatality of the relevant diseases in the future.
Background: Ferroptosis-related lncRNAs (FerLncRNAs) were developed to play a significant role in cancer treatment and prognosis. However, the relationship between FerLncRNAs and Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) remains unclear.Method: Based on ferroptosis-related differentially expressed lncRNAs in LUSC, we established a prognostic 8-lncRNA signature.Results: 8 Ferroptosis-related lncRNAs (LUCAT1, AL161431.1, AL122125.1, AC104248.1, AC016924.1, MIR3945HG, C10orf55 and AP006545.2) had prognostic value for LUSC by multivariate COX analysis (P<0.05), and possessed significant association with patient outcomes. Kaplan–Meier curves showed an obvious difference in OS that the high-risk group patients exhibited poorer survival than the low-risk group patients. The clinical receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) revealed that the ferroptosis-related lncRNAs prognostic signature can (FerRLSig) emerged more outstanding performance than clinical features in predicting the prognosis of LUSC. GSEA revealed that the majority of the novel Ferroptosis-related lncRNAs signature-regulated immune responses and the immune system processes were enriched in the high-risk group. 34 immune checkpoints (ICs) were detected significantly different expression between high-risk and low-risk groups.Conclusion: A novel FerRLSig based on 8 Ferroptosis-related lncRNAs provided important prognostic value for LUSC patients and developed new insights about ferroptosis-related immunotherapy targets in clinic.
In advanced atherosclerosis (AS), defective function-induced cell death leads to the formation of the characteristic necrotic core and vulnerable plaque. The forms and mechanisms of cell death in AS have recently been elucidated. Among them, ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of necrosis that is characterized by oxidative damage to phospholipids, promotes AS by accelerating endothelial dysfunction in lipid peroxidation. Moreover, disordered intracellular iron causes damage to macrophages, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), vascular endothelial cells (VECs), and affects many risk factors or pathologic processes of AS such as disturbances in lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress, inflammation, and dyslipidemia. However, the mechanisms through which ferroptosis initiates the development and progression of AS have not been established. This review explains the possible correlations between AS and ferroptosis, and provides a reliable theoretical basis for future studies on its mechanism.
Hypertriglyceridemia is a risk factor for a series of diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Angiopoietin-like proteins (ANGPTLs) family, especially ANGPTL3, ANGPTL4 and ANGPTL8, which regulate lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity, play pivotal roles in triglyceride (TG) metabolism and related diseases/complications. There are many transcriptional and post-transcriptional factors that participate in physiological and pathological regulation of ANGPTLs to affect triglyceride metabolism. This review is intended to focus on the similarity and difference in the expression, structural features, regulation profile of the three ANGPTLs and inhibitory models for LPL. Description of the regulatory factors of ANGPTLs and the properties in regulating the lipid metabolism involved in the underlying mechanisms in pathological effects on diseases will provide potential therapeutic approaches for the treatment of dyslipidemia related diseases.