The emerging role of ferroptosis in intestinal disease

• Main Authors: Shu Xu, Yao He, Lihui Lin, Peng Chen, Minhu Chen, Shenghong Zhang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nature Publishing Group 2021-03-01
• Series: Cell Death and Disease
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-021-03559-1

Abstract Ferroptosis is a newly recognised type of regulated cell death (RCD) characterised by iron-dependent accumulation of lipid peroxidation. It is significantly distinct from other RCDs at the morphological, biochemical, and genetic levels. Recent reports have implicated ferroptosis in multiple diseases, including neurological disorders, kidney injury, liver diseases, and cancer. Ferroptotic cell death has also been associated with dysfunction of the intestinal epithelium, which contributes to several intestinal diseases. Research on ferroptosis may provide a new understanding of intestinal disease pathogenesis that benefits clinical treatment. In this review, we provide an overview of ferroptosis and its underlying mechanisms, then describe its emerging role in intestinal diseases, including intestinal ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and colorectal cancer (CRC).