Emerging Pathological Engagement of Ferroptosis in Gut Diseases

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, is mainly characterized by chronic and progressive inflammation that damages the gastrointestinal mucosa. Increasing studies have enlightened that dysregulated cell death occurs in the inflamed sites, leading to the disruption of the intestinal barrier and aggravating inflammatory response. Ferroptosis, a newly characterized form of regulated cell death, is driven by the lethal accumulation of lipid peroxides catalyzed by cellular free iron. It has been widely documented that the fundamental features of ferroptosis, including iron deposition, GSH exhaustion, GPX4 inactivation, and lipid peroxidation, are manifested in the injured gastrointestinal tract in IBD patients. Furthermore, manipulation of the critical ferroptotic genes could alter the progression, severity, or even morbidity of the experimental colitis. Herein, we critically summarize the recent advances in the field of ferroptosis, focusing on interpreting the potential engagement of ferroptosis in the pathogenesis of IBD. Moreover, we are attempting to shed light on a perspective insight into the possibility of targeting ferroptosis as novel therapeutic designs for the clinical intervention of these gastrointestinal diseases.