Cited by 3,727Ferroptosis and cancer prognosisIron Metabolism and DisordersCell death mechanisms and regulation

Ferroptosis: process and function

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Xie, Y, Hou, W, Song, X, Yu, Y, Huang, J, Sun, X, Kang, R, Tang, D·2016·Cell Death & Differentiation

Abstract

Ferroptosis is a recently recognized form of regulated cell death. It is characterized morphologically by the presence of smaller than normal mitochondria with condensed mitochondrial membrane densities, reduction or vanishing of mitochondria crista, and outer mitochondrial membrane rupture. It can be induced by experimental compounds (e.g., erastin, Ras-selective lethal small molecule 3, and buthionine sulfoximine) or clinical drugs (e.g., sulfasalazine, sorafenib, and artesunate) in cancer cells and certain normal cells (e.g., kidney tubule cells, neurons, fibroblasts, and T cells). Activation of mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channels and mitogen-activated protein kinases, upregulation of endoplasmic reticulum stress, and inhibition of cystine/glutamate antiporter is involved in the induction of ferroptosis. This process is characterized by the accumulation of lipid peroxidation products and lethal reactive oxygen species (ROS) derived from iron metabolism and can be pharmacologically inhibited by iron chelators (e.g., deferoxamine and desferrioxamine mesylate) and lipid peroxidation inhibitors (e.g., ferrostatin, liproxstatin, and zileuton). Glutathione peroxidase 4, heat shock protein beta-1, and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 function as negative regulators of ferroptosis by limiting ROS production and reducing cellular iron uptake, respectively. In contrast, NADPH oxidase and p53 (especially acetylation-defective mutant p53) act as positive regulators of ferroptosis by promotion of ROS production and inhibition of expression of SLC7A11 (a specific light-chain subunit of the cystine/glutamate antiporter), respectively. Misregulated ferroptosis has been implicated in multiple physiological and pathological processes, including cancer cell death, neurotoxicity, neurodegenerative diseases, acute renal failure, drug-induced hepatotoxicity, hepatic and heart ischemia/reperfusion injury, and T-cell immunity. In this review, we summarize the regulation mechanisms and signaling pathways of ferroptosis and discuss the role of ferroptosis in disease.

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Crossref · 10.1038/cdd.2015.158

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  • Ferroptosis is initiated by specific perturbations of the intracellular microenvironment, notably severe lipid peroxidation, and relies on ROS generation and iron availability.

    “Ferroptosis is a form of RCD initiated by specific perturbations of the intracellular microenvironment, notably severe lipid peroxidation, which relies on ROS generation and iron availability [533–536].”
  • Ferroptosis is morphologically and mechanistically distinct from apoptotic, necroptotic, and autophagic cell death.

    “It is morphologically and mechanistically distinct from apoptotic, necroptotic, and autophagic cell death (Xie et al., 2016).”

    From The Role of Iron Regulation in Immunometabolism and Immune-Related Disease (2019) · cites this paper as Xie et al., 2016

  • Ferroptosis can be blocked with iron chelators but not with inhibitors of apoptosis and necroptosis.

    “Moreover, ferroptosis can be blocked with iron chelators but not with inhibitors of apoptosis and necroptosis (Xie et al., 2016).”

    From The Role of Iron Regulation in Immunometabolism and Immune-Related Disease (2019) · cites this paper as Xie et al., 2016

  • Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent oxidative form of cell death associated with increased lipid peroxidation.

    “Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent oxidative form of cell death associated with increased lipid peroxidation (Xie et al., 2016).”

    From The Role of Iron Regulation in Immunometabolism and Immune-Related Disease (2019) · cites this paper as Xie et al., 2016

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Authors
Xie, Y., Hou, W., Song, X., Yu, Y., Huang, J., Sun, X., Kang, R., & Tang, D.
Affiliations
  • Central South University (CN)
  • University of Pittsburgh (US)
  • Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (CN)
Corresponding author
  • Kang, R
  • Tang, D
Venue
Cell Death & Differentiation
Published
2016-01-22
Volume
23
Issue
3
Pages
369-379
ISSN
  • 1350-9047 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-5403
OpenAlex
W2265062179
Cited by
3,727
References
47
Citations by year
2026: 295 · 2025: 482 · 2024: 644 · 2023: 618 · 2022: 588 · 2021: 470 · 2020: 284 · 2019: 157 · 2018: 94 · 2017: 60 · 2016: 30
FWCI
19.74
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cell Death and Differentiation (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • University of Pittsburgh
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (201508020258, R01GM115366, 201400000003, R01CA160417, 31171229, U1132005)
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Cancer Institute (R01CA160417)
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (R01GM115366)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Ferroptosis and cancer prognosis
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Hematology › Iron Metabolism and Disorders
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Cell death mechanisms and regulation
Keywords
ferroptosis, regulated cell death, lipid peroxidation, reactive oxygen species, iron metabolism, GPX4, NADPH oxidase, p53, NF-E2-related factor 2, mitochondrial membrane damage, mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channel, endoplasmic reticulum stress, iron chelators, ferroptosis inhibitors, cancer cell death, neurodegenerative diseases, drug-induced liver injury, ischemia-reperfusion injury, T cell immunity
MeSH terms
Animals, Humans, Iron, Iron Chelating Agents, Mitochondria, Lipid Peroxidation, Signal Transduction, Cell Death, Reactive Oxygen Species, Oxidative Stress, Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

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