Iron Homeostasis Disorder and Alzheimer’s Disease

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 22; no. 22; p. 12442
• Main Authors: Peng, Yu, Chang, Xuejiao, Lang, Minglin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 18.11.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Alzheimer Disease - complications; Alzheimer Disease - genetics; Alzheimer Disease - metabolism; Alzheimer Disease - pathology; Alzheimer's disease; Amyloid beta-Peptides - genetics; Amyloid beta-Peptides - metabolism; Antigens, CD - genetics; Antigens, CD - metabolism; Apoptosis; Blood; Brain - metabolism; Brain - pathology; Cation Transport Proteins - genetics; Cation Transport Proteins - metabolism; Chemical reactions; Cytochrome; Gene Expression Regulation; Hepatocytes - metabolism; Hepatocytes - pathology; Homeostasis; Homeostasis - genetics; Human body; Humans; Intestinal Absorption; Iron; Iron - metabolism; Iron Overload - complications; Iron Overload - etiology; Iron Overload - genetics; Iron Overload - metabolism; Liver - metabolism; Liver - pathology; Macrophages - metabolism; Macrophages - pathology; Metabolic disorders; Oxidative stress; Pathogenesis; Physiology; Plasma; Proteins; Receptors, Transferrin - genetics; Receptors, Transferrin - metabolism; Regulation; Review; Sulfur; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Transferrin - genetics; Transferrin - metabolism; Transfusion Reaction - complications; APP; pathogenesis; Alzheimer’s disease; iron homeostasis regulators; tau; genetic intervention; iron homeostasis disorder; oxidative stress; central nervous system; β-amyloid
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212442
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596

Iron is an essential trace metal for almost all organisms, including human; however, oxidative stress can easily be caused when iron is in excess, producing toxicity to the human body due to its capability to be both an electron donor and an electron acceptor. Although there is a strict regulation mechanism for iron homeostasis in the human body and brain, it is usually inevitably disturbed by genetic and environmental factors, or disordered with aging, which leads to iron metabolism diseases, including many neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). AD is one of the most common degenerative diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) threatening human health. However, the precise pathogenesis of AD is still unclear, which seriously restricts the design of interventions and treatment drugs based on the pathogenesis of AD. Many studies have observed abnormal iron accumulation in different regions of the AD brain, resulting in cognitive, memory, motor and other nerve damages. Understanding the metabolic balance mechanism of iron in the brain is crucial for the treatment of AD, which would provide new cures for the disease. This paper reviews the recent progress in the relationship between iron and AD from the aspects of iron absorption in intestinal cells, storage and regulation of iron in cells and organs, especially for the regulation of iron homeostasis in the human brain and prospects the future directions for AD treatments.