New Target for Prevention and Treatment of Neuroinflammation: Microglia Iron Accumulation and Ferroptosis

• Published in: ASN neuro Vol. 14; no. 1; p. 17590914221133236
• Main Authors: Liu, Shunfeng, Gao, Xue, Zhou, Shouhong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 2022; Sage Publications Ltd; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Cell death; Cell membranes; Central nervous system; Ferroptosis; Homeostasis; Inflammation; Iron; Microglia; Peroxidation; Phospholipids; Review; ferroptosis; neurodegenerative disease; iron accumulation; neuroinflammation; microglia; phospholipid peroxidation
• ISSN: 1759-0914; 1759-0914
• DOI: 10.1177/17590914221133236

Microglia play an important role in maintaining central nervous system homeostasis and are the major immune cells in the brain. In response to internal or external inflammatory stimuli, microglia are activated and release numerous inflammatory factors, thus leading to neuroinflammation. Inflammation and microglia iron accumulation promote each other and jointly promote the progression of neuroinflammation. Inhibiting microglia iron accumulation prevents neuroinflammation. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent phospholipid peroxidation-driven type of cell death regulation. Cell iron accumulation causes the peroxidation of cell membrane phospholipids and damages the cell membrane. Ultimately, this process leads to cell ferroptosis. Iron accumulation or phospholipid peroxidation in microglia releases a large number of inflammatory factors. Thus, inhibiting microglia ferroptosis may be a new target for the prevention and treatment of neuroinflammation.