Abstract
BackgroundRadiation-induced lung fibrosis (RILF) is a severe and life-threatening complication of thoracic radiotherapy. Cell death is the key issue in RILF. Ferroptosis is a form programmed cell death implicated in the pathologies of inflammation. This study aimed to investigate the role of ferroptosis in RILF, and the effectiveness and the potential underlying mechanism of ferroptosis inhibitor on RILF.MethodsImmunofluorescence, western blot and RT-PCR assays were performed to examine the ferroptosis maker glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) in a mice RILF model. The lung tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), Masson trichrome staining and Sirius-Red staining to evaluate the histopathological changes in RILF mice. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and hydroxyproline (HYP) in lungs were measured by the relevant kits. The serum levels of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, and TGF-β1) were measured with Elisa. The protein and mRNA levels of GPX4, nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2), hemeoxygenase-1 (HO1) and quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) in lungs were examined by western blot and RT-PCR.ResultsGPX4 levels of the irradiated lungs were significantly down-regulated than the groups with no irradiation, and the ferroptosis inhibitor, liproxstatin-1, increased GPX4 levels significantly in RILF mice. Treatment with liproxstatin-1 lowered the Szapiel and Ashcroft scores significantly, down-regulated the levels of ROS and HYP in lungs and reduced the serum inflammatory cytokines levels in RILF mice. The protein and the mRNA levels of Nrf2, HO1 and NQO1 were up-regulated by liproxsratin-1 in RILF.ConclusionsOur data suggested that ferroptosis played a critical role in RILF, ferroptosis inhibitor liproxstatin-1 alleviated RILF via down-regulation of TGF-β1 by the activation of Nrf2 pathway. The effectiveness of ferroptosis inhibition on RILF provides a novel therapeutic target for RILF.
Highlights
Radiation-induced lung fibrosis (RILF) is a severe and life-threatening complication of thoracic radiotherapy
Our data suggested that ferroptosis played a critical role in RILF, and ferroptosis inhibitor liproxstatin-1 alleviated RILF via down-regulation of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) by the activation of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) pathway
Ferroptosis inhibitor up-regulated Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) levels of the lungs in RILF GPX4 is the central regulator of ferroptosis, and the decline of GPX4 is often used as a marker of ferroptosis [12, 14, 28]
Summary
Radiation-induced lung fibrosis (RILF) is a severe and life-threatening complication of thoracic radiotherapy. Ferroptosis is a form programmed cell death implicated in the pathologies of inflammation. Radiation-induced lung fibrosis (RILF) is a severe and life-threatening complication in thoracic cancer patients with radiotherapy [1, 2]. No effective strategy to manage for RILF has Ferroptosis is a recently recognized form of regulated cell death that involves iron accumulation and lipid. The major factor that triggers ferroptosis is ROS accumulation [16], which is the major trigger to induce inflammatory cytokines in RILF. Ferroptosis Inhibitor has been shown to have anti-inflammation effects by suppressing the expression of the inflammatory cytokines including TGF-β1 in contusion spinal cord injury [17]. We speculate that ferroptosis may occur in RILF, and the inhibition of ferroptosis may alleviate the RILF via down-regulation of TGF-β1
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