Lipid peroxidation aggravates anti-tuberculosis drug-induced liver injury: Evidence of ferroptosis induction

Abstract

Anti-tuberculosis drug-induced liver injury (ATB-DILI) is a common adverse reaction of anti-tuberculosis drug treatment. Studies have shown that isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RFP) are mainly metabolized in the liver and a large amount of intracellular glutathione is used up during the metabolism of these drugs, resulting in lipid peroxidation and hepatocyte death. Ferroptosis is a novel form of programmed cell death caused by iron-ion-dependent lipid peroxidation. In this study, we explored lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis during ATB-DILI. Morphology of ferroptosis was discovered in ATB-DILI mouse livers by transmission electron microscopy. Flow cytometry was used to assess the molecular markers of lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis including reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, and cellular iron content. Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) was depleted, while acyl-CoA synthetase long chain family member 4 (ACSL4) was overexpressed in the ATB-DILI tissues. And glutathione supplementation significantly reduced the level of lipid peroxidation and the risk of liver damage. Retrospective study of tuberculosis patients who underwent INH and RFP treatment also revealed an association between the intake of glutathione and a negative ATB-DILI rate. In addition, iron supplementation enhanced the degree of lipid peroxidation and liver injury induced by INH and RFP in vivo and clinical retrospective study. Taken together, these results indicate that lipid peroxidation and evidence suggestive of ferroptosis occurs during ATB-DILI, and glutathione replenishment prevents this process while iron supplementation augmenting this effect.