Targeting Iron Metabolism and Ferroptosis as Novel Therapeutic Approaches in Cardiovascular Diseases

Iron functions as an essential micronutrient and participates in normal physiological and biochemical processes in the cardiovascular system. Ferroptosis is a novel type of iron-dependent cell death driven by iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation, characterized by depletion of glutathione and suppression of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4). Dysregulation of iron metabolism and ferroptosis have been implicated in the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including hypertension, atherosclerosis, pulmonary hypertension, myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, cardiomyopathy, and heart failure. Iron chelators deferoxamine and dexrazoxane, and lipophilic antioxidants ferrostatin-1 and liproxstatin-1 have been revealed to abolish ferroptosis and suppress lipid peroxidation in atherosclerosis, cardiomyopathy, hypertension, and other CVDs. Notably, inhibition of ferroptosis by ferrostatin-1 has been demonstrated to alleviate cardiac impairments, fibrosis and pathological remodeling during hypertension by potentiating GPX4 signaling. Administration of deferoxamine improved myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury by inhibiting lipid peroxidation. Several novel small molecules may be effective in the treatment of ferroptosis-mediated CVDs. In this article, we summarize the regulatory roles and underlying mechanisms of iron metabolism dysregulation and ferroptosis in the occurrence and development of CVDs. Targeting iron metabolism and ferroptosis are potential therapeutic strategies in the prevention and treatment of hypertension and other CVDs.