Integrated regulation of stress responses, autophagy and survival by altered intracellular iron stores

• Authors: Yunyang Wang, Emory University; Mo Wang, Emory University; Yunshan Liu, Emory University; Hui Tao, Emory University; Somesh Banerjee, Emory University; Shanthi Srinivasan, Emory University; Elizabeth Nemeth, UCLA, Los Angeles; Mark Czaja, Emory University; Peijian He, Emory University
• Journal Title: REDOX BIOLOGY
• Volume: Volume 55
• Publisher: ELSEVIER | 2022-07-16, Pages 102407-102407
• Type of Work: Article | Final Publisher PDF
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2022.102407
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery
• Keywords: Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; ATF4; ER stress; Ferroptosis; Lipid peroxidation; Mitochondria; ENDOPLASMIC-RETICULUM STRESS; CELL-DEATH; OXIDATIVE STRESS; MITOCHONDRIA; FERROPTOSIS; APOPTOSIS; SUPPRESSION; HOMEOSTASIS; BIOGENESIS

Abstract

Iron is a mineral essential for blood production and a variety of critical cellular functions. Altered iron metabolism has been increasingly observed in many diseases and disorders, but a comprehensive and mechanistic understanding of the cellular impact of impaired iron metabolism is still lacking. We examined the effects of iron overload or iron deficiency on cellular stress responses and autophagy which collectively regulate cell homeostasis and survival. Acute iron loading led to increased mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) production and damage, lipid peroxidation, impaired autophagic flux, and ferroptosis. Iron-induced mtROS overproduction is the mechanism of increased lipid peroxidation, impaired autophagy, and the induction of ferroptosis. Iron excess-induced ferroptosis was cell-type dependent and regulated by activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4). Upregulation of ATF4 mitigated iron-induced autophagic dysfunction and ferroptosis, whereas silencing of ATF4 expression impaired autophagy and resulted in increased mtROS production and ferroptosis. Employing autophagy-deficient hepatocytes and different autophagy inhibitors, we further showed that autophagic impairment sensitized cells to iron-induced ferroptosis. In contrast, iron deficiency activated the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response, decreased autophagy, and induced apoptosis. Decreased autophagy associated with iron deficiency was due to ER stress, as reduction of ER stress by 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA) improved autophagic flux. The mechanism of decreased autophagy in iron deficiency is a disruption in lysosomal biogenesis due to impaired posttranslational maturation of lysosomal membrane proteins. In conclusion, iron excess and iron deficiency cause different forms of cell stress and death in part through the common mechanism of impaired autophagic function.