HIF-1α alleviates ferroptosis in ulcerative colitis by regulation of GPX4

Abstract Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death induced by the lethal accumulation of lipid peroxidation, while the precise mechanism of ferroptosis in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC) remains to be elucidated. This study aimed to explore the potential effect of hyp...

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Main Authors: Weitao Hu, Yanliang Cai, Daxing Cai, Zongchi Chen, Siying Huang, Su Zhang, Huie Zhuang, Taiyong Fang, Xiaoqing Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2025-07-01
Series:Cell Death and Disease
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07883-8
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author Weitao Hu
Yanliang Cai
Daxing Cai
Zongchi Chen
Siying Huang
Su Zhang
Huie Zhuang
Taiyong Fang
Xiaoqing Chen
author_facet Weitao Hu
Yanliang Cai
Daxing Cai
Zongchi Chen
Siying Huang
Su Zhang
Huie Zhuang
Taiyong Fang
Xiaoqing Chen
author_sort Weitao Hu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death induced by the lethal accumulation of lipid peroxidation, while the precise mechanism of ferroptosis in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC) remains to be elucidated. This study aimed to explore the potential effect of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) on ferroptosis in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) in UC. The relationship between ferroptosis and HIF-1α was initially investigated using clinical UC colon samples. In vitro and in vivo models of acute intestinal inflammatory response were constructed using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), respectively. The effect of HIF-1α on ferroptosis in UC was determined by establishing HIF-1α overexpression (HIF1A-OE) or knockdown (shHIF1A) IEC lines, and the mechanism by which HIF-1α mediated the transcription of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) was explored by combining Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and Chromatin immunoprecipitation-qPCR (ChIP-qPCR). The results indicated that ferroptosis was present in IECs from UC patients and colitis mice. Elevated expression of HIF-1α ameliorated the secretion of inflammatory cytokines and ferroptosis in IECs in vitro. HIF-1α inhibited ferroptosis by transcriptional activation of the GPX4 gene in inflammatory IECs. HIF-1α ameliorated the general conditions of mice and intestinal barrier dysfunction and by suppressing ferroptosis in IECs of mice through upregulating the expression of GPX4. In conclusion, ferroptosis occurred in the IECs of UC patients and colitis mice. HIF-1α may improve UC by suppressing ferroptosis in IECs through regulating the transcription of GPX4.
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spelling doaj-art-6f89f61c14c2467c9177e413bb5a86b82025-08-20T03:46:20ZengNature Publishing GroupCell Death and Disease2041-48892025-07-0116111410.1038/s41419-025-07883-8HIF-1α alleviates ferroptosis in ulcerative colitis by regulation of GPX4Weitao Hu0Yanliang Cai1Daxing Cai2Zongchi Chen3Siying Huang4Su Zhang5Huie Zhuang6Taiyong Fang7Xiaoqing Chen8Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical UniversityDepartment of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical UniversityDepartment of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical UniversityDepartment of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical UniversityDepartment of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical UniversityDepartment of Rheumatology/Department of General Practice, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical UniversityDepartment of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical UniversityDepartment of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical UniversityDepartment of Rheumatology/Department of General Practice, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical UniversityAbstract Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death induced by the lethal accumulation of lipid peroxidation, while the precise mechanism of ferroptosis in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC) remains to be elucidated. This study aimed to explore the potential effect of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) on ferroptosis in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) in UC. The relationship between ferroptosis and HIF-1α was initially investigated using clinical UC colon samples. In vitro and in vivo models of acute intestinal inflammatory response were constructed using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), respectively. The effect of HIF-1α on ferroptosis in UC was determined by establishing HIF-1α overexpression (HIF1A-OE) or knockdown (shHIF1A) IEC lines, and the mechanism by which HIF-1α mediated the transcription of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) was explored by combining Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and Chromatin immunoprecipitation-qPCR (ChIP-qPCR). The results indicated that ferroptosis was present in IECs from UC patients and colitis mice. Elevated expression of HIF-1α ameliorated the secretion of inflammatory cytokines and ferroptosis in IECs in vitro. HIF-1α inhibited ferroptosis by transcriptional activation of the GPX4 gene in inflammatory IECs. HIF-1α ameliorated the general conditions of mice and intestinal barrier dysfunction and by suppressing ferroptosis in IECs of mice through upregulating the expression of GPX4. In conclusion, ferroptosis occurred in the IECs of UC patients and colitis mice. HIF-1α may improve UC by suppressing ferroptosis in IECs through regulating the transcription of GPX4.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07883-8
spellingShingle Weitao Hu
Yanliang Cai
Daxing Cai
Zongchi Chen
Siying Huang
Su Zhang
Huie Zhuang
Taiyong Fang
Xiaoqing Chen
HIF-1α alleviates ferroptosis in ulcerative colitis by regulation of GPX4
Cell Death and Disease
title HIF-1α alleviates ferroptosis in ulcerative colitis by regulation of GPX4
title_full HIF-1α alleviates ferroptosis in ulcerative colitis by regulation of GPX4
title_fullStr HIF-1α alleviates ferroptosis in ulcerative colitis by regulation of GPX4
title_full_unstemmed HIF-1α alleviates ferroptosis in ulcerative colitis by regulation of GPX4
title_short HIF-1α alleviates ferroptosis in ulcerative colitis by regulation of GPX4
title_sort hif 1α alleviates ferroptosis in ulcerative colitis by regulation of gpx4
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07883-8
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