Chemical Research in Chinese Universities ›› 2022, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (4): 1089-1096.doi: 10.1007/s40242-021-1438-2

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Maltol as a Novel Agent Protecting SH-SY5Y Cells Against Hemin-induced Ferroptosis

HUA Cong1,2, WANG Xuanzhong1,2, LIANG Shipeng1,2, LI Chen1,2, CHEN Xi1,2, PIAO Meihua2,3, WANG Zhenchuan1,2, GE Pengfei1,2, LUO Tianfei2,4   

  1. 1. Department of Neurosurgery, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, P. R. China;
    2. Research Center of Neuroscience, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, P. R. China;
    3. Department of Anesthesiology, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, P. R. China;
    4. Department of Neurology, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, P. R. China
  • Received:2021-10-28 Revised:2021-12-15 Online:2022-08-01 Published:2021-12-15
  • Contact: LUO Tianfei E-mail:luotianfei@jlu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos.31900742, 81701293, 81972346), the Scientific Research Foundation of Jilin Province, China(Nos.20190701051GH, 20200201405JC), and the Achievement Transformation Fund of the First Hospital of Jilin University, China (No.CGZHYD202012-028).

Abstract: Ferroptosis triggered by hemin is regarded as a primary factor accounting for neuronal death secondary to intracerebral hemorrhage. Thus, compounds with inhibitory effect on hemin-induced ferroptosis might be potential medicines to prevent neuronal death caused by intracerebral hemorrhage. Herein, we investigate whether maltol could alleviate hemin-induced SH-SY5Y cell ferroptosis and its potential mechanisms. It is found that maltol effectively prevents hemin-induced SH-SY5Y cell ferroptosis via three pathways. The first one is inhibiting intracellular iron increase via preventing upregulation of transferrin receptor, the second one is alleviating lipid peroxidation via attenuating H2O2 generation by NOX4 and promoting H2O2 clearance by catalase, and the third one is to reduce peroxidized lipids via maintaining GPX4/GSH pathway. Therefore, maltol is a novel agent preventing hemin-induced SH-SY5Y cell ferroptosis.

Key words: Maltol, Ferroptosis, Hemin, Brain hemorrhage, Neuron