Emerging relationship between hydrogen sulfide and ferroptosis: A literature review

Abstract

Gaseous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) can function as a signaling molecule similar to nitric oxide or carbon monoxide under physiological conditions, ultimately exerting anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and antioxidant activities. Many studies have investigated the role of H2S in a variety of biological contexts, and both endogenous H2S and H2S donors have been leveraged as tools for fundamental biomedical research, and it has been suggested that they may provide value for the design of novel therapeutic strategies in the years to come. Ferroptotic cell death is a distinct programmed cell death resulting from excessive lipid peroxidation in an iron-dependent manner, and is characterized by high levels of iron accumulation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and peroxidation of cellular lipids. Several recent studies have revealed a close relationship between ferroproteins and their precursors, H2S, and the enzymes that produce them. This review summarizes the current information pertaining to the relationship between ferroptosis and H2S, with a particular focus on the underlying mechanisms and biological applications of this knowledge.