Open AccessCOVID-19-Related Brain Injury: The Potential Role of Ferroptosis
Author(s) -
Ruoyu Zhang,
Chen Sun,
Xuemei Chen,
Yunze Han,
Weidong Zang,
Chao Jiang,
Junmin Wang,
Jian Wang
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
journal of inflammation research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.656
H-Index - 33
ISSN - 1178-7031
DOI - 10.2147/jir.s353467
Subject(s) - pneumonia , covid-19 , pandemic , medicine , traumatic brain injury , respiratory tract , gpx4 , immunology , oxidative stress , respiratory system , disease , pathology , psychiatry , infectious disease (medical specialty) , catalase , glutathione peroxidase
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused devastating loss of life and a healthcare crisis worldwide. SARS-CoV-2 is the causative pathogen of COVID-19 and is transmitted mainly through the respiratory tract, where the virus infects host cells by binding to the ACE2 receptor. SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with acute pneumonia, but neuropsychiatric symptoms and different brain injuries are also present. The possible routes by which SARS-CoV-2 invades the brain are unclear, as are the mechanisms underlying brain injuries with the resultant neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with COVID-19. Ferroptosis is a unique iron-dependent form of non-apoptotic cell death, characterized by lipid peroxidation with high levels of glutathione consumption. Ferroptosis plays a primary role in various acute and chronic brain diseases, but to date, ferroptosis in COVID-19-related brain injuries has not been explored. This review discusses the mechanisms of ferroptosis and recent evidence suggesting a potential pathogenic role for ferroptosis in COVID-19-related brain injury. Furthermore, the possible routes through which SARS-CoV-2 could invade the brain are also discussed. Discoveries in these areas will open possibilities for treatment strategies to prevent or reduce brain-related complications of COVID-19.