Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of programmed cell death characterized by excessive accumulation of lipid peroxides. It is extensively involved in various physiological processes and pathological injuries in the body, and is morphologically and biochemically distinct from other cell death modes such as apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagic cell death. The activation and progression of ferroptosis are precisely and synergistically regulated by intracellular iron metabolism, lipid metabolism, antioxidant systems, and multiple signaling pathways. Hypoxia is a typical common feature of the pathological microenvironments in various diseases, including solid tumors, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and neurodegenerative diseases, which remodel cellular metabolic patterns and mediate cellular stress responses by activating the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) signaling pathway. Existing studies have confirmed that hypoxia regulates the progression of ferroptosis via the HIF pathway, presenting complex and bidirectional regulatory characteristics. This review systematically summarizes the core regulatory network of ferroptosis, elaborates the molecular mechanisms underlying the crosstalk between hypoxia signaling and ferroptosis pathways, and focuses on analyzing the bidirectional regulatory effects of hypoxia on ferroptosis. It aims to provide a novel theoretical basis and potential therapeutic targets for the mechanistic research and clinical prevention and treatment of related diseases.
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Research progress on ferroptosis in hypoxia-related diseases
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