Ferroptosis in Leukemia: Lessons and Challenges

Abstract

Ferroptosis is a newly defined programmed cell death (PCD) process with the hallmark of the accumulation of iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, which is more immunogenic over apoptosis. Ferroptosis shows great potential as a therapeutic target against acute kidney injury (AKI), cancers, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and hepatic diseases. Accumulating evidence has highlighted that ferroptosis plays an unneglectable role in regulating the development and progression of multiple pathologies of leukemia including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Herein, we focus on the state-of-the-art renewal in the relationship of ferroptosis with leukemia. Meanwhile, this chapter further highlights the iron, lipid and amino acid metabolism, as well as ferroptosis-based molecular mechanisms. Collectively, we summarize the contribution of ferroptosis to the pathogenesis of leukemia and discuss ferroptosis as a novel therapeutic target for different types of leukemia.