Identification of baicalein as a ferroptosis inhibitor by natural product library screening

Y Xie, X Song, X Sun, J Huang, M Zhong… - Biochemical and …, 2016 - Elsevier
Y Xie, X Song, X Sun, J Huang, M Zhong, MT Lotze, HJ Zeh 3rd, R Kang, D Tang
Biochemical and biophysical research communications, 2016Elsevier
Ferroptosis, a novel form of regulated cell death, is characterized by oxidative injury from
iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation. In a natural product library screening for ferroptosis
inhibitor, we found that baicalein is a potent inhibitor of erastin-induced ferroptosis in
pancreatic cancer cells. Baicalein (also termed 5, 6, 7-trihydroxyflavone) is a flavonoid
originally obtained from the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis and Scutellaria lateriflora. We
showed that baicalein exhibits remarkable anti-ferroptosis activity compared with well …
Abstract
Ferroptosis, a novel form of regulated cell death, is characterized by oxidative injury from iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation. In a natural product library screening for ferroptosis inhibitor, we found that baicalein is a potent inhibitor of erastin-induced ferroptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. Baicalein (also termed 5,6,7-trihydroxyflavone) is a flavonoid originally obtained from the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis and Scutellaria lateriflora. We showed that baicalein exhibits remarkable anti-ferroptosis activity compared with well-known ferroptosis inhibitors such as ferrostatin-1, liproxstatin-1, deferoxamine mesylate, and β-mercaptoethanol. At the biochemistry level, baicalein limits erastin-induced ferrous iron production, glutathione depletion, and lipid peroxidation. At the protein level, baicalein suppresses erastin-mediated degradation of glutathione peroxidase 4, a phospholipid hydroperoxidase that protects cells against membrane lipid peroxidation. Thus, baicalein enhances cellular anti-ferroptosis capacity and could be a potential therapeutic agent for ferroptosis-associated tissue injury.
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