3.3.4 Iron overload in the brain caused by hypertension leads to
ferroptosis of neuronal cells
Increased iron reserves in the body are associated with adverse outcomes
and symptomatic hypertension, and iron overload may offset the
beneficial effects of thrombolytic therapy100. Yang et
al101. found that elevated iron content, increased
lipid peroxide content, and changes in indicators related to ferroptosis
were found in the brain tissue of hypertensive rats compared with
normotensive rats, suggesting that hypertension may lead to brain iron
overload, and iron overload increases lipid peroxidation, thereby
inducing ferroptosis in neurons. This suggests that iron homeostasis
plays an important role in the development of hypertension. It has been
established that hypertension is the most common risk factor associated
with stroke because it puts pressure on the blood vessels of the brain,
resulting in hemodynamic changes that worsen clinical stroke
outcomes102,103. However, how hypertension leads to
iron overload in the brain and what is the specific mechanism of
ferroptosis in hypertensive brain injury need further study and
discussion. As mentioned above, ferroptosis may play a key role in the
pathogenesis of hypertension and related brain damage, and inhibition of
ferroptosis may be a potential therapeutic target for the prevention and
treatment of hypertension and hypertensive heart and brain damage.
However, whether ferroptosis plays a key role in the impact of
hypertension on stroke severity and clinical outcome still needs further
study.