Zineldeen DH, Mushtaq M, Haider KH. Cellular preconditioning and mesenchymal stem cell ferroptosis. World J Stem Cells 2024; 16(2): 64-69 [PMID: 38455100 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v16.i2.64]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Khawaja Husnain Haider, BPharm, BSc, PhD, Chairman, Full Professor, Professor, Basic Sciences, Sulaiman AlRajhi University, AlMadina Road, Albukairiyah 52736, AlQaseem, Saudi Arabia. kh.haider@sr.edu.sa
Research Domain of This Article
Cell Biology
Article-Type of This Article
Editorial
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Doaa Hussein Zineldeen, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 6632110, Egypt
Co-first authors: Doaa Hussein Zineldeen and Mazhar Mushtaq.
Author contributions: Zineldeen DH contributed to the writing and generating of the visual abstract of this manuscript; Mushtaq M was involved in the writing and revisions of this article; Haider KH participated in the writing, finalizing, and submission of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report having no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Khawaja Husnain Haider, BPharm, BSc, PhD, Chairman, Full Professor, Professor, Basic Sciences, Sulaiman AlRajhi University, AlMadina Road, Albukairiyah 52736, AlQaseem, Saudi Arabia. kh.haider@sr.edu.sa
Received: December 11, 2023 Peer-review started: December 11, 2023 First decision: December 31, 2023 Revised: January 4, 2024 Accepted: January 19, 2024 Article in press: January 19, 2024 Published online: February 26, 2024 Processing time: 76 Days and 16 Hours
Abstract
In this editorial, we comment on the article published in the recent issue of the World Journal of Stem Cells. They focus on stem cell preconditioning to prevent ferroptosis by modulating the cystathionine γ-lyase/hydrogen sulfide (H2S) pathway as a novel approach to treat vascular disorders, particularly pulmonary hypertension. Preconditioned stem cells are gaining popularity in regenerative medicine due to their unique ability to survive by resisting the harsh, unfavorable microenvironment of the injured tissue. They also secrete various paracrine factors against apoptosis, necrosis, and ferroptosis to enhance cell survival. Ferroptosis, a regulated form of cell death characterized by iron accumulation and oxidative stress, has been implicated in various pathologies encompassing degenerative disorders to cancer. The lipid peroxidation cascade initiates and sustains ferroptosis, generating many reactive oxygen species that attack and damage multiple cellular structures. Understanding these intertwined mechanisms provides significant insights into developing therapeutic modalities for ferroptosis-related diseases. This editorial primarily discusses stem cell preconditioning in modulating ferroptosis, focusing on the cystathionase gamma/H2S ferroptosis pathway. Ferroptosis presents a significant challenge in mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapies; hence, the emerging role of H2S/cystathionase gamma/H2S signaling in abrogating ferroptosis provides a novel option for therapeutic intervention. Further research into understanding the precise mechanisms of H2S-mediated cytoprotection against ferroptosis is warranted to enhance the therapeutic potential of MSCs in clinical settings, particularly vascular disorders.
Core Tip: Ferroptosis is a regulated cell death mechanism entailing iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, accumulating reactive oxygen species, and subsequent cell damage. Like other cell-death mechanisms dominated by apoptosis and necrosis, ferroptosis significantly reduces the number of surviving donor cells post-engraftment, reducing the therapeutic effectiveness of cell-based therapy. Modulating ferroptosis mechanisms by preconditioning holds the therapeutic potential of stem cells by enhancing their survival and functionality.
