Hepcidin Alleviates LPS-Induced ARDS by Regulating the Ferritin-Mediated Suppression of Ferroptosis

The effects of ferroptosis, an iron-dependent cell death, on acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remain largely elusive. Hepcidin, encoded by the HAMP gene, affects inflammation, and iron homeostasis. The present study aimed to investigate whether hepcidin protects against ferroptosis in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ARDS. Our results confirmed that ferroptosis aggravated lung inflammation and damage in LPS-induced ARDS. Hepcidin defended against ferroptosis, with results similar to those of the ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1). Moreover, hepcidin decreased iron uptake, as determined by Transferrin Receptor 1 (TfR1) expression levels, and increased iron storage, based on ferritin heavy chain (FTH) expression. The effects of hepcidin on the A549 cell line were in line with the in vivo results. In addition, we used si-FTH to knock down FTH expression and found that this suppressed the ability of hepcidin to protect against ferroptosis. Collectively, our data suggest that hepcidin inhibits ferroptosis by increasing FTH expression in LPS-induced ARDS; thus, hepcidin may represent a possible treatment targeting ferroptosis.