SGK1 contributes to ferroptosis in coronary heart disease through the NEDD4L/NF-κB pathway

The prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) has increased significantly with the aging population worldwide. It is unclear whether ferroptosis occurs during CHD. Hence, we aimed to investigate the potential mechanisms associated with ferroptosis in CHD. Bioinformatics was used to characterize differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in CHD-related datasets (GSE21610 and GSE66360). There were 76 and 689 DEGs in the GSE21610 and GSE66360, respectively, and they predominantly associated with immune and inflammatory responses. DDX3Y, EIF1AY, KDM5D, RPS4Y1, SGK1, USP9Y, and NSG1 were intersecting DEGs of GSE21610 and GSE66360. Their expression pattern in circulating endothelial cells (ECs) derived from healthy individuals and CHD patients are consistent with the results of bioinformatics analysis, especially SGK1. In vitro, SGK1 knockdown alleviated the Erastin-induced downregulation of SLC7A11, GPX4, GSH, and GSSG, as well as the upregulation of lipid peroxidation, Fe accumulation, and mitochondrial damage in mouse aortic ECs (MAECs). Notably, SGK1 may interact with NEDD4L according to the String database. Moreover, SGK1 promoted NEDD4L and p-P65 expression in MAECs. Interestingly, the effect of SGK1 knockdown on ferroptosis in MAECs was rescued by overexpression of NEDD4L or PMA (NF-κB pathway activator). In vivo, SGK1 knockdown facilitated the recovery of body weight, blood lipids, and aortic tissue structure in CHD animal models. Furthermore, SGK1 knockdown alleviated Fe accumulation in the aorta and inactivated the NEDD4L-NF-κB pathway. In conclusion, SGK1 contributes to EC ferroptosis by regulating the NEDD4L-NF-κB pathway. SGK1 could be recognized as a therapeutic target related to ferroptosis in CHD.