Ferroptosis-immune crosstalk in CNS diseases: mechanisms and translational insights

Ferroptosis is a form of regulated cell death driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, which plays a pivotal role in regulating the inflammatory-immune microenvironment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Mounting evidence indicates that dysregulated iron metabolism and an imbalance in antioxidant defenses can induce ferroptosis in neurons and glial cells while simultaneously remodeling immune cell function, thereby establishing a bidirectional feedback loop that amplifies neuroinflammation and tissue damage. In neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-1β released by activated microglia upregulate neuronal iron transporters (e.g., DMT1 and TfR1), promoting iron accumulation and ferroptotic cell death. In turn, damage-associated molecular patterns released from ferroptotic cells further potentiate immune activation, forming a self-amplifying cycle. In contrast, within the glioma microenvironment, CD8⁺ T cell-derived IFN-γ suppresses SLC7A11 expression in tumor cells, leading to glutathione depletion and glutathione peroxidase 4 inactivation, thereby triggering ferroptosis and modulating anti-tumor immunity. Although targeting ferroptosis or neuroimmune pathways has shown therapeutic promise in mitigating neurological deficits and enhancing anti-tumor responses, the underlying mechanisms governing ferroptosis-immune crosstalk remain inadequately characterized. Herein, this review systematically summarizes the key biological characteristics of ferroptosis and immune responses, with particular emphasis on their interplay across major CNS disorders (i.e., AD, PD, ALS, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and glioma). Furthermore, we discuss emerging therapeutic strategies encompassing small molecules, immunomodulatory approaches, and nanotechnology-based interventions, highlighting the ferroptosis-immune axis as a promising therapeutic target for CNS diseases.