Ferroptosis is Involved in Hyperoxic Lung Injury in Neonatal Rats

Purpose: To evaluate whether ferroptosis is involved in hyperoxic acute lung injury (HALI) and its mechanisms through the HALI model. Methods: HE staining was used to assess lung injury pathology after the establishment of neonatal rat HALI model. ELISA was used to detect ROS, GPX4, and GSH expression. Prussian blue staining and Western Blot were used to detect iron deposition and the expression of ferroptosis-related proteins, respectively. Results: The HALI group showed pathological changes with larger and fewer alveoli and thicker alveolar septa after HE staining. Prussian blue staining detected significant iron deposition in the lung tissue of the HALI group. GPX4, GSH, GSS, and SLC7A11 expressions were significantly decreased in the HALI group than in the normal control group. In contrast, ROS, TFRC, FHC, and FLC expressions showed opposite results (p<0.05). Conclusion: Ferroptosis may be involved in the pathological process of hyperoxic lung injury in neonatal rats.