PIEZO1 might be involved in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury through ferroptosis regulation: a hypothesis

Stroke is associated with high mortality and extremely high disability rate. Regulating ferroptosis seems to be a promising way to treat ischemic stroke. After stroke, vasogenic edema exerts a mechanical force on surrounding structures, which could activate the mechanosensitive PIEZO1 channel. Our previous research has found that brain cortex PIEZO1 expression was increased in the rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), and PIEZO1 regulated oxygen-glucose deprivation/ reoxygenation (OGD/R) injury in neurons through the calcium signaling. Considering recent studies has identified HIF1 alpha as an essential protein in PIEZO1/calcium signaling, ferroptosis regulation and cerebral ischemia, we herein hypothesize that PIEZO1 might be involved in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury through ferroptosis regulation.