Research advances in role of ferroptosis in atherosclerosis and its targeted therapy

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by abnormal lipid metabolism, resulting in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases with high disability and fatality. Ferroptosis is a new form of cell death, which depends on the regulation of iron and triggers multiple antioxidant systems, it is activated by lipid peroxidation, and participates in the regulation of AS, foam cell formation, endothelial dysfunction, plaque formation, intra-plaque hemorrhage and other pathological processes. Therefore, targeting ferroptosis is expected to become a new direction for the treatment of AS and the prevention of complications. This paper reviews the mechanism of ferroptosis, focuses on the relationship between ferroptosis and AS, and summarizes the research progress of targeted ferroptosis in the treatment of AS in recent years to provide theoretical reference for the treatment of AS.