Lipid peroxidation (Peroxidizing lipid membranes and lipid hydroperoxyl radicals) (LPO)

Lipid peroxidation refers to the oxidative degradation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) within cellular membranes, a process that generates lipid hydroperoxyl radicals (LOO•) as key intermediates (Dixon et al., 2012, PubMed: 22624692). This self-propagating chain reaction eventually leads to the formation of lipid hydroperoxides and the loss of membrane integrity, which is the defining biochemical hallmark of ferroptosis, a form of iron-dependent regulated cell death (Conrad et al., 2018, PubMed: 29059683). Under normal physiological conditions, the enzyme Glutathione Peroxidase 4 (GPX4) neutralizes these peroxides, but when this defense is compromised, the accumulation of peroxidized lipids triggers cell lysis. Pharmacological intervention typically involves radical-trapping antioxidants (RTAs) such as Ferrostatin-1 and Liproxstatin-1, which specifically scavenge lipid hydroperoxyl radicals to terminate the autoxidative chain (Zilka et al., 2017, PubMed: 28045263). Targeting this process is of significant therapeutic interest for treating neurodegenerative diseases, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and sensitizing therapy-resistant cancers to cell death.

Other names

Membrane lipid peroxidationLipid hydroperoxyl radicalsLOO•Lipid autoxidationLipid peroxidation

Radical-trapping antioxidant (RTA) activity that scavenges lipid peroxyl radicals to terminate the chain reaction of lipid peroxidation.