Deferasirox protects against hydrogen peroxide-induced cell apoptosis by inhibiting ubiquitination and degradation of p21.

Deferasirox (DFX) is an iron chelator approved for the treatment of iron overload diseases. However, the role of DFX in oxidative stress-induced cell apoptosis and the exact molecular mechanisms underlying these processes remain poorly understood and require further investigation. In this study, we found that DFX rendered resistant to HO-induced apoptosis in HEK293T cells, reduced the intracellular levels of the labile iron pool (LIP) and oxidative stress induced by HO. Furthermore, DFX inhibited the ubiquitination and degradation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 (p21) via modulation of the interaction of p21 with SCF-Skp2. DFX also showed the inhibition effect on the activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), pro-caspase-3 and related mitochondrial apoptosis pathway induced by HO. These results provide novel insights into the molecular mechanism underpinning iron-mediated oxidative stress and apoptosis, and they may represent a promising target for therapeutic interventions in related pathological conditions.