Jempierre Yasmin Ferreira Souza Hoffmann, Pavi Catielen Paula, Guterres Iara Zanella, da Silva Izabella Thaís, Fongaro Gislaine
Laboratory of Applied Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
Food Environ Virol. 2025 Apr 10;17(2):25. doi: 10.1007/s12560-025-09638-2.
Iron is a cofactor in various biological processes, primarily obtained through dietary intake and also through oral or intravenous supplementation. Elevated iron levels are associated with increased production of reactive oxygen species, causing cellular damage. Additionally, iron influences the body's response to infections and participates in the synthesis of genetic material and cellular functions. Therefore, this review aims to explore the complex interplay between iron homeostasis and viral infections, analyzing how iron availability affects viral replication, possible mutations, and pathogenesis. The interaction between viruses and iron, although less explored in the literature, indicates the influence of host iron bioavailability on parasite-host interactions. Furthermore, iron absorption is regulated by hepcidin, a peptide hormone produced by the liver, which reduces blood iron levels by inhibiting ferroportin function. Iron is important in viral growth and activities, potentially promoting replication, possible mutations, and increased virulence as seen in some studies with respiratory, enteric, and other viral models. Thus, iron chelators can be a promising preventive therapeutic strategy to limit iron availability and thereby reduce viral infectivity.
铁是多种生物过程中的一种辅助因子，主要通过饮食摄入获得，也可通过口服或静脉补充。铁水平升高与活性氧生成增加有关，会导致细胞损伤。此外，铁会影响机体对感染的反应，并参与遗传物质的合成和细胞功能。因此，本综述旨在探讨铁稳态与病毒感染之间的复杂相互作用，分析铁的可利用性如何影响病毒复制、可能的突变及发病机制。病毒与铁之间的相互作用，尽管在文献中较少被探讨，但表明宿主铁的生物利用度对寄生虫 - 宿主相互作用有影响。此外，铁的吸收受肝脏产生的一种肽激素——铁调素调节，铁调素通过抑制铁转运蛋白的功能来降低血液中铁的水平。铁在病毒生长和活性中很重要，如在一些关于呼吸道、肠道及其他病毒模型的研究中所见，它可能促进病毒复制、可能的突变及增加病毒毒力。因此，铁螯合剂可能是一种有前景的预防治疗策略，可限制铁的可利用性，从而降低病毒感染性。
