Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent and regulated form of cell death, characterized by lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress. The progressive development of pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is closely linked to the ferroptosis pathway. Although the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely defined, this field has drawn intense research attention. Notable progress has been made in identifying ferroptosis-related metabolic pathways and key targets during PF development. In this review, we first summarize the basic regulation of iron metabolism in the human lung, iron metabolic imbalance, and the activation of ferroptosis. Second, we focus on elaborating the mechanistic connections between ferroptosis and PF, encompassing the clinical features, pathological manifestations, and core pathogenic mechanisms of PF, as well as the interplay between ferroptosis and 3 specific cell types in PF: alveolar epithelial cells, macrophages, and fibroblasts. Third, the research progress in the pharmacotherapy of PF is categorized into 3 categories: drugs already approved for PF and those under clinical trials; ferroptosis-targeted therapeutic strategies, including inhibitors, natural compounds, gene therapy, and combination strategies. This review, grounded in key metabolic pathways and therapeutic targets, systematically explores the complex relationships among iron metabolic disorders, ferroptosis, and PF progression. Our aim is to provide a theoretical and practical foundation for ferroptosis-targeted PF treatment.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive lung disease with no cure except transplantation. Abnormal alveolar epithelial regeneration is a key driver of IPF development. The function of YAP in alveolar regeneration and IPF pathogenesis remains elusive. Here, we firstly revealed activation of YAP in AEC2s from human IPF lungs and fibrotic mouse lungs. Notably, conditional deletion of YAP in mouse AEC2s exacerbated bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Intriguingly, we showed in both conditional knockout mice and alveolar organoids that YAP deficiency impaired AEC2 proliferation and differentiation into AEC1s. Mechanistically, YAP regulated expression levels of genes associated with cell cycle progression and AEC1 differentiation. Furthermore, overexpression of YAP in vitro promoted cell proliferation. These results indicate the critical role of YAP in alveolar regeneration and IPF pathogenesis. Our findings provide new insights to the regulation of alveolar regeneration and IPF pathogenesis, paving the road for developing novel treatment strategies.

Background/Objectives: Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine technology has shown great potential in the prevention of infectious diseases and treatment of cancers, but its full potential is limited by non-specific delivery mediated by the current lipid nanoparticle (LNP) platform. Methods: Here, we developed a dendritic cell (DC)-targeting LNP incorporated with an ultra-high-affinity CLEC9A-specific nanobody that facilitates enhanced DC uptake but reduced liver accumulation. We assessed the therapeutic efficacy of nanobody-functionalized lipid nanoparticles (Nb-LNPs) in a mouse Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) model, alongside an evaluation of T cell-mediated immune responses and dendritic cell activation, facilitated by the delivery of mRNA-based neoantigen vaccines. Results: Compared with the use of an unfunctionalized LNP, personalized mRNA cancer vaccines encapsulated with this Nb-LNP demonstrated not only superior anti-tumor effects but also a favorable bio-safety profile in a mouse Lewis lung carcinoma model. The mRNA Nb-LNP neoantigen vaccines also induced substantially higher levels of DC maturation and more potent antigen-specific T cell responses, in particular CD4⁺ T cell responses, which are critical for initiation of anti-tumor immunity and immune memory. Conclusions: Taken together, these results suggest that precision-engineered LNPs conjugated with a CLEC9A-specific antibody or nanobody could be a promising platform for delivering mRNA vaccines specifically to dendritic cells, improving their prophylactic or therapeutic effects.