Role of ferroptosis and autophagy in pulmonary diseases.

Programmed cell death is regulated by genes that not only play important roles in the growth and development of the body and the homeostasis of tissues and organs, but also participate in various pathological processes. Besides apoptosis, programmed cell death includes autophagy, ferroptosis and pyroptosis. Recent studies have found that ferroptosis and autophagy are involved in the occurrence and development of various diseases. Here, we mainly discuss the role and relationship between ferroptosis and autophagy in various lung diseases, such as lung injury, pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. These two forms of cell death can interact with each other and participate in pathogenesis and pathological processes. Through the complex interaction between ferroptosis and autophagy, new ideas for treating various lung diseases are expected to emerge.