Evidence mapPaperPMID 41489772Full record

ArticleMolecular and cellular pediatrics2026

Antioxidants rescue murine mesangial cells from docosahexaenoic acid-induced ferroptosis.

Leon Saschin, Anna Kowalewski, Gregor Fink, Jenny Voggel, Maria Wohlfarth, Lea Quell, Jörg Dötsch, Miguel A Alejandre Alcázar, Kai-Dietrich Nüsken, Eva Nüsken

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular and cellular pediatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Leon SaschinDepartment of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany.
Anna KowalewskiDepartment of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany.
Gregor FinkDepartment of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany.
Jenny VoggelDepartment of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany.
Maria WohlfarthDepartment of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany.
Lea QuellDepartment of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany.
Jörg DötschDepartment of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany.
Miguel A Alejandre AlcázarDepartment of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany.
Kai-Dietrich NüskenDepartment of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany.
Eva NüskenDepartment of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany. Eva.Nuesken@uk-koeln.de.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOmega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) are associated with anti-inflammatory effects. However, few studies have investigated their molecular effects in the kidney. We have previously shown that intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) can lead to aggravation of mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis and that n-3 PUFAs can attenuate long-term effects of IUGR by reversing pro-inflammatory molecular signatures in kidney cortex.

resultsThe original aim of the study was to investigate the potential protective mechanisms of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on murine mesangial cells. However, stimulation with DHA alone led to reduced cell viability and ultimately cell death. Proteome analysis revealed significant regulation of ferroptosis-associated proteins. Increased expression of the pro-ferroptotic protein HMOX1 and decreased expression of the pro-ferroptotic proteins TFRC and ACSL4 could indicate the onset of self-protection mechanisms in ferroptosis that is already underway. Interestingly, treatment with the ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 maintained cellular metabolic activity and prevented cell death, further supporting a role of ferroptosis in DHA-induced cytotoxicity. Consistently, DHA-treated cells exhibited pronounced lipid peroxidation while showing no relevant activation of apoptosis. Simultaneous treatment with DHA and an antioxidant cocktail significantly attenuated cell death and induced upregulation of several key anti-ferroptotic proteins, including TXNRD1 and GPX4, while pro-ferroptotic proteins such as TFRC and ASCL4 were further reduced.

conclusionOur results provide evidence that DHA-treatment alone may have detrimental effects in susceptible cells, which could partially explain inconsistent results of clinical studies. This emphasizes the importance of a balance between pro- and anti-ferroptotic mechanisms in therapeutic strategies using n-3 PUFAs to promote kidney health.

Indexed as

AntioxidantsFerroptosisKidney healthOmega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acidsOxidative stress

Identifiers

PMID41489772
PMCPMC12770095

What Socratic holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.