Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42381269›Full record

ArticleClinical and translational medicine2026

USP43-mediated deubiquitination of SLC7A11 protects against LPS-induced acute lung injury by inhibiting ferroptosis.

Li Zhang, Jutong He, Ming Xu, Bamawa Mwengendi Joël, Guiomar Correia, Xuefeng Zhou, Xinyi Li, Hexiao Tang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical and translational medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

8 authors.

Li ZhangDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Jutong HeDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Ming XuDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Bamawa Mwengendi JoëlDepartment of General Practice, Mboluoni Medical Center, Kisangani University, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Guiomar CorreiaDepartment of Cardiovascular and Thoracic surgery, Cardinal Cardiopulmonary Diseases Hospital, Luanda, Angola.
Xuefeng ZhouDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Xinyi LiDepartment of Anaesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.ORCID 0000-0002-8415-0385
Hexiao TangDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.

Funding

Natural Science Foundation of China 82272206Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China 2024AFD044Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China 2025AFB719Scientific and Technological Achievements Transformation Fund 2023CGZH-MS006
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAcute lung injury (ALI) is a common inflammatory pulmonary disorder, with increasing evidence implicating ferroptosis as a critical type of cell death in its pathogenesis. Ubiquitin-specific protease 43 (USP43) is an important deubiquitinating enzyme that plays a significant role in both inflammation and ferroptosis regulation. In this study, we mainly analysed whether USP43 could participate in the process of ALI by regulating the ferroptosis process, and clarified its molecular mechanism.

methodsTo investigate the functional role of USP43 in ALI, Usp43 knockout mice, USP43 knockdown and overexpressed human bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells and mouse alveolar type II epithelial MLE12 cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vivo and in vitro. Subsequently, ferroptosis inhibitor and activator, Ferrostatin-1 and Erastin, were taken to explore the effect of ferroptosis on the regulation function of USP43 in ALI. Finally, co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), ubiquitination and rescue assays were conducted to determine the regulation mechanism of USP43.

resultsThe expression of USP43 was up-regulated during ALI. Usp43-KO mice exhibited aggravated lung injury, inflammation and ferroptosis. Consistently, USP43 knockdown exacerbated LPS-stimulated cellular damage, inflammation and ferroptosis, while its overexpression exerted the opposite effect in vitro. Furthermore, the regulation effects of USP43 on ALI mainly depended on ferroptosis by administering a ferroptosis inducer and inhibitor, respectively. Mechanistically, USP43 was found to inhibit K48-linked polyubiquitination of solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), thereby stabilising SLC7A11. Overexpression of SLC7A11 rescued the ferroptosis, cellular and lung tissue injury and inflammation aggravated by USP43 knockdown or deficiency.

conclusionUSP43 prevents the progression of ALI by mediating K48-linked deubiquitination of SLC7A11, thereby inhibiting ferroptosis. Targeting USP43 may represent a potential therapeutic strategy for ALI treatment by enhancing SLC7A11 stability and inhibiting ferroptosis. KEY POINTS: USP43 has been proven to be upregulated during LPS-induced ALI. This study is the first to demonstrate that USP43 can inhibit the progression of LPS-induced ALI by suppressing ferroptosis. This study proved that USP43 can interects with SLC7A11 and removes the K48-linked ubiquitinaiton of SLC7A11, thereby enhances the stability of it and subsequently inhibiting ferroptosis during the LPS-induced ALI process. The regulation of USP43 on LPS-induced ALI mainly depends on SLC7A11, and USP43 is expected to become a new target for the treatment of ALI/ADRS.

Indexed as

Acute Lung InjuryAmino Acid Transport System y+FerroptosisLipopolysaccharidesAnimalsHumansMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMice, KnockoutUbiquitinationAmino Acid Transport System y+LipopolysaccharidesSLC7A11 protein, humanSlc7a11 protein, mouseacute lung injuryferroptosisSLC7A11ubiquitinationUSP43

Identifiers

PMID42381269
PMCPMC13319409

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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 OpenQuestion graph.