Europe PMC · 2026-02-06
Scientists have discovered that plants use the same iron-triggered self-destruction process — called ferroptosis — that animals do, and that compounds plants naturally produce to survive stress can manipulate this process in human cancer and nerve cells, pointing toward new medicines and crop protection strategies.
Iron-dependent cell death (ferroptosis) is active in plants and plays a pivotal role in their responses to both biological threats (pathogens) and environmental stresses (drought, heat), not just in animals.
Three interconnected mechanisms drive plant ferroptosis: disrupted iron metabolism, oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and breakdown of antioxidant defense systems.
Plant-derived bioactive compounds can modulate ferroptosis pathways and show demonstrated potential against ferroptosis-linked human diseases including cancer, autoimmune disorders, and neurodegenerative conditions.