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Can an epilepsy drug stop cisplatin kidney ferroptosis?

Li Y, Li K, Zhao W, et al. · Frontiers in pharmacology · 2023

Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC

Valproic acid, like ferrostatin-1, improved cisplatin AKI in mice by reversing GPX4 loss and ACSL4-linked lipid peroxidation; GPX4 siRNA wiped out VPA’s protection in tubular cells.

Study at a glance

Design
Animal / in-vitro — Cisplatin AKI in C57BL/6 mice (5 groups, n=5) plus HK-2 cells and 3 human AKI biopsies vs 3 tumor-adjacent controls; VPA vs ferrostatin-1
N
N=25 · 25 mice (5 per group); human histology n=3 AKI + 3 controls; in vitro HK-2 with VPA/Fer-1 and GPX4 siRNA
Population
Male C57BL/6 mice with cisplatin AKI, HK-2 tubular cells, and human AKI biopsy vs renal-cancer adjacent tissue
Outcome
Kidney function (creatinine, BUN), histology, lipid peroxidation, ACSL4/GPX4, and rescue by VPA or Fer-1

Structured fields used in claim comparison tables when every cited study has a complete layer.

Key findings

Ferroptosis appeared in human and mouse injured tubules. VPA or Fer-1 lowered creatinine, BUN, tissue injury, cell death, lipid peroxidation, and ACSL4 while restoring GPX4. GPX4 siRNA significantly weakened VPA’s benefit after cisplatin.

Methodology

Documented ferroptosis marks in 3 human AKI biopsies, then randomized mice to sham, cisplatin 20 mg/kg, VPA, cisplatin+VPA, or cisplatin+Fer-1 (n=5 each), and tested VPA/Fer-1 and GPX4 knockdown in HK-2 cells.

Limitations

n=5 mice per arm and 3 human biopsies cannot establish VPA as clinical AKI therapy; cisplatin nephrotoxicity still affects ~30% of treated patients and this is not a human trial.

How this study connects

Role on claims

Each row is a claim on a concept or method page where this paper supports, challenges, or qualifies the statement. Roles are hand-checked — not a model guess.

  • SupportsFerroptosisconcept

    Valproic acid can restrain cisplatin-induced tubular ferroptosis in mice, unlike cisplatin’s tumor-ferroptosis story.

    In cisplatin AKI mice and tubular cells, VPA (like ferrostatin-1) lowered creatinine/BUN, restored GPX4, and reduced ACSL4-linked lipid peroxidation; GPX4 siRNA wiped out VPA’s protection.

    Evidence for the claim as stated.

  • SupportsFerroptosisconcept

    Cisplatin can be used to induce tumor ferroptosis in oncology models and also drives kidney ferroptosis that VPA tries to block. Same molecule, opposite therapeutic aims.

    Evidence for the claim as stated.

Open questions

Tensions this paper is part of

From concept pages' “where studies disagree.” Disagreement means the same question; scope means different assays, populations, or outcomes.

  • Scope difference — different assays, populations, or outcomes

    SupportsFerroptosis

    Cisplatin can be used to induce tumor ferroptosis in oncology models and also drives kidney ferroptosis that VPA tries to block. Same molecule, opposite therapeutic aims.

    Also on this tension

History

When this study was placed

Dated entries from the concept change log — when this paper was added or removed as support, challenge, or qualifier on a claim.

  1. 2026-09-17

    Placed as supporting evidence on Ferroptosis

    In cisplatin AKI mice and tubular cells, VPA (like ferrostatin-1) lowered creatinine/BUN, restored GPX4, and reduced ACSL4-linked lipid peroxidation; GPX4 siRNA wiped out VPA’s protection.

  2. 2026-09-17

    Placed as supporting evidence on Ferroptosis

    Cisplatin can be used to induce tumor ferroptosis in oncology models and also drives kidney ferroptosis that VPA tries to block. Same molecule, opposite therapeutic aims.

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Same topic cluster — not a recommendation engine.