Crocin Alleviates Intracerebral Hemorrhage–Induced Neuronal Ferroptosis by Facilitating Nrf2 Nuclear Translocation

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is the deadliest type of stroke. Oxidative stress was considered to play an important role in ICH-induced secondary injury. Crocin, the main compound isolated from Crocus sativus L., possesses a potential anti-oxidative function in many types of diseases including ICH. In the current study, the protective role of crocin in ICH-induced brain injury was investigated in the ICH model. The ICH-induced brain edema and neurological deficits were analyzed by brain edema measurement and neurological testing. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) activity and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) were assessed by a total superoxide dismutase assay kit. The expressions of ferroptosis-related genes were verified by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and western blotting. The ICH-induced brain edema and neurological deficits were significantly decreased after treatment with crocin. Moreover, the SOD and GSH-px activities were obviously increased in the ICH with crocin-treated group compared with the ICH group, while the content of MDA was markedly decreased after treatment with crocin. Crocin inhibited ferroptosis of neuron cells, as evidenced by increased Fe 2+ concentration and the expression of GPX4, FTH1, and SLC7A11. Mechanistically, crocin treatment increased the expression and nuclear translocation of Nrf2. Our data suggest that crocin alleviates intracerebral hemorrhage–induced neuronal ferroptosis by facilitating Nrf2 nuclear translocation.