November 19, 2025, 14:00 CET

with

Prof. Dr. Verena Raker

Professor of Dermatology at University Hospital Augsburg

In-person seminar in the Seminar Room (63-U1.040) or online via Zoom
Link and password upon request
Please write an e-mail to: seminar.umweltmedizin@med.uni-augsburg.de

Title:

Reprogramming Stress Responses: How Fibroblasts Evade Ferroptosis in Fibrotic Disease

Abstract:

Fibrosis is a hallmark of many chronic diseases and a major cause of organ failure, yet once established, it remains largely irreversible. Understanding how environmental and metabolic stress shape fibrotic responses is therefore critical for developing new therapies. Our research uncovers an unexpected connection between cellular redox balance, iron metabolism, and fibrotic activation. We show that fibroblasts in systemic sclerosis-an autoimmune fibrotic diseasereprogram their metabolism to resist oxidative and iron-driven stress. This adaptation, mediated by the Slc7a11–ferritin axis, enables fibroblasts to store iron safely and avoid ferroptotic cell death, ultimately promoting persistent tissue scarring. By linking environmental oxidative stress to intracellular iron handling and metabolic resilience, our findings highlight a new mechanistic bridge between the environment and fibrosis. Targeting this stress-adaptation pathway may open the door to innovative antifibrotic strategies across a wide range of chronic diseases.