Iron chelation and neuroprotection in neurodegenerative diseases

Iron is an essential element for multiple functions of the brain. Maintenance of iron homeostasis involves regulation of iron influx, iron efflux and iron storage. Mismanagement of brain iron has been implicated in neuronal injury and death in several neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (PD) and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Multiple iron chelators have been shown neuroprotective and neurorestorative in these diseases, suggesting that iron chelation might be a promising therapeutics. In this paper, we briefly review the new findings of biological function of several molecules that regulate iron homeostasis in the brain, the possible role of iron mismanagement in the pathogenesis of PD, AD and ALS, and then discuss the putative mechanisms for current available iron chelators as potential therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases.