Targeting microbial iron homeostasis
Iron metabolism is increasingly being recognized as a druggable vulnerability in pathogens, distinct from classical antibiotic targets.
Recent advances reveal how bacterial iron uptake systems can be hijacked for selective drug delivery or targeted to impair iron-dependent virulence mechanisms by nutrient restriction.
Next-generation iron chelators, flavonoid-based hemolysin inhibitors, and gallium compounds exemplify new chemical classes that modulate iron availability or mimic iron function.
Host-mimicking strategies and nanomaterials support iron restriction as a therapeutic defense mechanism.
A better understanding of iron– pathogen–host interactions can enable the development of next-generation antimicrobials that are both targeted and broadly effective.
https://www.cell.com/trends/pharmacological-sciences/fulltext/S0165-6147(25)00179-8
