Objective To observe and preliminarily explore the effects of Deferasirox (DFX) on lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis in human retinal endothelial cells (HREC). MethodsA cell experimental study. Divided the in vitro cultured HREC into normal glucose (NG) group, high glucose (HG) group, normal glucose+DFX (NG+DFX) group, high glucose+DFX (HG+DFX) group, normal glucose+DFX+FAC (NG+DFX+FAC) group, and high glucose+DFX+FAC (HG+DFX+FAC) group. Light microscope was used to observe the morphology of the cells; cell proliferation was detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, and Calcein-AM staining was used to detect the unstable iron pool (LIP) content, Fluorescent enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay reader was used to detect the reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and oxidized glutathione (GSSG); Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of Glutathione Peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and Solute Carrier Family 7 Member 11 (SLC7A11). Two-tailed Student t test was used for comparison between the two groups; one-way ANOVA was used for comparison between multiple groups. ResultsCompared with the HG group and the HG+DFX+FAC group, the cell proliferation rate and the contents of GSH, GPX4, and SLC7A11 in the HG+DFX group were significantly increased, and the differences were statistically significant (F=150.70, 21.02, 26.09, 52.62; P＜0.001). The contents of LIP, ROS, MDA, and GSSG were significantly decreased, and the differences were statistically significant (F=807.2, 16.94, 31.62, 19.21; P＜0.001). ConclusionsHigh glucose significantly induces an increase in LIP, lipid peroxidation, and ferroptosis in HREC. Deferasirox inhibits lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis in HREC by downregulating LIP levels.