Wang, Min and Wang teams reveal neuronal-astrocytic iron signaling mechanism driving anxiety in STTT

On October 15, 2026, teams led by Wang Fudi and Min Junxia at Zhejiang University and Wang Zhuo at South China University of Technology reported in Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy that chronic stress induces anxiety-like behavior in mice through the HMGB1-TLR4-hepcidin-FPN signaling cascade, independent of the classical monoamine system.