Expression of SFT (stimulator of Fe transport) is enhanced by iron chelation in HeLa cells and by hemochromatosis in liver.
SFT (stimulator of Fe transport) is a novel transport protein that has been found to facilitate uptake of iron presented to cells as either Fe(II) or Fe(III). When HeLa cells are exposed to the iron chelator desferrioxamine, levels of SFT mRNA increase in an actinomycin D-sensitive manner. In contrast, cells exposed to high levels of iron down-regulate SFT expression in a time-dependent and reversible fashion. Thus, homeostatic regulation of SFT expression not only ensures that sufficient levels of iron are maintained but also limits excessive assimilation to prevent potentially harmful effects of this toxic metal. The unexpected observation that SFT transcript levels are up-regulated in hemochromatosis patients therefore suggests that enhanced SFT expression contributes to the etiology of this iron overload disorder.
Yu
J
J
Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Yu
Z K
ZK
Wessling-Resnick
M
M
D001692:Biological Transport; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006367:HeLa Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006432:Hemochromatosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D044763:Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzymes
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D007501:Iron; C097308:UBE2D1 protein, human; D044763:Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzymes