title: Transferrin receptor 2: evidence for ligand-induced stabilization and redirection to a recycling pathway.
abstract: Transferrin receptor 2 (TfR2) is a homologue of transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1), the protein that delivers iron to cells through receptor-mediated endocytosis of diferric transferrin (Fe(2)Tf). TfR2 also binds Fe(2)Tf, but it seems to function primarily in the regulation of systemic iron homeostasis. In contrast to TfR1, the trafficking of TfR2 within the cell has not been extensively characterized. Previously, we showed that Fe(2)Tf increases TfR2 stability, suggesting that trafficking of TfR2 may be regulated by interaction with its ligand. In the present study, therefore, we sought to identify the mode of TfR2 degradation, to characterize TfR2 trafficking, and to determine how Fe(2)Tf stabilizes TfR2. Stabilization of TfR2 by bafilomycin implies that TfR2 traffics to the lysosome for degradation. Confocal microscopy reveals that treatment of cells with Fe(2)Tf increases the fraction of TfR2 localizing to recycling endosomes and decreases the fraction of TfR2 localizing to late endosomes. Mutational analysis of TfR2 shows that the mutation G679A, which blocks TfR2 binding to Fe(2)Tf, increases the rate of receptor turnover and prevents stabilization by Fe(2)Tf, indicating a direct role of Fe(2)Tf in TfR2 stabilization. The mutation Y23A in the cytoplasmic domain of TfR2 inhibits its internalization and degradation, implicating YQRV as an endocytic motif.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
authors.forename: Martha B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Juxing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Murchison
authors.forename: Frank A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Caroline A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Enns
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004705:Endocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000187:drug effects; D018942:Macrolides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D050505:Mutant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational / Q000187:drug effects; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000187:drug effects; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000187:drug effects; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014162:Transfection; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D018942:Macrolides; D050505:Mutant Proteins; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; C503640:TFR2 protein, human; D014168:Transferrin; C028283:diferric transferrin; C057620:bafilomycin A; D014443:Tyrosine