title: Iron and the immune system.
abstract: Iron and immunity are closely linked: firstly by the fact that many of the genes/proteins involved in iron homoeostasis play a vital role in controlling iron fluxes such that bacteria are prevented from utilising iron for growth; secondly, cells of the innate immune system, monocytes, macrophages, microglia and lymphocytes, are able to combat bacterial insults by carefully controlling their iron fluxes, which are mediated by hepcidin and ferroportin. In addition, lymphocytes play an important role in adaptive immunity. Thirdly, a variety of effector molecules, e.g. toll-like receptors, NF-κB, hypoxia factor-1, haem oxygenase, will orchestrate the inflammatory response by mobilising a variety of cytokines, neurotrophic factors, chemokines, and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Pathologies, where iron loading and depletion occur, may adversely affect the ability of the cell to respond to the bacterial insult.
authors.affiliation: Biologie du Comportement, Universite Catholique de Louvain, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. roberta.ward@uclouvain.be
authors.forename: Roberta J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Robert R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Crichton
authors.forename: Deanna L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Della Corte
authors.forename: Surjit K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Srai
authors.forename: David T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Dexter
mesh_terms: D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D017628:Microglia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors; D007501:Iron