title: Ferroportin mRNA is down-regulated in granulosa and cervical cells from infertile women.
abstract: To explore the relationship between iron and infertility by investigating iron-related gene expression in granulosa and uterine cervical cells.
  
  
  
  Case-control study.
  
  
  
  Two tertiary hospitals.
  
  
  
  Two independent cohorts of fertile (n = 18 and n = 17) and infertile (n = 31 and n = 35) women.
  
  
  
  In vitro fertilization.
  
  
  
  Gene expression levels of ferritin light chain (FTL), ferritin heavy chain (FTH), transferrin receptor (TFRC), and ferroportin (SLC40A1) mRNA were analyzed in granulosa and cervical cells.
  
  
  
  In the first cohort, fertile and infertile women were similar in body mass index. Ferroportin mRNA levels were decreased in granulosa cells from infertile women in parallel with increased serum hepcidin levels. A positive association between ferroportin and TFRC mRNA, a gene associated with intracellular iron deficiency, was observed only in granulosa cells from fertile women. The major findings were replicated in a second independent cohort.
  
  
  
  Ferroportin mRNAs and circulating hepcidin identify a subset of infertile women and may constitute a target for therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, Girona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: José Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Moreno-Navarrete
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics and Gynecology Service, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: López-Navarro
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Químicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Luz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Candenas
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Químicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, Girona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, Girona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Mònica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sabater-Masdeu
authors.affiliation: Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad, Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernández-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad, Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Blasco
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain; Instituto Maimonides de Investigacion Biomedica de Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romero-Ruiz
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fontán
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, Girona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Wifredo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ricart
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain; Instituto Maimonides de Investigacion Biomedica de Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tena-Sempere
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, Girona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: jmfreal@idibgi.org.
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fernández-Real
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics; D001052:Apoferritins / Q000235:genetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001270:Cervical Atlas / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000235:genetics; D005298:Fertility; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D064451:Hepcidins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000235:genetics; D013030:Spain; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D055815:Young Adult; D000098742:Ferroportin
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C068126:CD71 antigen; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins; C507433:FTL protein, human; C578702:HAMP protein, human; D064451:Hepcidins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D000098742:Ferroportin; D005293:Ferritins; D001052:Apoferritins; C454461:FTH1 protein, human; D010088:Oxidoreductases
keywords: Ferroportin; ferritin; infertility; in vitro fertilization; ovarian granulosa cells; sterility; uterine cervical cells