Premium
Iron Metabolism and the Inflammatory Response
Author(s) -
Martins Ana C.,
Almeida Joana I.,
Lima Illyane S.,
Kapitão Antonino S.,
Gozzelino Raffaella
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
iubmb life
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.132
H-Index - 113
eISSN - 1521-6551
pISSN - 1521-6543
DOI - 10.1002/iub.1635
Subject(s) - context (archaeology) , immune system , inflammation , oxidative stress , homeostasis , metabolism , microbiology and biotechnology , iron homeostasis , defence mechanisms , biology , inflammatory response , chemistry , biochemistry , immunology , gene , paleontology
Iron (Fe) is essential to almost all organisms, as required by cells to satisfy metabolic needs and accomplish specialized functions. Its ability to exchange electrons between different substrates, however, renders it potentially toxic. Fine tune‐mechanisms are necessary to maintain Fe homeostasis and, as such, to prevent its participation into the Fenton reaction and generation of oxidative stress. These are particularly important in the context of inflammation/infection, where restricting Fe availability to invading pathogens is one, if not, the main host defense strategy against microbial growth. The ability of Fe to modulate several aspects of the immune response is associated with a number of “costs” and “benefits”, some of which have been described in this review. © 2017 IUBMB Life, 69(6):442–450, 2017