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The iron transporter ferroportin is regulated by ascorbate
Author(s) -
Scheers Nathalie M,
Hoffmann Karolina B,
Sandberg Ann-Sofie
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.641.20
Subject(s) - ferroportin , transporter , chemistry , hepcidin , intracellular , western blot , biochemistry , biology , immunology , gene , iron homeostasis , inflammation
A few tightly regulated transport proteins mediate iron absorption across the intestinal epithelium. However, at the basolateral border of the intestinal cells there is only one identified transporter, ferroportin, for the transfer of intracellular iron to the vascular system. The aim was to investigate the effect of ascorbate (Vitamin C) on the regulation of ferroportin in human intestinal Caco‐2 cells. We observed increased ferroportin levels in the presence of basolateral ascorbate (150 μM) as measured by Western blot and ELISA. After 2 h of apical iron incubation, the expression of ferroportin protein was dramatically decreased. We also observed that higher ascorbate concentration (300 μM) decreased ferroportin levels. Thus, the effect of ascorbate was dose‐dependent. Interestingly, the level of iron regulatory protein 2 (IRP2) was closely following the levels of ferroportin. In conclusion, our results suggest that the functional protein level of ferroportin is regulated by ascorbate and that IRP2 is involved. In addition, the nature of the IRP2 response suggests that it could be iron‐independent. The Swedish Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning funded this study.