Cellular Effects of Transferrin Coordinated to [Cl(NH3)5Ru]Cl2 and cis-[Cl2(NH3)4Ru]Cl. J. Inorg. Biochem., 2001, 83, 139-149 (original) (raw)

Two saturable mechanisms of iron uptake from transferrin in human melanoma cells: The effect of transferrin concentration, chelators, and metabolic probes on transferrin and iron uptake

Journal of Cellular Physiology, 1994

The mechanisms of iron (Fe) and transferrin (Tf) uptake by the human melanoma cell line, SK-MEL-28, have been investigated using chelators and metabolic probes. These data provide evidence for two saturable processes of Fe uptake from Tf, namely, specific receptor-mediated endocytosis and a second nonspecific, non-receptor-mediated mechanism which saturated with respect to Fe uptake at a Tf concentration of approximately 0.3 mg/ml. In contrast to Fe uptake, Tf uptake increased linearly up to at least 1 mg/ml. Furthermore, under the culture conditions used, the second nonspecific, non-receptor-mediated mechanism was the most important process in terms of quantitative Fe uptake. Two concentrations of Tf-'251-59Fe (0.01 and 0.1 mg/rnl) were used in order to characterise the specific and nonspecific Fe uptake pathways. Membrane permeable chelators were equally effective at both Tf concentrations, whereas membrane impermeable chelators were significantly (P < 0.001) more effective at reducing the internalisation of Fe at the higher Tf concentration, consistent with a mechanism of Fe uptake which occurred at a site in contact with the extracellular medium. The oxidoreductase inhibitor, amiloride, only slightly inhibited Fe uptake at the higher Tf concentration, suggesting that the second nonspecific process was not mediated by a diferric Tf reductase. Three lysosomotrophic agents and the endocytosis inhibitor, phenylglyoxal, markedly reduced Fe uptake at both Tf concentrations, and it is concluded that a saturable process consistent with receptor-mediated endocytosis of Tf occurred at the lower Tf concentration, while the predominant mechanism of Fe uptake at high Tf concentrations was a second saturable process consistent with adsorptive pinocytosis.

Growth of human tumor cell lines in transferrin-free, low-iron medium

In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Animal, 1995

Iron is essential for tumor cell growth. Previous studies have demonstrated that apart from transferrin-bound iron uptake, mammalian cells also possess a transport system capable of efficiently obtaining iron from small molecular weight iron chelates . In the present study, we have examined the ability of tumor cells to grow in the presence of low molecular weight iron chelates of citrate. In chemically defined serum-free medium, most human tumor cell lines required either transferrin (5 pg/ml) or a higher concentration of ferric citrate (500 p.M) as an iron source. However, we have also found that from 13 human cell lines tested, 4 were capable of long-term growth in transferrin-free medium with a substantially lower concentration of ferric citrate (5 pM). When grown in medium containing transferrin, both regular and low-iron dependent cell lines use transferrin-bound iron. Growth of both cell types in transferrin medium was inhibited to a certain degree by monoclonal antibody 42/6, which specifically blocks the binding of transferrin to the transferrin receptor. On the contrary, growth of low-iron dependent cell lines in transferrin-free, low-iron medium (5 pM ferric citrate) could not be inhibited by monoclonal antibody 42/6. Furthermore, no autocrine production of transferrin was observed. Low-iron dependent cell lines still remain sensitive to iron depletion as the iron(III) chelator, desferrioxamine, inhibited their growth. We conclude that low-iron dependent tumor cells in transferrin-free, low-iron medium may employ a previously unknown mechanism for uptake of non-transferrin-bound iron that allows them to efficiently use low concentrations of ferric citrate as an iron source. The results are discussed in the context of alternative iron uptake mechanisms to the well-characterized receptor-mediated endocytosis process.

Inhibition of transferrin iron release increases< i> in vitro drug carrier efficacy

2007

Transferrin (Tf) conjugates of CRM107 are currently being tested in clinical trials for treatment of malignant gliomas. However, the rapid cellular recycling of Tf limits its efficiency as a drug carrier. We have developed a mathematical model of the Tf/TfR trafficking cycle and have identified the Tf iron release rate as a previously unreported factor governing the degree of Tf cellular association. The release of iron from Tf is inhibited by replacing the synergistic carbonate anion with oxalate. Trafficking patterns for oxalate Tf and native Tf are compared by measuring their cellular association with HeLa cells. The amount of Tf associated with the cells is an average of 51% greater for oxalate Tf than for native Tf over a two hour period at Tf concentrations of 0.1 nM and 1 nM. Importantly, diphtheria toxin (DT) conjugates of oxalate Tf are more cytotoxic against HeLa cells than conjugates of native Tf. Conjugate IC 50 values were determined to be 0.06 nM for the oxalate Tf conjugate vs. 0.22 nM for the native Tf conjugate. Thus, we show that inhibition of Tf iron release improves the efficacy of Tf as a drug carrier through increased association with cells expressing TfR.

The role of transferrin receptor 1 and 2 in transferrin-bound iron uptake in human hepatoma cells

AJP: Cell Physiology, 2009

Transferrin receptor (TFR) 1 and 2 are expressed in the liver; TFR1 levels are regulated by cellular iron levels while TFR2 levels are regulated by transferrin saturation. The aims of this study were to 1) determine the relative importance of TFR1 and TFR2 in transferrin-bound iron (TBI) uptake by HuH7 human hepatoma cells and 2) characterize the role of metal-transferrin complexes in the regulation of these receptors. TFR expression was altered by 1) incubation with metal-transferrin (Tf) complexes, 2) TFR1 and TFR2 small interfering RNA knockdown, and 3) transfection with a human TFR2 plasmid. TBI uptake was measured using 59Fe-125I-labeled Tf and mRNA and protein expression by real-time PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. Fe2Tf, Co2Tf, and Mn2Tf increased TFR2 protein expression, indicating that the upregulation was not specifically regulated by iron-transferrin but also other metal-transferrins. In addition, Co2Tf and Mn2Tf upregulated TFR1, reduced ferritin, and increa...

Inhibition of transferrin iron release increases in vitro drug carrier efficacy

Journal of Controlled Release, 2007

Transferrin (Tf) conjugates of CRM107 are currently being tested in clinical trials for treatment of malignant gliomas. However, the rapid cellular recycling of Tf limits its efficiency as a drug carrier. We have developed a mathematical model of the Tf/TfR trafficking cycle and have identified the Tf iron release rate as a previously unreported factor governing the degree of Tf cellular association. The release of iron from Tf is inhibited by replacing the synergistic carbonate anion with oxalate. Trafficking patterns for oxalate Tf and native Tf are compared by measuring their cellular association with HeLa cells. The amount of Tf associated with the cells is an average of 51% greater for oxalate Tf than for native Tf over a two hour period at Tf concentrations of 0.1 nM and 1 nM. Importantly, diphtheria toxin (DT) conjugates of oxalate Tf are more cytotoxic against HeLa cells than conjugates of native Tf. Conjugate IC 50 values were determined to be 0.06 nM for the oxalate Tf conjugate vs. 0.22 nM for the native Tf conjugate. Thus, we show that inhibition of Tf iron release improves the efficacy of Tf as a drug carrier through increased association with cells expressing TfR.

Uptake of Anti-Anemic Substance Ferric-Sorbitol-Citrate by Normal and Malignant Cells and Its Effects on Expression of Transferrin Receptor 1 and Ferritin

Cancer Biotherapy & Radiopharmaceuticals, 2006

pression of Bcl-2 and an overexpression of p53 proto-oncogene, accompanied by an increased incidence of apoptosis. Aiming to evaluate further the activity principle of the anticancer effects of this antianemic drug, in this study, we analyzed the utilization of iron from FSC and the effects of FSC iron on transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1) and ferritin expression. Without FSC iron, all the cell lines had an equal expression of TfR1, but if cultured in FSC-supplemented medium, human colon SW620 and laryngeal carcinoma Hep cells exhibited a lower expression of TfR1-positive cells than nonmalignant Wi38 fibroblasts and pancreatic carcinoma MiaPaCa2 cells. The most sensitive to FSC iron were colon carcinoma SW620 cells, whereas Wi38 fibroblasts were not sensitive at all. Increased iron uptake by colon carcinoma cells was noticed in the first 3 hours of the incubation with FSC iron, whereas higher FSC iron concentrations and longer incubation also impaired ferritin expression in SW260 colon carcinoma cells. Thus, the anticancer ability of FSC could result from its higher initial utilization of iron and consecutive negative signal for the expression of TfR1 in tumor cells. Tumor cells containing lower amounts of ferritin are probably more sensitive to oxidative stress caused by iron overload, whereas FSC iron itself was proven to be chemically stable and did not induce lipid peroxidation.

Transferrin and transferrin receptor gene expression and iron uptake in hepatocellular carcinoma in the rat

Hepatology, 1998

Iron plays an important role in cell growth and metabolism. In preneoplastic liver nodules, a rise in the number of transferrin receptors (Tf-R) is associated with decreased endocytosis of the Fe 2 -Tf/Tf-R complex. Because nodules are precursors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the question arises whether changes in iron uptake by nodules persist in HCC. Current work showed up-regulation of Tf messenger RNA (mRNA) production in preneoplastic nodules, 12 to 37 weeks after initiation, and down-regulation in atypical nodules (at 45 and 50 weeks) and HCCs, induced in rats by the ''resistant hepatocyte'' model. Tf-R gene expression increased in nodules and HCCs. Tf-R numbers increased, without changes in affinity constant, in HCC. Iron uptake was higher in HCC than in normal liver, 5 to 40 minutes after injection of 59 Fe 2 -Tf, with preferential accumulation in cytosol of tumor cells and in microsomes of normal liver. Purification through Percoll gradient of mitochondria plus lysosomes allowed the identification in liver and HCC of an endosomal compartment sequestering injected 125 I-Tf. This subfraction was not seen when 59 Fe 2 -Tf was injected into rats, and 59 Fe was found in particulate material of both tissues. Liver and HCC exhibited comparable basal activities of plasma membrane NADH oxidase, an enzyme involved in iron uptake and cell growth. Stimulation of this activity by Fe 2 -Tf was higher in HCC than in normal liver. These results indicate that Tf expression may be a marker of preneoplastic liver progression to malignancy. Differently from nodules, HCC may sequester relatively high iron amounts, necessary for fast growth, both through the endocytic pathway and the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) oxidase system. (HEPATOLOGY 1998;27:452-461.)

Redox Properties of Human Transferrin Bound to Its Receptor †

Biochemistry, 2004

Virtually all organisms require iron, and iron-dependent cells of vertebrates (and some more ancient species) depend on the Fe(3+)-binding protein of the circulation, transferrin, to meet their needs. In its iron-donating cycle, transferrin is first captured by the transferrin receptor on the cell membrane, and then internalized to a proton-pumping endosome where iron is released. Iron exits the endosome to enter the cytoplasm via the ferrous iron transporter DMT1, a molecule that accepts only Fe(2+), but the reduction potential of ferric iron in free transferrin at endosomal pH (approximately 5.6) is below -500 mV, too low for reduction by physiological agents such as the reduced pyridine nucleotides with reduction potentials of -284 mV. We now show that in its complex with the transferrin receptor, which persists throughout the transferrin-to-cell cycle of iron uptake, the potential is raised by more than 200 mV. Reductive release of iron from transferrin, which binds Fe(2+) very weakly, is therefore physiologically feasible, a further indication that the transferrin receptor is more than a passive conveyor of transferrin and its iron.