Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Quantification of Coenzyme A in Cells and Tissues
08:51

Quantification of Coenzyme A in Cells and Tissues

Published on: September 27, 2019

Pantothenate kinase-2 (Pank2) silencing causes cell growth reduction, cell-specific ferroportin upregulation and iron

Maura Poli1, Manuela Derosas, Sara Luscieti

  • 1Dipartimento Materno Infantile e Tecnologie Biomediche, Università di Brescia, viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy.

Neurobiology of Disease
|April 20, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Pantothenate kinase 2 (Pank2) downregulation causes cellular iron dysregulation and reduced growth. This Pank2 silencing significantly impacts ferroportin mRNA levels, potentially affecting brain iron accumulation in neurodegenerative diseases like PKAN.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Pantothenate kinase 2 (Pank2) is a mitochondrial enzyme crucial for Coenzyme A synthesis.
  • Pank2 dysfunction causes PKAN, a neurodegenerative disorder marked by brain iron accumulation, especially in the globus pallidus.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of Pank2 downregulation on cellular iron homeostasis.
  • To explore the relationship between Pank2, ferroportin expression, and iron metabolism.

Main Methods:

  • Pank2 was downregulated in various cell lines (HeLa, HepG2, SH-SY5Y, U373) using small interfering RNAs (siRNAs).
  • Cell proliferation, aconitase activity, and ferroportin mRNA levels were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • Pank2 silencing in HeLa cells led to reduced proliferation, decreased aconitase activity, and a 12-fold increase in ferroportin mRNA.
  • Significant ferroportin mRNA induction was observed in HepG2 and SH-SY5Y cells, but not in U373 cells.
  • Reduced cell growth was a common outcome across all tested cell types.

Conclusions:

  • Pank2 downregulation significantly alters ferroportin expression in a cell-type-dependent manner.
  • These alterations in ferroportin may influence iron transport to the brain, potentially contributing to iron accumulation in PKAN.

Related Concept Videos

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a rapamycin-insensitive companion...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the daughter...
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
Electron Transport Chain: Complex I and II01:46

Electron Transport Chain: Complex I and II

The mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) is the main energy generation system in the eukaryotic cells. However, mitochondria also produce cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to the large electron flow during oxidative phosphorylation. While Complex I is one of the primary sources of superoxide radicals, ROS production by Complex II is uncommon and may only be observed in cancer cells with mutated complexes.
ROS generation is regulated and maintained at moderate levels necessary...
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes01:05

Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes

Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...