Iron load increases ferritin synthesis and secretion in adult human hepatocyte cultures

In order to determine if iron load was able to stimulate specifically ferritin synthesis and secretion in adult human hepatocytes, primary cultures were submitted to increasing concentrations of ferric iron. The following results were obtained: 1. iron incorporation within the hepatocytes increased as a function of culture time and reached a high level after 48 h of treatment; 2. a dose-dependent significant stimulation of ferritin synthesis and secretion was observed when the medium iron concentration increased from 1 to 40 mumols.1(-1); 3. transferrin and albumin secretions were unaffected. The present data demonstrate that, in adult human primary cultures, iron load increases ferritin synthesis and secretion in a specific manner.