Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 20, 2025

Measurement of Tissue Non-Heme Iron Content using a Bathophenanthroline-Based Colorimetric Assay
05:08

Measurement of Tissue Non-Heme Iron Content using a Bathophenanthroline-Based Colorimetric Assay

Published on: January 31, 2022

4.9K

Heart Ferroportin Protein Content Is Regulated by Heart Iron Concentration and Systemic Hepcidin Expression

Betty Berezovsky1, Jana Frýdlová1, Iuliia Gurieva1

  • 1Institute of Pathophysiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 128 53 Prague, Czech Republic.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|June 10, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Heart ferroportin protein regulation is primarily controlled by the iron regulatory protein/iron-responsive element system, with the hepcidin-ferroportin axis playing a secondary role in iron homeostasis.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Physiology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Hepcidin is a key regulator of systemic iron metabolism.
  • Ferroportin is the sole known cellular iron exporter.
  • The interplay between hepcidin and ferroportin is crucial for maintaining iron balance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the regulation of heart ferroportin protein expression.
  • To determine the influence of systemic hepcidin levels on heart ferroportin.
  • To explore the role of iron regulatory protein/iron-responsive element system in heart ferroportin regulation.

Main Methods:

  • Administration of erythropoietin to C57BL/6J mice to decrease hepcidin.
  • Injection of ferric carboxymaltose to increase iron and hepcidin.
  • Feeding an iron-deficient diet to Wistar rats.
  • Immunoblot analysis of heart ferroportin protein content.
  • Measurement of heart non-heme iron content.

Main Results:

  • Erythropoietin treatment decreased systemic hepcidin and increased heart ferroportin protein.
  • Ferric carboxymaltose increased heart non-heme iron and heart ferroportin protein, overriding hepcidin effects.
  • Iron deficiency decreased liver hepcidin, heart non-heme iron, and heart ferroportin protein.
  • Heart ferroportin expression is modulated by both hepcidin and intracellular iron levels.

Conclusions:

  • Heart ferroportin protein is primarily regulated by the iron regulatory protein/iron-responsive element system.
  • The hepcidin-ferroportin axis plays a secondary role in regulating heart ferroportin.
  • Intracellular iron availability can override hepcidin-mediated regulation of heart ferroportin.

Keywords:
ferroportinhemojuvelinhepcidiniron metabolismmyocardium

More Related Videos

Measurement of Heme Synthesis Levels in Mammalian Cells09:43

Measurement of Heme Synthesis Levels in Mammalian Cells

Published on: July 9, 2015

12.2K
Quantitating Iron Transport Across the Mouse Placenta In Vivo Using Nonradioactive Iron Isotopes08:45

Quantitating Iron Transport Across the Mouse Placenta In Vivo Using Nonradioactive Iron Isotopes

Published on: May 10, 2022

2.1K

Related Concept Videos

The Early Endosome: Endocytosis of Transferrin01:28

The Early Endosome: Endocytosis of Transferrin

Essential proteins such as insulin or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and micronutrients such as iron enter a eukaryotic cell through receptor-mediated endocytosis. Subsequently, the early endosomes fuse with the vesicles containing such receptor-ligand complexes and play a vital role in sorting the incoming ligands and receptors. While the ligands are either degraded inside the vesicle or released into the cytosol, their receptors are returned to the plasma membrane for further rounds of...
3.5K
Liver Physiology01:30

Liver Physiology

The liver, an essential organ in the human body, performs over 200 vital functions that can be broadly categorized into metabolic, hematological, endocrine regulation, and bile production.
Metabolic Regulation:
The liver is the central organ involved in regulating blood composition. It stabilizes blood glucose levels, maintaining them within the range of  70–110 mg/dL. When these levels drop, the liver breaks down glycogen reserves and releases glucose into the bloodstream. It can...
1.3K
Hepatic Portal System01:21

Hepatic Portal System

The hepatic portal system, a critical part of our circulatory framework, transports nutrient-laden, deoxygenated blood from the gastrointestinal tract and spleen to the liver. This ingenious system plays an indispensable role in maintaining our body's metabolic equilibrium.
At its core, the hepatic portal vein is the result of a confluence of the superior and inferior mesenteric veins along with the splenic vein. Each of these veins has a unique role. The superior mesenteric vein is...
2.4K
Erythropoiesis01:14

Erythropoiesis

Red blood cells  (RBCs) transport oxygen to all body tissues. These cells survive only for 120 days and then need to be replenished. Erythropoiesis is the process of RBC production. In healthy individuals, erythropoiesis ensures all tissues are amply supplied with oxygen. In addition, blood loss due to injury leads to a drop in the physiological oxygen level that will cause erythropoiesis. Any defect in erythropoiesis leads to several physiological disorders, including thalassemia, anemia,...
4.9K
Cell Specific Gene Expression01:58

Cell Specific Gene Expression

Multicellular organisms contain a variety of structurally and functionally distinct cell types, but the DNA in all the cells originated from the same parent cells. The differences in the cells can be attributed to the differential gene expression. Liver cells, whose functions include detoxification of blood, production of bile to metabolize fats, and synthesis of proteins essential for metabolism, must express a specific set of genes to perform their functions. Gene expression also varies with...
14.0K
Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells01:01

Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells

All blood and immune cells are produced from the multipotent hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) by the process of hematopoiesis. However, they all have a limited life span. In addition, many are depleted in immune surveillance or combatting an injury or infection. This makes blood one of the most regenerative tissues. Hematopoiesis helps replenish these blood and immune cells, restoring the body's normal functioning. However, overproduction of blood and immune cells can make them cancerous or...
3.3K