Ferroportin is a candidate regulator of dendritic cell-mediated immune tolerance

Dendritic cells (DCs) are central regulators of immunity, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying their tolerogenic function remain incompletely defined. In our previous study, ferroportin (FPN) was highly expressed in tolerogenic DCs (tolDCs), but its impact on their immunological function was unclear. Here, we investigated the role of FPN in the immunomodulatory properties of tolDCs. Compared with mature DCs (mDCs), tolDCs exhibited significantly increased FPN expression, reduced expression of co-stimulatory molecules and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and enhanced differentiation of T helper type 2 cells (Th2) and regulatory T cells (Tregs). Knockdown of FPN in tolDCs diminished Treg differentiation and IL-10 production, indicating that FPN is essential for the tolerogenic phenotype. These findings suggest that FPN affects tolDC-mediated immune modulation and contributes to the establishment of a tolerogenic immune environment, providing new insight into mechanisms of immune tolerance.