Article

A possible role for secreted ferritin in tissue iron distribution.

Laboratory for Molecular Nutrition, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion, 32000, Technion City, Haifa, Israel.
Acta Neurovegetativa (impact factor: 2.73). 02/2011; 118(3):337-47. DOI:10.1007/s00702-011-0582-0 pp.337-47
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Ferritin is known as a well-conserved iron detoxification and storage protein that is found in the cytosol of many prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. In insects and worms, ferritin has evolved into a classically secreted protein that transports iron systemically. Mammalian ferritins are found intracellularly in the cytosol, as well as in the nucleus, the endo-lysosomal compartment and the mitochondria. Extracellular ferritin is found in fluids such as serum and synovial and cerebrospinal fluids. We recently characterized the biophysical properties, secretion mechanism and cellular origin of mouse serum ferritin, which is actively secreted by a non-classical pathway involving lysosomal processing. Here, we review the data to support a hypothesis that intracellular and extracellular ferritin may play a role in intra- and intercellular redistribution of iron.

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    Article: Iron Deficiency Anaemia in Pregnancy and Postpartum: Pathophysiology and Effect of Oral versus Intravenous Iron Therapy.
    Alhossain A Khalafallah, Amanda E Dennis
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    ABSTRACT: Nutritional iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA) is the most common disorder in the world, affecting more than two billion people. The World Health Organization's global database on anaemia has estimated a prevalence of 14% based on a regression-based analysis. Recent data show that the prevalence of IDA in pregnant women in industrialized countries is 17.4% while the incidence of IDA in developing countries increases significantly up to 56%. Although oral iron supplementation is widely used for the treatment of IDA, not all patients respond adequately to oral iron therapy. This is due to several factors including the side effects of oral iron which lead to poor compliance and lack of efficacy. The side effects, predominantly gastrointestinal discomfort, occur in a large cohort of patients taking oral iron preparations. Previously, the use of intravenous iron had been associated with undesirable and sometimes serious side effects and therefore was underutilised. However, in recent years, new type II and III iron complexes have been developed, which offer better compliance and toleration as well as high efficacy with a good safety profile. In summary, intravenous iron can be used safely for a rapid repletion of iron stores and correction of anaemia during and after pregnancy.
    Journal of pregnancy 01/2012; 2012:630519.
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Keywords

biophysical properties
 
cellular origin
 
classically secreted protein
 
endo-lysosomal compartment
 
eukaryotic organisms
 
extracellular ferritin
 
ferritin
 
insects
 
intercellular redistribution
 
intracellular
 
intracellularly
 
Mammalian ferritins
 
mouse serum ferritin
 
prokaryotic
 
secreted
 
secretion mechanism
 
synovial
 
transports iron systemically
 
well-conserved iron detoxification
 
worms