Ferritin Heavy Chain: From Redox Cycling to Cancer Biology
Journal Title: International Journal of Biochemistry & Physiology - Year 2018, Vol 3, Issue 2
Abstract
Iron is an essential nutrient for physiological cellular functions: as cofactor for key enzymes, it is involved in DNA duplication and repair thus representing a key element for cell replication, metabolism and growth. Due to its main role in iron storage, ferritin has been largely referred as redox-related protein for many years. However, increasing evidences suggest that perturbations of intracellular steady state amount of ferritin, and particularly of its heavy subunit (FHC), are key events in the pathogenesis of cancer initiation and progression. In the past decade many studies have demonstrated that FHC participates in cancer related pathways such as growth suppressor evasion, angiogenesis, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), dysregulation of chemokine signalling and enhanced stem cell expansion. The molecular mechanisms whereby FHC exerts these activities are either iron-dependent or ironindependent. Among the latters, the ability to regulate critical oncogenes (c-myc, NF-kB) or tumor suppressors (p53) as well as to modulate oncomiRNAs expression and chemokine signalling (CXCR4) strongly suggests that FHC is a much more versatile protein than simply iron storage. The deep understanding of these novel and still not completely characterized functions, as well as the discovery of other potential properties, position ferritin as a promising target in cancer therapy.
Authors and Affiliations
Biamonte F
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP396114
- DOI 10.23880/ijbp-16000123
- Views 54
- Downloads 0
The Relationship between the Anti-Sperm Antibodies and Immunologic Infertility
Infertility is an outbreak phenomenon in the world and the outbreak of it is increasing. The anti-sperm antibodies (ASA) are one of the causes of infertility and the resultant infertility of them is called immunologic in...
Lithium Carbonate Therapy Causes Nephrotoxicity and its Alleviation with Ascorbic Acid in Wistar Albino Rats
Backgrounds: Lithium carbonate is drug has been used for prolonged treatment of psychiatric disorders. But was known to be accompanied by side effects and highly toxicity especially to renal tissue. Objectives: this stud...
Photoadducts and Peroxynitrite: Implications in Pathophysiology and Immunopathology
DNA adducts are a form of DNA damage caused by covalent attachment of a chemical moiety to DNA. Recent evidence suggests associations between the occurrence of adducts formed by specific compounds and various types of to...
Biochemical Characterization of Two Major Proteins of the Hamster Sperm Acrosomal Matrix
An acrosomal fraction, termed the ALM (acrosomal lamina complex) was isolated from hamster cauda epididymal spermatozoa that contain specific domains of the acrosomal matrix and an adherent detergent-insoluble complex, t...
Isolation, Production and Optimization of Cellulase from a Combination of Aspergillus Niger and Trichoderma Viride Isolated from Decaying Woods
Cellulase is an enzyme that is capable of hydrolyzing the complex organic form of cellulose into simple sugar (glucose). Cellulase production by a combination of Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma viride isolated from dec...