The unique kinetics of iron release from transferrin: the role of receptor, lobe-lobe interactions, and salt at endosomal pH

Advances in exosome modulation of ferroptosis for the treatment of orthopedic diseases

Current treatments for orthopaedic illnesses frequently result in poor prognosis, treatment failure, numerous relapses, and other unpleasant outcomes that have a significant impact on patients' quality of life. Cell-free therapy has emerged as one of the most promising options in recent decades for improving the status quo. As a result, using exosomes produced from various cells to modulate ferroptosis has been proposed as a therapeutic method for the condition. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles that secrete various bioactive chemicals that influence disease treatment and play a role in the genesis and progression of orthopaedic illnesses. Ferroptosis is a recently defined kind of controlled cell death typified by large iron ion buildup and lipid peroxidation. An increasing number of studies indicate that ferroptosis plays a significant role in orthopaedic illnesses. Exosomes, as intercellular information transfer channels, have been found to play a significant role in the regulation of ferroptosis processes. Furthermore, accumulating research suggests that exosomes can influence the course of many diseases by regulating ferroptosis in injured cells. In order to better understand the processes by which exosomes govern ferroptosis in the therapy of orthopaedic illnesses. This review discusses the biogenesis, secretion, and uptake of exosomes, as well as the mechanisms of ferroptosis and exosomes in the therapy of orthopaedic illnesses. It focuses on recent research advances and exosome mechanisms in regulating iron death for the therapy of orthopaedic illnesses. The present state of review conducted both domestically and internationally is elucidated and anticipated as a viable avenue for future therapy in the field of orthopaedics.

Implications of Crosstalk between Exosome-Mediated Ferroptosis and Diseases for Pathogenesis and Treatment

Ferroptosis is a type of iron-dependent cell death caused by ferrous iron overload, reactive oxygen species generation through the Fenton reaction, and lipid peroxidation, leading to antioxidative system dysfunction and, ultimately, cell membrane damage. The functional role of ferroptosis in human physiology and pathology is considered a cause or consequence of diseases. Circulating exosomes mediate intercellular communication and organ crosstalk. They not only transport functional proteins and nucleic acids derived from parental cells but also serve as vehicles for the targeted delivery of exogenous cargo. Exosomes regulate ferroptosis by delivering the biological material to the recipient cell, affecting ferroptosis-related proteins, or transporting ferritin-bound iron out of the cell. This review discusses pathogenesis mediated by endogenous exosomes and the therapeutic potential of exogenous exosomes for ferroptosis-related diseases. In addition, this review explores the role of exosome-mediated ferroptosis in ferroptosis-related diseases with an emphasis on strategies for engineering exosomes for ferroptosis therapy.

Iron metabolism: pathways and proteins in homeostasis

Iron is essential to human survival. The biological role and trafficking of this trace essential inorganic element which is also a potential toxin is constantly being researched and unfolded. Vital for oxygen transport, DNA synthesis, electron transport, neurotransmitter biosynthesis and present in numerous other heme and non-heme enzymes the physiological roles are immense. Understanding the molecules and pathways that regulate this essential element at systemic and cellular levels are of importance in improving therapeutic strategies for iron related disorders. This review highlights the progress in understanding the metabolism and trafficking of iron along with the pathophysiology of iron related disorders.

Low-molecular-weight chromium-binding substance (LMWCr) may bind and carry Cr(III) from the endosome

Trivalent chromium has been proposed to be transported in vivo from the bloodstream to the tissues via endocytosis by transferrin (Tf), the major iron transport protein in the blood. While Cr(III) loss from the Tf/Tf receptor complex after acidification to pH 5.5 has recently been shown to be sufficiently rapid to be physiologically relevant, the released Cr(III) still must exit the endosome during the time of the endocytosis cycle (circa 15 min). Cr(III) binds too slowly to small ligands such as citrate or ascorbate, or even EDTA, for such complexes to form and be transported from the endosome, while no trivalent ion transporters are known. However, the apo form of the peptide low-molecular-weight chromium-binding substance (LMWCr) can remove Cr(III) from Cr(III)₂-Tf at neutral pH, albeit slowly, and LMWCr is known to be transported from cells after binding Cr(III), although the transporter is not known. LMWCr subsequently carries Cr(III) to the bloodstream ultimately for removal from the body in the urine. The rate of binding of Cr(III) to apoLMWCr was significantly enhanced in the presence of the Tf/Tf receptor complex. These results suggest that apoLMWCr may function to bind Cr(III) released in the endosomes for ultimate removal from the body as part of a Cr(III) detoxification process.

Iron-binding cellular profile of transferrin using label-free Raman hyperspectral imaging and singular value decomposition (SVD)

Serum transferrin (Tf) is the essential iron transport protein in the body. Transferrin is responsible for the sequestration of free iron in serum and the delivery of iron throughout the body and into cells, where iron is released inside a mildly acidified endosome. Altered iron distributions are associated with diseases such as iron-overload, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. The presence of free iron is linked to deleterious redox reactions, inside and outside cells and organelles. As Tf iron release is pH dependent, any changes in intraorganelle and extracellular pH, often associated with disease progression, could inhibit normal iron delivery or accelerate iron release in the wrong compartment. However, imaging approaches to monitor changes in the iron-bound state of Tf are lacking. Recently, Raman spectroscopy has been shown to measure iron-bound forms of Tf in solution, intact cells and tissue samples. Here, a biochemical Raman assay has been developed to identify iron-release from Tf following modification of chemical environment. Quantitative singular value decomposition (SVD) method has been applied to discriminate between iron-bound Tf samples during endocytic trafficking in intact cancer cells subjected to Raman hyperspectral confocal imaging. We demonstrate the strength of the SVD method to monitor pH-induced Tf iron-release using Raman hyperspectral imaging, providing the redox biology field with a novel tool that facilitates subcellular investigation of the iron-binding profile of transferrin in various disease models.

Complex of human Melanotransferrin and SC57.32 Fab fragment reveals novel interdomain arrangement with ferric N-lobe and open C-lobe

Melanotransferrin (MTf) is an iron-binding member of the transferrin superfamily that can be membrane-anchored or secreted in serum. On cells, it can mediate transferrin-independent iron uptake and promote proliferation. In serum, it is a transcytotic iron transporter across the blood-brain barrier. MTf has been exploited as a drug delivery carrier to the brain and as an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) target due to its oncogenic role in melanoma and its elevated expression in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). For treatment of TNBC, an MTf-targeting ADC completed a phase I clinical trial (NCT03316794). The structure of its murine, unconjugated Fab fragment (SC57.32) is revealed here in complex with MTf. The MTf N-lobe is in an active and iron-bound, closed conformation while the C-lobe is in an open conformation incompatible with iron binding. This combination of active and inactive domains displays a novel inter-domain arrangement in which the C2 subdomain angles away from the N-lobe. The C2 subdomain also contains the SC57.32 glyco-epitope, which comprises ten protein residues and two N-acetylglucosamines. Our report reveals novel features of MTf and provides a point of reference for MTf-targeting, structure-guided drug design.

Quantitative label-free imaging of iron-bound transferrin in breast cancer cells and tumors

Transferrin (Tf) is an essential serum protein which delivers iron throughout the body via transferrin-receptor (TfR)-mediated uptake and iron release in early endosomes. Currently, there is no robust method to assay the population of iron-bound Tf in intact cells and tissues. Raman hyperspectral imaging detected spectral peaks that correlated with iron-bound Tf in intact cells and tumor xenografts sections (~1270-1300 cm-1). Iron-bound (holo) and iron-free (apo) human Tf forms were endocytosed by MDAMB231 and T47D human breast cancer cells. The Raman iron-bound Tf peak was identified in cells treated with holo-Tf, but not in cells incubated with apo-Tf. A reduction in the Raman peak intensity between 5 and 30 min of Tf internalization was observed in T47D, but not in MDAMB231, suggesting that T47D can release iron from Tf more efficiently than MDAMB231. MDAMB231 may display a disrupted iron homeostasis due to iron release delays caused by alterations in the pH or ionic milieu of the early endosomes. In summary, we have demonstrated that Raman hyperspectral imaging can be used to identify iron-bound Tf in cell cultures and tumor xenografts and detect iron release behavior of Tf in breast cancer cells.

Small angle X-ray scattering and molecular dynamic simulations provide molecular insight for stability of recombinant human transferrin

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Combination of SAXS and MD simulations can explain the molecular background for the stability studies.

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Destabilizing excipients in general induce opening of the N-lobe by binding to specific residues in the protein.

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The fully open conformation of transferrin is not seen without aggregation.

Transferrin is an attractive candidate for drug delivery due to its ability to cross the blood brain barrier. However, in order to be able to use it for therapeutic purposes, it is important to investigate how its stability depends on different formulation conditions. Combining high-throughput thermal and chemical denaturation studies with small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, it was possible to connect the stability of transferrin with its conformational changes. Lowering pH induces opening of the transferrin N-lobe, which results in a negative effect on the stability. Presence of NaCl or arginine at low pH enhances the opening and has a negative impact on the overall protein stability.

Statement of Significance

Protein-based therapeutics have become an essential part of medical treatment. They are highly specific, have high affinity and fewer off-target effects. However, stabilization of proteins is critical, time-consuming, and expensive, and it is not yet possible to predict the behavior of proteins under different conditions. The current work is focused on a molecular understanding of the stability of human serum transferrin; a protein which is abundant in blood serum, may pass the blood brain barrier and therefore with high potential in drug delivery. Combination of high throughput unfolding techniques and structural studies, using small angle X-ray scattering and molecular dynamic simulations, allows us to understand the behavior of transferrin on a molecular level.

Competition between Al3+ and Fe3+ binding to human transferrin and toxicological implications: structural investigations using ultra-high resolution ESI MS and CD spectroscopy

Human serum transferrin (hTF) is an iron binding protein with the primary task of ensuring well-controlled transport of Fe3+-ions in the bloodstream. Furthermore, hTF has been identified as a key component in the trafficking of Al3+-ions from the serum to cells. It is clear that binding alone does not guarantee cellular uptake via the transferrin receptor, since this is determined by the structural properties of the metal-protein complex. The conformation of the metallated hTF is critically important for delivery of Fe3+ or any other metal into the cell. The combination of ultra-high resolution ESI mass spectrometry and CD spectroscopy together provide accurate species distribution of the Fe3+ during stepwise addition to apo-hTF and an indirect indication of the tertiary structure of the metallated protein. These two methods together are extremely fine probes of structural changes as a function of precise metal binding status at micromolar concentrations. Simulation of the precise domain distribution could be determined during the stepwise metallation from 0 to 2 Fe3+ added. Analysis of the ESI-MS data for the stepwise metallation of apo-hTF and Al1 or 2-hTF with Fe3+ was carried out and used to simulate the experimental speciation based on the reported KF values. There are six main conclusions: (1) Fe3+ binds predominantly, initially to the C-lobe. (2) The CD spectral properties indicate that the C-lobe metallation dominates the structural properties of both binding sites; N-lobe metallation modifies the C-lobe structure. (3) Fe3+ metallation of the mixed Al1-2-hTF results in the dominant form of Fe1Al1-hTF. (4) The first Fe3+ bound to Al1-hTF binds predominantly in the C-lobe domain. (5) The CD spectral properties when Fe3+ binds to Al1-2-hTF indicates that Al-N-lobe occupation mirrors the structural effects of N-lobe occupation by Fe3+. (6) With respect to how Al3+ might enter the cell, the formation of a hybrid form Al1Fe1-hTF might enable the Al3+ to enter the cell via receptor-mediated endocytosis due to the binding of Fe3+ in the C-lobe of the protein which is primarily responsible for the structure of the metal-protein complex.

Transferrin Cycle and Clinical Roles of Citrate and Ascorbate in Improved Iron Metabolism

Fe(III) delivery from blood plasma to cells via the transferrin (Tf) cycle was studied intensively due to its crucial role in Fe homeostasis. Tf-cycle disruptions are linked to anemia, infections, immunodeficiency, and neurodegeneration. Biolayer interferometry (BLI) enabled direct kinetic and thermodynamic measurements for all Tf-cycle steps in a single in vitro experiment using Tf within blood serum or released into the medium by cultured liver cells. In these media, known Tf cycle features were reproduced, and unprecedented insights were gained into conditions of rapid endosomal (pH 5.6) Fe(III) release from the Tf-Tf receptor 1 (TfR1) adduct. This release occurred via synergistic citrate and ascorbate effects, which pointed to respective roles as the likely elusive Fe chelator and reductant within the Tf cycle. These results explain enhanced cellular Fe uptake by ascorbate, the clinical efficacy of anemia treatment with Fe citrate and ascorbate, and dietary effects associated with loss of Fe homeostasis, including the large health burden of infections and neurodegeneration.

Computational approaches for deciphering the equilibrium and kinetic properties of iron transport proteins

With the advances in three-dimensional structure determination techniques, high quality structures of the iron transport proteins transferrin and the bacterial ferric binding protein (FbpA) have been deposited in the past decade. These are proteins of relatively large size, and developments in hardware and software have only recently made it possible to study their dynamics using standard computational resources. We review computational techniques towards understanding the equilibrium and kinetic properties of iron transport proteins under different environmental conditions. At the level of detail that requires quantum chemical treatments, the octahedral geometry around iron has been scrutinized and it has been established that the iron coordinating tyrosines are in an unusual deprotonated state. At the atomistic level, both the N-lobe and the full bilobal structure of transferrin have been studied under varying conditions of pH, ionic strength and binding of other metal ions by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. These studies have allowed questions to be answered, among others, on the function of second shell residues in iron release, the role of synergistic anions in preparing the active site for iron binding, and the differences between the kinetics of the N- and the C-lobe. MD simulations on FbpA have led to the detailed observation of the binding kinetics of phosphate to the apo form, and to the conformational preferences of the holo form under conditions mimicking the environmental niches provided by the periplasmic space. To study the dynamics of these proteins with their receptors, one must resort to coarse-grained methodologies, since these systems are prohibitively large for atomistic simulations. A study of the complex of human transferrin (hTf) with its pathogenic receptor by such methods has revealed a potential mechanistic explanation for the defense mechanism that arises in evolutionary warfare. Meanwhile, the motions in the transferrin receptor bound hTf have been shown to disfavor apo hTf dissociation, explaining why the two proteins remain in complex during the recycling process from the endosome to the cell surface. Open problems and possible technological applications related to metal ion binding-release in iron transport proteins that may be handled by hybrid use of quantum mechanical, MD and coarse-grained approaches are discussed.

Role of Macromolecular Crowding on Stability and Iron Release Kinetics of Serum Transferrin

The macromolecular crowding influences the structural stability and functional properties of transferrin (Tf). The equilibrium as well as kinetic studies of Tf at different concentrations of crowding agents (dextran 40, dextran 70, and ficoll 70) and at a fixed concentration of dextran 40 under different concentrations of NaCl at pH 7.4 and 5.6 (±1) revealed that (i) the crowder environment increases the diferric-Tf (Fe₂Tf) stability against iron loss and overall denaturation of the protein, (ii) both in the absence and presence of crowder, the presence of salt promotes the loss of iron and overall denaturation of Fe₂Tf which is due to ionic screening of electrostatic interactions, (iii) the crowder environment retards iron release from monoferric N-lobe of Tf (Fe_NTf) by increasing enthalpic barrier, (iv) the retardation of iron release by crowding is enthalpically dominated than the entropic one, (v) both in the absence and presence of crowder, the presence of salt accelerates the iron release from Fe_NTf due to ionic screening of electrostatic interactions and anion binding to KISAB sites, and (vi) the crowders environment is unable to diminish (a) the salt-induced destabilization of Fe₂Tf against the loss of iron and overall denaturation and (b) the anion effect and ionic screening of diffusive counterions responsible to promote iron release from Fe_NTf.

Iron overload and altered iron metabolism in ovarian cancer

Iron is an essential element required for many processes within the cell. Dysregulation in iron homeostasis due to iron overload is detrimental. This nutrient is postulated to contribute to the initiation of cancer; however, the mechanisms by which this occurs remain unclear. Defining how iron promotes the development of ovarian cancers from precursor lesions is essential for developing novel therapeutic strategies. In this review, we discuss (1) how iron overload conditions may initiate ovarian cancer development, (2) dysregulated iron metabolism in cancers, (3) the interplay between bacteria, iron, and cancer, and (4) chemotherapeutic strategies targeting iron metabolism in cancer patients.

Detection of glycosylation and iron-binding protein modifications using Raman spectroscopy

We have used Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics to determine protein modification as a result of glycosylation and iron binding.

Predicting long term cooperativity and specific modulators of receptor interactions in human transferrin from dynamics within a single microstate

PRS identifies regions contacting rapidly evolving residues that mechanically manipulate dissociation from the pathogen in the human transferrin–bacterial receptor complex.

Mechanisms and regulation of iron trafficking across the capillary endothelial cells of the blood-brain barrier

The transcellular trafficking of iron from the blood into the brain interstitium depends on iron uptake proteins in the apical membrane of brain microvascular capillary endothelial cells and efflux proteins at the basolateral, abluminal membrane. In this review, we discuss the three mechanisms by which these cells take-up iron from the blood and the sole mechanism by which they efflux this iron into the abluminal space. We then focus on the regulation of this efflux pathway by exocrine factors that are released from neighboring astrocytes. Also discussed are the cytokines secreted by capillary cells that regulate the expression of these glial cell signals. Among the interstitial factors that regulate iron efflux into the brain is the Amyloid precursor protein (APP). The role of this amyliodogenic species in brain iron metabolism is discussed. Last, we speculate on the potential relationship between iron transport at the blood-brain barrier and neurological disorders associated with iron mismanagement.

Desferrithiocin: a search for clinically effective iron chelators

The successful search for orally active iron chelators to treat transfusional iron-overload diseases, e.g., thalassemia, is overviewed. The critical role of iron in nature as a redox engine is first described, as well as how primitive life forms and humans manage the metal. The problems that derive when iron homeostasis in humans is disrupted and the mechanism of the ensuing damage, uncontrolled Fenton chemistry, are discussed. The solution to the problem, chelator-mediated iron removal, is clear. Design options for the assembly of ligands that sequester and decorporate iron are reviewed, along with the shortcomings of the currently available therapeutics. The rationale for choosing desferrithiocin, a natural product iron chelator (a siderophore), as a platform for structure-activity relationship studies in the search for an orally active iron chelator is thoroughly developed. The study provides an excellent example of how to systematically reengineer a pharmacophore in order to overcome toxicological problems while maintaining iron clearing efficacy and has led to three ligands being evaluated in human clinical trials.

Iron transport across the blood-brain barrier: development, neurovascular regulation and cerebral amyloid angiopathy

There are two barriers for iron entry into the brain: (1) the brain-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier and (2) the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Here, we review the literature on developmental iron accumulation by the brain, focusing on the transport of iron through the brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVEC) of the BBB. We review the iron trafficking proteins which may be involved in the iron flux across BMVEC and discuss the plausible mechanisms of BMVEC iron uptake and efflux. We suggest a model for how BMVEC iron uptake and efflux are regulated and a mechanism by which the majority of iron is trafficked across the developing BBB under the direct guidance of neighboring astrocytes. Thus, we place brain iron uptake in the context of the neurovascular unit of the adult brain. Last, we propose that BMVEC iron is involved in the aggregation of amyloid-β peptides leading to the progression of cerebral amyloid angiopathy which often occurs prior to dementia and the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Human serum transferrin: is there a link among autism, high oxalate levels, and iron deficiency anemia?

It has been previously suggested that large amounts of oxalate in plasma could play a role in autism by binding to the bilobal iron transport protein transferrin (hTF), thereby interfering with iron metabolism by inhibiting the delivery of iron to cells. By examining the effect of the substitution of oxalate for the physiologically utilized synergistic carbonate anion in each lobe of hTF, we sought to provide a molecular basis for or against such a role. Our work clearly shows both qualitatively (6 M urea gels) and quantitatively (kinetic analysis by stopped-flow spectrofluorimetry) that the presence of oxalate in place of carbonate in each binding site of hTF does indeed greatly interfere with the removal of iron from each lobe (in the absence and presence of the specific hTF receptor). However, we also clearly demonstrate that once the iron is bound within each lobe of hTF, neither anion can displace the other. Additionally, as verified by urea gels and electrospray mass spectrometry, formation of completely homogeneous hTF-anion complexes requires that all iron must first be removed and hTF then reloaded with iron in the presence of either carbonate or oxalate. Significantly, experiments described here show that carbonate is the preferred binding partner; i.e., even if an equal amount of each anion is available during the iron loading process, the hTF-carbonate complex is formed.

A computational model of liver iron metabolism

Iron is essential for all known life due to its redox properties; however, these same properties can also lead to its toxicity in overload through the production of reactive oxygen species. Robust systemic and cellular control are required to maintain safe levels of iron, and the liver seems to be where this regulation is mainly located. Iron misregulation is implicated in many diseases, and as our understanding of iron metabolism improves, the list of iron-related disorders grows. Recent developments have resulted in greater knowledge of the fate of iron in the body and have led to a detailed map of its metabolism; however, a quantitative understanding at the systems level of how its components interact to produce tight regulation remains elusive. A mechanistic computational model of human liver iron metabolism, which includes the core regulatory components, is presented here. It was constructed based on known mechanisms of regulation and on their kinetic properties, obtained from several publications. The model was then quantitatively validated by comparing its results with previously published physiological data, and it is able to reproduce multiple experimental findings. A time course simulation following an oral dose of iron was compared to a clinical time course study and the simulation was found to recreate the dynamics and time scale of the systems response to iron challenge. A disease state simulation of haemochromatosis was created by altering a single reaction parameter that mimics a human haemochromatosis gene (HFE) mutation. The simulation provides a quantitative understanding of the liver iron overload that arises in this disease. This model supports and supplements understanding of the role of the liver as an iron sensor and provides a framework for further modelling, including simulations to identify valuable drug targets and design of experiments to improve further our knowledge of this system.

Iron is an essential nutrient required for healthy life but, in excess, is the cause of debilitating and even fatal conditions. The most common genetic disorder in humans caused by a mutation, haemochromatosis, results in an iron overload in the liver. Indeed, the liver plays a central role in the regulation of iron. Recently, an increasing amount of detail has been discovered about molecules related to iron metabolism, but an understanding of how they work together and regulate iron levels (in healthy people) or fail to do it (in disease) is still missing. We present a mathematical model of the regulation of liver iron metabolism that provides explanations of its dynamics and allows further hypotheses to be formulated and later tested in experiments. Importantly, the model reproduces accurately the healthy liver iron homeostasis and simulates haemochromatosis, showing how the causative mutation leads to iron overload. We investigate how best to control iron regulation and identified reactions that can be targets of new medicines to treat iron overload. The model provides a virtual laboratory for investigating iron metabolism and improves understanding of the method by which the liver senses and controls iron levels.

Potential clinical applications of chelating drugs in diseases targeting transferrin-bound iron and other metals

INTRODUCTION

Iron is essential for normal, neoplasmic and microbial cells. Transferrin (Tf) is responsible for iron transport and its interactions with chelators are of physiological and toxicological importance and could lead to new therapeutic applications.

AREAS COVERED

Differential interactions of Tf with chelators such as deferiprone (L1) could be used to modify toxicity and disease pathways in relation to iron and other metal metabolism. Iron mobilization by L1 could achieve normal body iron stores in thalassemia patients. Iron mobilization from the reticuloendothelial system by L1 and exchange with Tf could be used to increase the production of hemoglobin in the anemia of chronic disease. Iron accumulation is pathogenic in neurodegenerative, acute kidney and other diseases and could be removed by L1 with therapeutic implications. Deprivation of iron from neoplasmic and microbial cells by chelators could increase the prospect of improved treatments in cancer and infectious diseases. Other applications include metal detoxification and inhibition of oxidative stress-related conditions.

EXPERT OPINION

Specific mechanisms apply in the interactions of chelators with Tf, which could be used in the design of targeted therapeutic strategies in many conditions. In each case specific chelator protocols have to be designed for achieving optimum therapeutic activity.

Structure and dynamics of drug carriers and their interaction with cellular receptors: focus on serum transferrin

Highly proliferative cells have a dramatically increased need for iron which results in the expression of an increased number of transferrin receptors (TFR). This insight makes the transferrin receptor on these cells an excellent candidate for targeted therapeutics. In this regard, it is critical to understand at a molecular level exactly how the TFR interacts with its ligand, hTF. Understanding of the hTF/TFR pathway could, in theory, maximize the use of this system for development of more effective small molecules or toxin-conjugates to specifically target cancer cells. Many strategies have been attempted with the objective of utilizing the hTF/TFR system to deliver drugs; these include conjugation of a toxin or drug to hTF or direct targeting of the TFR by antibodies. To date, in spite of all of the effort, there is a conspicuous absence of any successful candidate drugs reaching the clinic. We suggest that a lack of quantitative data to determine the basic biochemical properties of the drug carrier and the effects of drug-conjugation on the hTF-TFR interaction may have contributed to the failure to realize the full potential of this system. This review provides some guidelines for developing a more quantitative approach for evaluation of current and future hTF-drug conjugates.

Structural characterization of carbohydrate binding by LMAN1 protein provides new insight into the endoplasmic reticulum export of factors V (FV) and VIII (FVIII)

LMAN1 (ERGIC-53) is a key mammalian cargo receptor responsible for the export of a subset of glycoproteins from the endoplasmic reticulum. Together with its soluble coreceptor MCFD2, LMAN1 transports coagulation factors V (FV) and VIII (FVIII). Mutations in LMAN1 or MCFD2 cause the genetic bleeding disorder combined deficiency of FV and FVIII (F5F8D). The LMAN1 carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) binds to both glycoprotein cargo and MCFD2 in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner. To understand the biochemical basis and regulation of LMAN1 binding to glycoprotein cargo, we solved crystal structures of the LMAN1-CRD bound to Man-α-1,2-Man, the terminal carbohydrate moiety of high mannose glycans. Our structural data, combined with mutagenesis and in vitro binding assays, define the central mannose-binding site on LMAN1 and pinpoint histidine 178 and glycines 251/252 as critical residues for FV/FVIII binding. We also show that mannobiose binding is relatively independent of pH in the range relevant for endoplasmic reticulum-to-Golgi traffic, but is sensitive to lowered Ca(2+) concentrations. The distinct LMAN1/MCFD2 interaction is maintained at these lowered Ca(2+) concentrations. Our results suggest that compartmental changes in Ca(2+) concentration regulate glycoprotein cargo binding and release from the LMAN1·MCFD2 complex in the early secretory pathway.

Biochemical and structural characterization of recombinant human serum transferrin from rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The Fe(3+) binding protein human serum transferrin (hTF) is well known for its role in cellular iron delivery via the transferrin receptor (TFR). A new application is the use of hTF as a therapy and targeted drug delivery system for a number of diseases. Recently, production of hTF in plants has been reported; such systems provide a relatively inexpensive, animal-free (eliminating potential contamination by animal pathogens) method to produce large amounts of recombinant proteins for such biopharmaceutical applications. Specifically, the production of Optiferrin (hTF produced in rice, Oryza sativa, from InVitria) has been shown to yield large amounts of functional protein for use in culture medium for cellular iron delivery to promote growth. In the present work we describe further purification (by gel filtration) and characterization of hTF produced in rice (purified Optiferrin) to determine its suitability in biopharmaceutical applications. The spectral, mass spectrometric, urea gel and kinetic analysis shows that purified Optiferrin is similar to recombinant nonglycosylated N-His tagged hTF expressed by baby hamster kidney cells and/or serum derived glycosylated hTF. Additionally, in a competitive immunoassay, iron-loaded Optiferrin is equivalent to iron-loaded N-His hTF in its ability to bind to the soluble portion of the TFR immobilized in an assay plate. As an essential requirement for any functional hTF, both lobes of purified Optiferrin bind Fe(3+) tightly yet reversibly. Although previously shown to be capable of delivering Fe(3+) to cells, the kinetics of iron release from iron-loaded Optiferrin™/sTFR and iron-loaded N-His hTF/sTFR complexes differ somewhat. We conclude that the purified Optiferrin might be suitable for consideration in biopharmaceutical applications.

Chloride in vesicular trafficking and function

Luminal acidification is of pivotal importance for the physiology of the secretory and endocytic pathways and its diverse trafficking events. Acidification by the proton-pumping V-ATPase requires charge compensation by counterion currents that are commonly attributed to chloride. The molecular identification of intracellular chloride transporters and the improvement of methodologies for measuring intraorganellar pH and chloride have facilitated the investigation of the physiology of vesicular chloride transport. New data question the requirement of chloride for pH regulation of various organelles and furthermore ascribe functions to chloride that are beyond merely electrically shunting the proton pump. This review surveys the currently established and proposed intracellular chloride transporters and gives an overview of membrane-trafficking steps that are affected by the perturbation of chloride transport. Finally, potential mechanisms of membrane-trafficking modulation by chloride are discussed and put into the context of organellar ion homeostasis in general.

Mechanistic analysis of iron accumulation by endothelial cells of the BBB

The mechanism(s) by which iron in blood is transported across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) remains controversial. Here we have examined the first step of this trans-cellular pathway, namely the mechanism(s) of iron uptake into human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hBMVEC). We show that hBMVEC actively reduce non-transferrin bound Fe(III) (NTBI) and transferrin-bound Fe(III) (TBI); this activity is associated with one or more ferrireductases. Efficient, exo-cytoplasmic ferri-reduction from TBI is dependent upon transferrin receptor (TfR), also. Blocking holo-Tf binding with an anti-TfR antibody significantly decreases the reduction of iron from transferrin by hBMVEC, suggesting that holo-Tf needs to bind to TfR in order for efficient reduction to occur. Ferri-reduction from TBI significantly decreases when hBMVEC are pre-treated with Pt(II), an inhibitor of cell surface reductase activity. Uptake of (59)Fe from (59)Fe-Tf by endothelial cells is inhibited by 50 % when ferrozine is added to solution; in contrast, no inhibition occurs when cells are alkalinized with NH(4)Cl. This indicates that the iron reduced from holo-transferrin at the plasma membrane accounts for at least 50 % of the iron uptake observed. hBMVEC-dependent reduction and uptake of NTBI utilizes a Pt(II)-insensitive reductase. Reductase-independent uptake of Fe(II) by hBMVEC is inhibited up to 50 % by Zn(II) and/or Mn(II) by a saturable process suggesting that redundant Fe(II) transporters exist in the hBMVEC plasma membrane. These results are the first to demonstrate multiple mechanism(s) of TBI and NTBI reduction and uptake by endothelial cells (EC) of the BBB.

The long history of iron in the Universe and in health and disease

BACKGROUND

Not long after the Big Bang, iron began to play a central role in the Universe and soon became mired in the tangle of biochemistry that is the prima essentia of life. Since life's addiction to iron transcends the oxygenation of the Earth's atmosphere, living things must be protected from the potentially dangerous mix of iron and oxygen. The human being possesses grams of this potentially toxic transition metal, which is shuttling through his oxygen-rich humor. Since long before the birth of modern medicine, the blood-vibrant red from a massive abundance of hemoglobin iron-has been a focus for health experts.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

We describe the current understanding of iron metabolism, highlight the many important discoveries that accreted this knowledge, and describe the perils of dysfunctional iron handling.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

Isaac Newton famously penned, "If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants". We hope that this review will inspire future scientists to develop intellectual pursuits by understanding the research and ideas from many remarkable thinkers of the past.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

The history of iron research is a long, rich story with early beginnings, and is far from being finished. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Transferrins: Molecular mechanisms of iron transport and disorders.

Structure-based mutagenesis reveals critical residues in the transferrin receptor participating in the mechanism of pH-induced release of iron from human serum transferrin

The recent crystal structure of two monoferric human serum transferrin (Fe(N)hTF) molecules bound to the soluble portion of the homodimeric transferrin receptor (sTFR) has provided new details about this binding interaction that dictates the delivery of iron to cells. Specifically, substantial rearrangements in the homodimer interface of the sTFR occur as a result of the binding of the two Fe(N)hTF molecules. Mutagenesis of selected residues in the sTFR highlighted in the structure was undertaken to evaluate the effect on function. Elimination of Ca(2+) binding in the sTFR by mutating two of four coordinating residues ([E465A,E468A]) results in low production of an unstable and aggregated sTFR. Mutagenesis of two histidines ([H475A,H684A]) at the dimer interface had little effect on the kinetics of release of iron at pH 5.6 from either lobe, reflecting the inaccessibility of this cluster to solvent. Creation of an H318A sTFR mutant allows assignment of a small pH-dependent initial decrease in the magnitude of the fluorescence signal to His318. Removal of the four C-terminal residues of the sTFR, Asp757-Asn758-Glu759-Phe760, eliminates pH-stimulated release of iron from the C-lobe of the Fe(2)hTF/sTFR Δ757-760 complex. The inability of this sTFR mutant to bind and stabilize protonated hTF His349 (a pH-inducible switch) in the C-lobe of hTF accounts for the loss. Collectively, these studies support a model in which a series of pH-induced events involving both TFR residue His318 and hTF residue His349 occurs to promote receptor-stimulated release of iron from the C-lobe of hTF.

Ionic residues of human serum transferrin affect binding to the transferrin receptor and iron release

Efficient delivery of iron is critically dependent on the binding of diferric human serum transferrin (hTF) to its specific receptor (TFR) on the surface of actively dividing cells. Internalization of the complex into an endosome precedes iron removal. The return of hTF to the blood to continue the iron delivery cycle relies on the maintenance of the interaction between apohTF and the TFR after exposure to endosomal pH (≤6.0). Identification of the specific residues accounting for the pH-sensitive nanomolar affinity with which hTF binds to TFR throughout the cycle is important to fully understand the iron delivery process. Alanine substitution of 11 charged hTF residues identified by available structures and modeling studies allowed evaluation of the role of each in (1) binding of hTF to the TFR and (2) TFR-mediated iron release. Six hTF mutants (R50A, R352A, D356A, E357A, E367A, and K511A) competed poorly with biotinylated diferric hTF for binding to TFR. In particular, we show that Asp356 in the C-lobe of hTF is essential to the formation of a stable hTF-TFR complex: mutation of Asp356 in the monoferric C-lobe hTF background prevented the formation of the stoichiometric 2:2 (hTF:TFR monomer) complex. Moreover, mutation of three residues (Asp356, Glu367, and Lys511), whether in the diferric or monoferric C-lobe hTF, significantly affected iron release when in complex with the TFR. Thus, mutagenesis of charged hTF residues has allowed identification of a number of residues that are critical to formation of and release of iron from the hTF-TFR complex.

Transferrin-mediated cellular iron delivery

Essential to iron homeostasis is the transport of iron by the bilobal protein human serum transferrin (hTF). Each lobe (N- and C-lobe) of hTF forms a deep cleft which binds a single Fe(3+). Iron-bearing hTF in the blood binds tightly to the specific transferrin receptor (TFR), a homodimeric transmembrane protein. After undergoing endocytosis, acidification of the endosome initiates the release of Fe(3+) from hTF in a TFR-mediated process. Iron-free hTF remains tightly bound to the TFR at acidic pH; following recycling back to the cell surface, it is released to sequester more iron. Efficient delivery of iron is critically dependent on hTF/TFR interactions. Therefore, identification of the pH-specific contacts between hTF and the TFR is crucial. Recombinant protein production has enabled deconvolution of this complex system. The studies reviewed herein support a model in which pH-induced interrelated events control receptor-stimulated iron release from each lobe of hTF.

FbpA--a bacterial transferrin with more to offer

BACKGROUND

Gram negative bacteria require iron for growth and virulence. It has been shown that certain pathogenic bacteria such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae possess a periplasmic protein called ferric binding protein (FbpA), which is a node in the transport of iron from the cell exterior to the cytosol.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

The relevant literature is reviewed which establishes the molecular mechanism of FbpA mediated iron transport across the periplasm to the inner membrane.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

Here we establish that FbpA may be considered a bacterial transferrin on structural and functional grounds. Data are presented which suggest a continuum whereby FbpA may be considered as a naked iron carrier, as well as a Fe-chelate carrier, and finally a member of the larger family of periplasmic binding proteins.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

An investigation of the molecular mechanisms of action of FbpA as a member of the transferrin super family enhances our understanding of bacterial mechanisms for acquisition of the essential nutrient iron, as well as the modes of action of human transferrin, and may provide approaches to the control of pathogenic diseases. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Transferrins: Molecular mechanisms of iron transport and disorders.

Uptake and release of metal ions by transferrin and interaction with receptor 1

BACKGROUND

For a metal to follow the iron acquisition pathway, four conditions are required: 1-complex formation with transferrin; 2-interaction with receptor 1; 3-metal release in the endosome; and 4-metal transport to cytosol.

SCOPE OF THE REVIEW

This review deals with the mechanisms of aluminum(III), cobalt(III), uranium(VI), gallium(III) and bismuth(III) uptake by transferrin and interaction with receptor 1.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

The interaction of the metal-loaded transferrin with receptor 1 takes place in one or two steps: a very fast first step (μs to ms) between the C-lobe and the helical domain of the receptor, and a second slow step (2-6h) between the N-lobe and the protease-like domain. In transferrin loaded with metals other than iron, the dissociation constants for the interaction of the C-lobe with TFR are in a comparable range of magnitudes 10 to 0.5μM, whereas those of the interaction of the N-lobe are several orders of magnitudes lower or not detected. Endocytosis occurs in minutes, which implies a possible internalization of the metal-loaded transferrin with only the C-lobe interacting with the receptor.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

A competition with iron is possible and implies that metal internalization is more related to kinetics than thermodynamics. As for metal release in the endosome, it is faster than the recycling time of transferrin, which implies its possible liberation in the cell. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Transferrins: Molecular mechanisms of iron transport and disorders.

How the binding of human transferrin primes the transferrin receptor potentiating iron release at endosomal pH

Delivery of iron to cells requires binding of two iron-containing human transferrin (hTF) molecules to the specific homodimeric transferrin receptor (TFR) on the cell surface. Through receptor-mediated endocytosis involving lower pH, salt, and an unidentified chelator, iron is rapidly released from hTF within the endosome. The crystal structure of a monoferric N-lobe hTF/TFR complex (3.22-Å resolution) features two binding motifs in the N lobe and one in the C lobe of hTF. Binding of Fe(N)hTF induces global and site-specific conformational changes within the TFR ectodomain. Specifically, movements at the TFR dimer interface appear to prime the TFR to undergo pH-induced movements that alter the hTF/TFR interaction. Iron release from each lobe then occurs by distinctly different mechanisms: Binding of His349 to the TFR (strengthened by protonation at low pH) controls iron release from the C lobe, whereas displacement of one N-lobe binding motif, in concert with the action of the dilysine trigger, elicits iron release from the N lobe. One binding motif in each lobe remains attached to the same α-helix in the TFR throughout the endocytic cycle. Collectively, the structure elucidates how the TFR accelerates iron release from the C lobe, slows it from the N lobe, and stabilizes binding of apohTF for return to the cell surface. Importantly, this structure provides new targets for mutagenesis studies to further understand and define this system.

Anion binding properties of the transferrins. Implications for function

BACKGROUND

Since the transferrins have been defined by the highly cooperative binding of Fe(3+) and a carbonate anion to form an Fe-CO(3)-Tf ternary complex, the focus has been on synergistic anion binding. However, there are other types of anion binding with both apotransferrin and diferric transferrin that affect metal binding and release.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

This review covers the binding of anions to the apoprotein, as well as the formation and structure of Fe-anion-transferrin ternary complexes. It also covers interactions between ferric transferrin and non-synergistic anions that appear to be important in vivo.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

The interaction of anions with apotransferrin can alter the effective metal binding constants, which can affect the transport of metal ions in serum. These interactions also play a role in iron release under physiological conditions.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

Apotransferrin binds a variety of anions with no special selectivity for carbonate. The selectivity for carbonate as a synergistic anion is associated with the iron binding reaction. Conformational changes in the binding of the synergistic carbonate and competition from non-synergistic anions both play a role in intracellular iron release. Anion competition also occurs in serum and reduces the effective metal binding affinity of Tf. Lastly, anions bind to allosteric sites (KISAB sites) on diferric transferrin and alter the rates of iron release. The KISAB sites have not been well-characterized, but kinetic studies on iron release from mutant transferrins indicate that there are likely to be multiple KISAB sites for each lobe of transferrin. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Transferrins: Molecular mechanisms of iron transport and disorders.

Kinetics of iron release from transferrin bound to the transferrin receptor at endosomal pH

BACKGROUND

Human serum transferrin (hTF) is a bilobal glycoprotein that reversibly binds Fe(3+) and delivers it to cells by the process of receptor-mediated endocytosis. Despite decades of research, the precise events resulting in iron release from each lobe of hTF within the endosome have not been fully delineated.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

We provide an overview of the kinetics of iron release from hTF±the transferrin receptor (TFR) at endosomal pH (5.6). A critical evaluation of the array of biophysical techniques used to determine accurate rate constants is provided.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

Delivery of Fe(3+)to actively dividing cells by hTF is essential; too much or too little Fe(3+) directly impacts the well-being of an individual. Because the interaction of hTF with the TFR controls iron distribution in the body, an understanding of this process at the molecular level is essential.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

Not only does TFR direct the delivery of iron to the cell through the binding of hTF, kinetic data demonstrate that it also modulates iron release from the N- and C-lobes of hTF. Specifically, the TFR balances the rate of iron release from each lobe, resulting in efficient Fe(3+) release within a physiologically relevant time frame. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Molecular Mechanisms of Iron Transport and Disorders.

Evidence that His349 acts as a pH-inducible switch to accelerate receptor-mediated iron release from the C-lobe of human transferrin

His349 in human transferrin (hTF) is a residue critical to transferrin receptor (TFR)-stimulated iron release from the C-lobe. To evaluate the importance of His349 on the TFR interaction, it was replaced by alanine, aspartate, lysine, leucine, tryptophan, and tyrosine in a monoferric C-lobe hTF construct (Fe(C)hTF). Using a stopped-flow spectrofluorimeter, we determined rate processes assigned to iron release and conformational events (in the presence and in the absence of the TFR). Significantly, all mutant/TFR complexes feature dampened iron release rates. The critical contribution of His349 is most convincingly revealed by analysis of the kinetics as a function of pH (5.6-6.2). The Fe(C)hTF/TFR complex titrates with a pK(a) of approximately 5.9. By contrast, the H349A mutant/TFR complex releases iron at higher pH with a profile that is almost the inverse of that of the control complex. At the putative endosomal pH of 5.6 (in the presence of salt and chelator), iron is released from the H349W mutant/TFR and H349Y mutant/TFR complexes with a single rate constant similar to the iron release rate constant for the control; this suggests that these substitutions bypass the required pH-induced conformational change allowing the C-lobe to directly interact with the TFR to release iron. The H349K mutant proves that although the positive charge is crucial to complete iron release, the geometry at this position is also critical. The H349D mutant shows that a negative charge precludes complete iron release at pH 5.6 both in the presence and in the absence of the TFR. Thus, histidine uniquely drives the pH-induced conformational change in the C-lobe required for TFR interaction, which in turn promotes iron release.

Rheumatoid anemia

Rheumatoid anemia is a typical example of anemia of chronic disease. It differs from other forms of anemia, such as iron deficiency anemia or iatrogenic anemia. Rheumatoid anemia is normochromic, normocytic or, less often, microcytic, aregenerative, and accompanied with thrombocytosis. Serum transferrin levels are normal or low, transferrin saturation is decreased, serum ferritin levels are normal or high, the soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) is not increased (a distinguishing feature with iron deficiency anemia), and the sTfR/log ferritin ratio is lower than 1. This review discusses the prevalence and impact of rheumatoid anemia based on a review of the literature. Iron metabolism, absorption, diffusion, storage, and use by the bone marrow are described using published data on transferrin, ferritin, and hepcidin. Hepcidin is now recognized as a key factor in rheumatoid anemia, in conjunction with the cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6). Hepcidin is a hormone that lowers serum iron levels and regulates iron transport across membranes, preventing iron from exiting the enterocytes, macrophages, and hepatocytes. In addition, hepcidin inhibits intestinal iron absorption and iron release from macrophages and hepatocytes. The action of hepcidin is mediated by binding to the iron exporter ferroportin. Hepcidin expression in the liver is dependent on the protein hemojuvelin. Inflammation leads to increased hepcidin production via IL-6, whereas iron deficiency and factors associated with increased erythropoiesis (hypoxia, bleeding, hemolysis, dyserythropoiesis) suppress the production of hepcidin. Data from oncology studies and the effects of recombinant human IL-6 support a causal link between IL-6 production and the development of anemia in patients with chronic disease. IL-6 diminishes the proportion of nucleated erythroid cells in the bone marrow and lowers the serum iron level, and these abnormalities can be corrected by administering an IL-6 antagonist. IL-6 stimulates hepcidin gene transcription, most notably in the hepatocytes. Studies involving human hepatocyte exposure to a panel of cytokines showed that IL-6, but not TNFα or IL-1, induced the production of hepcidin mRNA. Recent data on hepcidin level variations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis are reviewed. Rheumatoid anemia is best corrected by ensuring optimal control of systemic disease activity. The role for iron supplementation (per os or intravenously) and erythropoietin in the treatment of rheumatoid anemia is discussed. Given the cascade of interactions linking IL-6, hepcidin, and anemia, IL-6 antagonists hold considerable promise for the management of rheumatoid anemia.

Identification of a kinetically significant anion binding (KISAB) site in the N-lobe of human serum transferrin

Human serum transferrin (hTF) binds two ferric iron ions which are delivered to cells in a transferrin receptor (TFR) mediated process. Critical to the delivery of iron to cells is the binding of hTF to the TFR and the efficient release of iron orchestrated by the interaction. Within the endosome, iron release from hTF is also aided by lower pH, the presence of anions, and a chelator yet to be identified. We have recently shown that three of the four residues comprising a loop in the N-lobe (Pro142, Lys144, and Pro145) are critical to the high-affinity interaction of hTF with the TFR. In contrast, Arg143 in this loop does not participate in the binding isotherm. In the current study, the kinetics of iron release from alanine mutants of each of these four residues (placed into both diferric and monoferric N-lobe backgrounds) have been determined +/- the TFR. The R143A mutation greatly retards the rate of iron release from the N-lobe in the absence of the TFR but has considerably less of an effect in its presence. Our data definitively show that Arg143 serves as a kinetically significant anion binding (KISAB) site that is, by definition, sensitive to salt concentration and critical to the conformational change necessary to induce iron release from the N-lobe of hTF (in the absence of the TFR). This is the first identification of an authentic KISAB site in the N-lobe of hTF. The effect of the single R143A mutation on the kinetic profile of iron release provides a dramatic illustration of the dynamic nature of hTF.

Properties of a homogeneous C-lobe prepared by introduction of a TEV cleavage site between the lobes of human transferrin

Essential to iron transport and delivery, human serum transferrin (hTF) is a bilobal glycoprotein capable of reversibly binding one ferric ion in each lobe (the N- and C-lobes). A complete description of iron release from hTF, as well as insight into the physiological significance of the bilobal structure, demands characterization of the isolated lobes. Although production of large amounts of isolated N-lobe and full-length hTF has been well documented, attempts to produce the C-lobe (by recombinant and/or proteolytic approaches) have met with more limited success. Our new strategy involves replacing the hepta-peptide, PEAPTDE (comprising the bridge between the lobes) with the sequence ENLYFQ/G in a His-tagged non-glycosylated monoferric hTF construct, designated Fe(C)hTF. The new bridge sequence of this construct, designated Fe(C)TEV hTF, is readily cleaved by the tobacco etch virus (TEV) protease yielding non-glycosylated C-lobe. Following nickel column chromatography (to remove the N-lobe and the TEV protease which are both His tagged), the homogeneity of the C-lobe has been confirmed by mass spectroscopy. Differing reactivity with a monoclonal antibody specific to the C-lobe indicates that introduction of the TEV cleavage site into the bridge alters its conformation. The spectral and kinetic properties of the isolated C-lobe differ significantly from those of the isolated N-lobe.