The iron transporter ferroportin can also function as a manganese exporter

Abstract

The present study examined the hypothesis that the iron exporter ferroportin (FPN1/SLC40A1) can also mediate cellular export of the essential trace element manganese, using Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing human FPN1. When compared to oocytes expressing only the divalent metal transporter-1 (DMT1/NRAMP2), 54Mn accumulation was lower in oocytes also expressing FPN1. FPN1-expressing oocytes exported more 54Mn than control oocytes (26.6±0.6% versus 7.1±0.5%, respectively, over 4h at pH 7.4 when preloaded with approximately 16μM 54Mn); however, there was no difference in 54Mn uptake between control and FPN1-expressing oocytes. FPN1-mediated Mn export was concentration dependent and could be partially cis-inhibited by 100μM Fe, Co, and Ni, but not by Rb. In addition, Mn export ability was significantly reduced when the extracellular pH was reduced from 7.4 to 5.5, and when Na+ was substituted with K+ in the incubation media. These results indicate that Mn is a substrate for FPN1, and that this export process is inhibited by a low extracellular pH and by incubation in a high K+ medium, indicating the involvement of transmembrane ion gradients in FPN1-mediated transport.