Iron-binding Sites Of Transferrin Research Articles

Antineoplastic drugs that interfere with iron metabolism in cancer cells

Normal iron metabolism can be perturbed with iron chelators, toxic metals that bind to transferrin, toxic metals bound to transferrin or antineoplastic agents covalently linked to transferrin. These agents cause significant inhibition of tumor cell growth in cell culture and have been shown to have significant in vivo antineoplastic activity. Cell culture studies showed that deferoxamine mesylate inhibits cell growth and division in both the MCF-7 human breast and HeLa human cervical carcinoma cell lines. Animal studies demonstrated that when deferoxamine mesylate is injected intravenously into rats that are on a low iron diet, there is a significant reduction in the growth of 13762NF mammary adenocarcinomas. Gallium, indium and the antineoplastic agent cisplatin were bound to the iron binding site of transferrin and inhibit the growth of malignant carcinoma cell lines. Gallium-transferrin and indium-transferrin were at least 10 times more inhibitory to both MCF-7 and HeLa cell lines than their free salts. Further cell culture studies demonstrated that cisplatin-transferrin complexes act synergistically with doxorubicin to inhibit the growth of cultured MCF-7 cells. In a Phase I clinical trial of cisplatintransferrin complex there was a 36% (four of 11 patients) response rate in breast cancer patients with advanced disease. In a second clinical study the sequential administration of deferoxamine mesylate (2 days at 6 g/day in 8 hrs), cisplatin-transferrin complex (7 days at 500 mg/day) and FAC (5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide at 450, 45 and 450 mg/m 2, respectively) to advanced breast cancer patients resulted in partial responses in seven of eight patients treated. Future work will concentrate on substituting transferrin based agents with daunorubicin or doxorubicin attached to the surface of the transferrin, and gallium or indium bound to the iron binding site, to increase efficacy of the second component of the sequential combination chemotherapy.

The effect of chromium on parameters related to iron metabolism.

The effect of chromium on some parameters related to iron metabolism was investigated. Preliminary experiments showed that this metal ion was taken up by serum proteins and was dependent on the amount of chromium present in the medium. It was also shown that the uptake of iron was reduced significantly in the presence of chromium. In vivo study showed that the serum levels of iron and total iron binding capacity (TIBC) were reduced by 28 and 11%, respectively, following daily administration of chromium (1 mg/kg) for 45 d. Serum ferritin was reduced by 22% under this condition. Hematocrit and hemoglobin levels were also affected in chromium-treated animals and were both reduced by 17%. Spectrophotometric titration of each individual amino acid located in the iron binding site of transferrin revealed that tyrosine might be the most suitable ligand for the binding of chromium to transferrin. These results suggest that chromium may compete with iron in binding to apo-transferrin, and influence iron metabolism and its related biochemical parameters.

The effects of salts and amino group modification on the iron binding domains of transferrin

The origins of the effects of salts on the properties of the iron binding sites of transferrin have been investigated. The chaotropically distinct salts NaCl and NaClO 4 each induce characteristic changes in the EPR lineshapes of the N- and C-terminal Fe 3+ binding domains, respectively. To a good approximation the perturbed EPR spectrum of diferric transferrin in the presence of salts is the sum of the EPR spectra of the N- and C-terminal monoferric proteins. Acetylation of amino groups causes spectral and kinetic changes in the protein similar to those induced by NaClO 4. Thus, both acetylation and NaClO 4 cause a loss of structure in the g′ = 4.3 EPR signal of the N-terminal domain, and both retard iron removal from this domain. In contrast, iron removal from the C-terminal domain is accelerated by acetylation or the presence of NaClO 4. These observations are ascribed to charge effects of lysine residues which are probably in the vicinity of the iron binding sites.

Transferrin variants in sheep: separation and characterization by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing.

Isoelectric focusing with carrier ampholytes in ultrathin polyacrylamide gels and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in a discontinuous buffer system were used for the separation of sheep transferrin variants. For identification of the different iron-binding sites of transferrin a stepwise urea gradient, different degrees of iron saturation and double one-dimensional electrophoresis were used. Isoelectric focusing results in an increased resolution of the Fe0-transferrin, Fe1-transferrin and Fe2-transferrin region. At the level of Fe0-transferrin and Fe1-transferrin the variants I, A, G, B, C, D, M, E, Q, P can be identified. The method is especially suitable for genetic studies. For screening purposes up to 108 samples can be separated within one run in an ultrathin gel.

Release of iron from the two iron-binding sites of transferrin by cultured human cells: modulation by methylamine.

We have investigated the effect of increasing concentrations of methylamine (5, 10, and 25 mM) on the removal of iron from the two iron-binding sites of transferrin during endocytosis by human erythroleukemia (K562) cells. The molecular forms of transferrin released from the cells were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in 6 M urea. Endocytosis of diferric transferrin was efficient since greater than 10% of surface-bound protein escaped endocytosis and was released in the diferric form. Although transferrin exocytosed from control cells had been depleted of 80% of its iron and contained 65-70% apotransferrin, iron-bearing species were also released (15% C-terminal monoferric; 10% N-terminal; 10% diferric). The ratio of the two monoferric species (C/N) was 1.32 +/- 0.12 (mean +/- SD; n = 4), suggesting that iron in the N-terminal site was more accessible to cells. In the presence of methylamine there was a concentration-dependent increase in the proportion of diferric transferrin release (less than 80% at 25 mM) and a concomitant decrease in apotransferrin. Small amounts of the iron-depleted species, especially apotransferrin, appeared before diferric transferrin, suggesting that these were preferentially released from the cells. The discrepancy between the proportions of the monoferric transferrin species noted with control cells was enhanced at all concentrations of methylamine, most markedly at 10 mM when the C/N ratio was 2.4. The N-terminal site of transferrin loses its iron at a higher pH than the C-terminal site, and so by progressively perturbing the pH of the endocytic vesicle we have increased the difference between the two sites observed with control cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

In vitro and in vivo studies of iron delivery by human monoferric transferrins.

According to the Fletcher-Huehns hypothesis there exists a functional difference between the two iron-binding sites of transferrin. In this study we present the results of an evaluation of this hypothesis in vitro and in vivo with human pure monoferric transferrins obtained by preparative isoelectric focusing in granulated gels. The uptake of iron from monoferric transferrins TfFeC and FeNTf by erythroid bone marrow cells, hepatocytes and stimulated T-lymphocytes in vitro was equal, even when both monoferric transferrins were present together in the incubation medium. Ferrokinetic studies in vivo, performed with both pure monoferric transferrins, showed that transferrin TfFeC, as well as transferrin FeNTf, mainly deliver their iron to the erythron. As red cell 59Fe utilization, red cell iron turnover and other ferrokinetic parameters, obtained from this study, were identical too it is evident that both iron-binding sites of transferrin are functionally homogeneous in vivo, with respect to iron delivery.

No functional difference of the two iron-binding sites of human transferrin in vitro.

1. According to the Fletcher-Huehns hypothesis there exists a functional difference between the two iron-binding sites of transferrin. 2. The aim of the study presented was to evaluate this hypothesis in a homogeneous system, with human bone marrow cells and pure human monoferric transferrins A and B. 3. For this reason normal human bone marrow cells were incubated with human monoferric transferrin. The monoferric transferrins A and B were obtained by selective labelling at different pH of apotransferrin followed by preparative isoelectric focusing in granulated gels. The uptake of iron by the cell suspensions from monoferric transferrins A and B was equal. 4. In a heterogeneous but more active system for the removal of iron from human transferrin in vitro the two human monoferric transferrins did not show any significant functional differences. 5. No support for the Fletcher-Huehns hypothesis could be obtained.

The Behavior of Transferrin Iron in the Rat

The behavior of rat transferrin has been investigated employing acrylamide gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing. In vitro trace labeling with iron chelates at 30 min was 93%-98% effective, whereas binding by simple ferric salts was reduced to 71%-76%. Complete and specific binding of 59FeSO4 by the iron binding sites of transferrin was demonstrated after in vitro or in vivo addition of ferrous ammonium sulfate in pH 2 saline up to the point of iron saturation. In vitro the radioriron transferrin complex in plasma was stable and its iron had a negligible exchange with other transferrin binding sites over several hours. The distribution of radioiron added in vitro or through absorption was shown to be random between the binding sites of slow and fast transferrin molecule. Iron distribution among body tissues was similar for mono- and diferric transferrin iron and was not affected by the site distribution of iron on the transferrin molecule. The only important aspect of transferrin iron binding was the more rapid tissue uptake of iron in the diferric form was compared to monoferric transferrin. Additional in vivo effects on internal iron exchange were produced by changes in the iron balance of the animal. In the iron loaded animal, monoferric transferrin injected into the plasma was rapidly loaded by iron from tissue and thereby converted to diferric transferrin. Injection of diferric transferrin in the iron deficient animal was associated with a rapid disappearance from circulation of the original complex and a subsequent appearance of monoferric transferrin as a result of iron returning from tissues. These observations support the concept that plasma iron behaves as a single pool except that diferric iron exchange occurs at a more rapid rate than dose monoferric iron exchange.

The behavior of transferrin iron in the rat

The behavior of rat transferrin has been investigated employing acrylamide gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing. In vitro trace labeling with iron chelates at 30 min was 93%-98% effective, whereas binding by simple ferric salts was reduced to 71%-76%. Complete and specific binding of 59FeSO4 by the iron binding sites of transferrin was demonstrated after in vitro or in vivo addition of ferrous ammonium sulfate in pH 2 saline up to the point of iron saturation. In vitro the radioriron transferrin complex in plasma was stable and its iron had a negligible exchange with other transferrin binding sites over several hours. The distribution of radioiron added in vitro or through absorption was shown to be random between the binding sites of slow and fast transferrin molecule. Iron distribution among body tissues was similar for mono- and diferric transferrin iron and was not affected by the site distribution of iron on the transferrin molecule. The only important aspect of transferrin iron binding was the more rapid tissue uptake of iron in the diferric form was compared to monoferric transferrin. Additional in vivo effects on internal iron exchange were produced by changes in the iron balance of the animal. In the iron loaded animal, monoferric transferrin injected into the plasma was rapidly loaded by iron from tissue and thereby converted to diferric transferrin. Injection of diferric transferrin in the iron deficient animal was associated with a rapid disappearance from circulation of the original complex and a subsequent appearance of monoferric transferrin as a result of iron returning from tissues. These observations support the concept that plasma iron behaves as a single pool except that diferric iron exchange occurs at a more rapid rate than dose monoferric iron exchange.

Functional heterogeneity of transferrin-bound iron: iron uptake by cell suspensions from bone marrow and liver and by cell cultures of fibroblasts and lymphoblasts.

According to the hypothesis of Fletcher and Huehns, functional differences exist between both iron-binding sites of transferrin. The site designated A should mainly be involved in the delivery of iron to erythroid cells, whereas site B should donate its iron preferentially to cells involved in the absorption and storage of iron. In the present study this hypothesis could be confirmed by in vitro experiments with various cell types. Iron transferrin preincubated with rat bone marrow cells donates less iron to rat bone marrow cells, Chinese hamster fibroblasts, human fibroblasts and human lymphoblasts than freshly prepared iron transferrin equal in iron and transferrin concentraion. Rat liver parenchymal cells, however, take up more iron from preincubated than from freshly prepared iron transferrin. Obviously, site A not only donates iron preferentially to erythroid cells but also to (rapidly) dividing nonerythroid cells in culture. From experiments with iron transferrin mixtures in which radioiron was present at low or high iron saturation, it could be concluded that rat bone marrow cells take up iron equally well from monoferric as from diferric transferrin. The observed functional heterogeneity could, therefore, not be ascribed to differences between monoferric and diferric transferrin.

The detection of four molecular forms of human transferrin during the iron binding process

Human transferrin has been separated into four molecular forms by electrophoresis in a medium containing 6 M urea and a Tris/borate/EDTA, pH 8.4, buffer. The separation of these forms correlates directly with the amount of iron bound by the transferrin: iron free transferrin, iron bound only to site A of transferrin, iron bound only to site B of transferrin and iron bound to both iron binding sites of transferrin. The molecular basis for the electrophoretic separation of human transferrin into four molecular forms is complex and incompletely defined at this time. However, this separation appears to be related to two phenomena observed in this work and by other investigators: (1) the increase in protein stability as iron is bound to transferrin and (2) the assymetrical distribution of amino acids in the transferrin molecule. Whatever the exact reason, the observed phenomenon has potential use in further evaluation of both the physicochemical and physiological processes in which transferrin participates.

Difference between the two iron-binding sites of transferrin

THE protein transferrin has a central role in iron metabolism, transporting the metal between absorption, utilisation, excretion, reclamation and storage areas. Although two ferric ions are bound at apparently equivalent iron-binding sites1, the sites behave in a non-equivalent manner. Since the initial report by Fletcher and Huehns2, there have been observations in vivo and in vitro of the unique biological specificity for transferrin iron bound at each site3–8. Physicochemical evidence for any difference between iron binding at each site is sparse. Price and Gibson9 observed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectral differences arising from each site under the influence of the chaotropic agent perchlorate. Aisen et al.10 observed EPR differences between sites for the chromium complex and Young and Perkins11 reported that bicarbonate displaces only one oxalate anion from the (oxalate)2–Fe2–transferrin complex. We now report experiments on the pH-dependent dissociation of diferric transferrin which indicate that there is a difference in the iron-binding properties of each site.

Modification of carboxyl groups of transferrin

Carboxyl groups of transferrin were coupled with glycine methyl ester using a water-soluble carbodiimide. The iron-binding activity of the modified protein did not change until some 16 carboxyl groups had been modified. The activity then fell in proportion to the number of groups modified until no iron binding was seen with 62 carboxyl groups modified. Such a slow drop in activity was interpreted to indicate that the carboxyl groups do not directly participate in the iron-binding reaction and that the activity was lost because of a conformational change in the protein structure. Experiments involving competition of native transferrin and EDTA for iron indicated that the iron-binding activity of the former declined with increasing EDTA concentrations in a gradual manner. Similar experiments with transferrin with 15–17 carboxyl groups blocked by the glycine methyl ester showed that half of the iron-binding activity was lost with very low EDTA concentrations, remained at the 50% level over an EDTA concentration range of 0.0025–0.01 M and then commenced to decline in a gradual manner. It was concluded that the more reactive carboxyl groups are situated in the vicinity of only one of the two iron-binding sites of transferrin and that their modification then destabilizes the coordination complex. Very few if any reactive carboxyl groups are situated in the vicinity of the other iron-binding site. This finding supports the idea that the environments of the two iron-binding sites of transferrin are not identical.