Biomaterial Database

Effects of different transferrin forms on transferrin receptor expression, iron uptake, and cellular proliferation of human leukemic HL60 cells. Mechanisms responsible for the specific cytotoxicity of transferrin-gallium. 1986

C R Chitambar, and P A Seligman

We have previously shown that human leukemic cells proliferate normally in serum-free media containing various transferrin forms, but the addition of transferrin-gallium leads to inhibition of cellular proliferation. Because gallium has therapeutic potential, the effects of transferrin-gallium on leukemic cell proliferation, transferrin receptor expression, and cellular iron utilization were studied. The cytotoxicity of gallium is considerably enhanced by its binding to transferrin and cytotoxicity can be reversed by transferrin-iron but not by other transferrin forms. Exposure to transferrin-gallium leads to a marked increase in cell surface transferrin binding sites, but despite this, cellular 59Fe incorporation is inappropriately low. Although shunting of transferrin-gallium to another cellular compartment has not been ruled out, other studies suggest that transferrin-gallium impairs intracellular release of 59Fe from transferrin by interfering with processes responsible for intracellular acidification. These studies, taken together, demonstrate that inhibition of cellular iron incorporation by transferrin-gallium is a prerequisite for inhibition of cellular proliferation.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007457	Iodine Radioisotopes	Unstable isotopes of iodine that decay or disintegrate emitting radiation. I atoms with atomic weights 117-139, except I 127, are radioactive iodine isotopes.	Radioisotopes, Iodine
D007501	Iron	A metallic element with atomic symbol Fe, atomic number 26, and atomic weight 55.85. It is an essential constituent of HEMOGLOBINS; CYTOCHROMES; and IRON-BINDING PROTEINS. It plays a role in cellular redox reactions and in the transport of OXYGEN.	Iron-56,Iron 56
D011990	Receptors, Transferrin	Membrane glycoproteins found in high concentrations on iron-utilizing cells. They specifically bind iron-bearing transferrin, are endocytosed with its ligand and then returned to the cell surface where transferrin without its iron is released.	Transferrin Receptors,Transferrin Receptor,Receptor, Transferrin
D002455	Cell Division	The fission of a CELL. It includes CYTOKINESIS, when the CYTOPLASM of a cell is divided, and CELL NUCLEUS DIVISION.	M Phase,Cell Division Phase,Cell Divisions,Division Phase, Cell,Division, Cell,Divisions, Cell,M Phases,Phase, Cell Division,Phase, M,Phases, M
D002460	Cell Line	Established cell cultures that have the potential to propagate indefinitely.	Cell Lines,Line, Cell,Lines, Cell
D003300	Copper	A heavy metal trace element with the atomic symbol Cu, atomic number 29, and atomic weight 63.55.	Copper-63,Copper 63
D005293	Ferritins	Iron-containing proteins that are widely distributed in animals, plants, and microorganisms. Their major function is to store IRON in a nontoxic bioavailable form. Each ferritin molecule consists of ferric iron in a hollow protein shell (APOFERRITINS) made of 24 subunits of various sequences depending on the species and tissue types.	Basic Isoferritin,Ferritin,Isoferritin,Isoferritin, Basic
D005708	Gallium	A rare, metallic element designated by the symbol, Ga, atomic number 31, and atomic weight 69.72.
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013050	Spectrometry, Fluorescence	Measurement of the intensity and quality of fluorescence.	Fluorescence Spectrophotometry,Fluorescence Spectroscopy,Spectrofluorometry,Fluorescence Spectrometry,Spectrophotometry, Fluorescence,Spectroscopy, Fluorescence