Tranferrins receptor association and endosomal localization of soluble HFE are not sufficient for regulation of cellular iron homeostasis

Iron homeostasis and organismal aging

Iron is indispensable for normal body functions across species because of its critical roles in red blood cell function and many essential proteins and enzymes required for numerous physiological processes. Regulation of iron homeostasis is an intricate process involving multiple modulators at the systemic, cellular, and molecular levels. Interestingly, emerging evidence has demonstrated that many modulators of iron homeostasis contribute to organismal aging and longevity. On the other hand, the age-related dysregulation of iron homeostasis is often associated with multiple age-related pathologies including bone resorption and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Thus, a thorough understanding on the interconnections between systemic and cellular iron balance and organismal aging may help decipher the etiologies of multiple age-related diseases, which could ultimately lead to developing therapeutic strategies to delay aging and treat various age-related diseases. Here we present the current understanding on the mechanisms of iron homeostasis. We also discuss the impacts of aging on iron homeostatic processes and how dysregulated iron metabolism may affect aging and organismal longevity.

Differential HFE gene expression is regulated by alternative splicing in human tissues

BACKGROUND

The pathophysiology of HFE-derived Hereditary Hemochromatosis and the function of HFE protein in iron homeostasis remain uncertain. Also, the role of alternative splicing in HFE gene expression regulation and the possible function of the corresponding protein isoforms are still unknown. The aim of this study was to gain insights into the physiological significance of these alternative HFE variants.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Alternatively spliced HFE transcripts in diverse human tissues were identified by RT-PCR, cloning and sequencing. Total HFE transcripts, as well as two alternative splicing transcripts were quantified using a real-time PCR methodology. Intracellular localization, trafficking and protein association of GFP-tagged HFE protein variants were analysed in transiently transfected HepG2 cells by immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence assays. Alternatively spliced HFE transcripts present both level- and tissue-specificity. Concerning the exon 2 skipping and intron 4 inclusion transcripts, the liver presents the lowest relative level, while duodenum presents one of the highest amounts. The protein resulting from exon 2 skipping transcript is unable to associate with β2M and TfR1 and reveals an ER retention. Conversely, the intron 4 inclusion transcript gives rise to a truncated, soluble protein (sHFE) that is mostly secreted by cells to the medium in association with β2M.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

HFE gene post-transcriptional regulation is clearly affected by a tissue-dependent alternative splicing mechanism. Among the corresponding proteins, a sHFE isoform stands out, which upon being secreted into the bloodstream, may act in remote tissues. It could be either an agonist or antagonist of the full length HFE, through hepcidin expression regulation in the liver or by controlling dietary iron absorption in the duodenum.

N-glycosylation is important for the correct intracellular localization of HFE and its ability to decrease cell surface transferrin binding

HFE is a type 1 transmembrane protein that becomes N-glycosylated during transport to the cell membrane. It influences cellular iron concentrations through multiple mechanisms, including regulation of transferrin binding to transferrin receptors. The importance of glycosylation in HFE localization and function has not yet been studied. Here we employed bioinformatics to identify putative N-glycosylation sites at residues N110, N130 and N234 of the human HFE protein, and used site-directed mutagenesis to create combinations of single, double or triple mutants. Compared with the wild-type protein, which co-localizes with the type 1 transferrin receptor in the endosomal recycling compartment and on distributed punctae, the triple mutant co-localized with BiP in the endoplasmic reticulum. This was similar to the localization pattern described previously for the misfolding HFE-C282Y mutant that causes type 1 hereditary haemachromatosis. We also observed that the triple mutant was functionally deficient in beta2-microglobulin interactions and incapable of regulating transferrin binding, once again, reminiscent of the HFE-C282Y variant. Single and double mutants that undergo limited glycosylation appeared to have a mixed phenotype, with characteristics primarily of the wild-type, but also some from the glycosylation-deficient protein. Therefore, although they displayed an endosomal recycling compartment/punctate localization like the wild-type protein, many cells simultaneously displayed additional reticular localization. Furthermore, although the majority of cells expressing these single and double mutants showed decreased surface binding of transferrin, a number appeared to have lost this ability. We conclude that glycosylation is important for the normal intracellular trafficking and functional activity of HFE.

Beyond the signal sequence: protein routing in health and disease

Receptors, hormones, enzymes, ion channels, and structural components of the cell are created by the act of protein synthesis. Synthesis alone is insufficient for proper function, of course; for a cell to operate effectively, its components must be correctly compartmentalized. The mechanism by which proteins maintain the fidelity of localization warrants attention in light of the large number of different molecules that must be routed to distinct subcellular loci, the potential for error, and resultant disease. This review summarizes diseases known to have etiologies based on defective protein folding or failure of the cell's quality control apparatus and presents approaches for therapeutic intervention.

The non-classical HLA class I molecule HFE does not influence the NK-like activity contained in fresh human PBMCs and does not interact with NK cells

In humans, four beta2-microglobulin-associated non-classical class I molecules are encoded in the MHC: HLA-E, -F, -G and -H. Three of them (HLA-E, -F and -G) were shown to inhibit NK activity. On the contrary, the fourth one, HLA-H, named HFE after it was found to be mutated in patients suffering from inherited hemochromatosis, has been shown to be involved only in the regulation of iron uptake. We tested the capacity of HFE to affect (enhance or reduce) specifically the NK activity contained in non-manipulated fresh human PBMCs. We showed that HFE expression by target cells does not affect their killing by the NK-like activity contained in PBMCs. Moreover, using fluorescent HFE tetramers, we could confirm that blood NK cells as well as blood gammadelta T cells do not bind HFE. Altogether, our data indicate that HFE does not affect the NK activity contained in the PBMCs.

Mouse HFE inhibits Tf-uptake and iron accumulation but induces non-transferrin bound iron (NTBI)-uptake in transformed mouse fibroblasts

Iron-uptake and storage are tightly regulated to guarantee sufficient iron for essential cellular processes and to prevent the production of damaging free radicals. A non-classical class I MHC molecule, the hemochromatosis factor (HFE), has been shown to regulate iron metabolism, potentially via its interaction with the transferrin receptor. Whereas, the effect of human HFE (hHFE) on transferrin/transferrin receptor association, as well as on transferrin receptor recycling and the level of cellular iron pools in various cell lines was analyzed, very little is known about the mouse HFE (mHFE) protein. In the following study, our aim was to analyze in more detail the function of mHFE. Surprisingly, we observed that over-expression of mHFE, but not of hHFE, in a mouse transformed cell line, results in a most significant inhibition of transferrin-uptake which correlated with apoptotic cell death. mHFE inhibited transferrin-uptake immediately following transfection and this inhibition persisted in the surviving stable transfectants. Concomitantly, cellular iron derived from transferrin-iron uptake was dramatically limited. The activation of a non-transferrin bound iron-uptake pathway that functions in the stable mHFE-transfected clones could explain their normal growth curves and survival. The hypothesis that iron starvation can induce iron-uptake by a novel transferrin-independent pathway is discussed.