Interference of aluminium on iron metabolism in erythroleukemia K562 cells

PÉREZ, GLADYS; GARBOSSA, GRACIELA; SASSETTI, BEATRIZ; DI RISIO, CECILIA; NESSE, ALCIRA

JOURNAL OF INORGANIC BIOCHEMISTRY

ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 1999 vol. 76 p. 105 - 112

0162-0134

It has been suggested that aluminium (Al) has a deleterious effect on erythropoiesis. However, there is still uncertainty as to its action mechanism. The present work was designed to determine how Al could affect the iron (Fe) metabolism in the human erythroleukaemia cell line K562. These cells, that express surface transferrin receptors (TfRs), were induced to erythroid differentiation by either haemin or hydroxyurea in media containing apotransferrin and exposed to aluminium citrate. In spite of the inhibition of cell haemoglobinisation observed, 59-Fe incorporation values were not different from those measured in control cultures. As a consequence, it can be suggested that cellular Fe utilisation, and not Fe uptake, might be the main metabolic pathway impaired by Al.