Aluminum Exposure Impairs Electrochemically Measured Vesicular Storage and Exocytosis via Iron Homeostasis Dysregulation.

ABSTRACT: Widespread human exposure to aluminum (Al) has raised increasing concerns about its effects on neuronal functions since Al³⁺ can cross the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in neuronal cells, especially considering its ionic similarity to ferric iron (Fe³⁺), a metal strongly associated with neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we demonstrate that Al³⁺ affects vesicles in an iron-status-dependent manner in pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells, causing distinct changes under iron-normal, deficient, and overloaded conditions. Al³⁺ competes with Fe³⁺ for transferrin binding and enters cells via transferrin receptor (TfR)-mediated endocytosis, ultimately leading to cellular iron deficiency. This disruption alters dopamine-related proteins a

SUBMITTER: Chen SH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12643330 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature