Investigation of iron metabolism in mice expressing a mutant Menke's copper transporting ATPase (Atp7a) protein with diminished activity (Brindled; Mo (Br) (/y) ).

ABSTRACT: During iron deficiency, perturbations in copper homeostasis have frequently been documented. Previous studies in iron-deprived rats demonstrated that enterocyte and hepatic copper levels increase and a copper transporter (the Menkes Copper ATPase; Atp7a) is induced in the duodenal epithelium in parallel to iron transport-related genes (e.g. Dmt1, Dcytb, Fpn1). Moreover, two ferroxidase proteins involved in iron homeostasis, hephaestin expressed in enterocytes and ceruloplasmin, produced and secreted into blood by the liver, are copper-dependent enzymes. We thus aimed to test the hypothesis that Atp7a function is important for the copper-related compensatory response of the intestinal epithelium to iron deficiency. Accordingly, iron homeostasis was studied for the first time in mice express

SUBMITTER: Gulec S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3679098 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature