Altered Ferritin Subunit Composition: Change in Iron Metabolism in Lens Epithelial Cells and Downstream Effects on Glutathione Levels and VEGF Secretion

Abstract

Most of the effects of altering the ferritin H:L ratio with the specific siRNAs were due to changes in the availability of iron in a labile pool. They caused significant changes in iron uptake and storage, the rate of ferritin synthesis and degradation, the secretion of VEGF, and the levels of glutathione in cultured lens epithelial cells. These profound effects clearly demonstrate that maintenance of a specific H:L ratio is part of a basic cellular homeostatic mechanism.