Implication of the proprotein convertases in iron homeostasis: Proprotein convertase 7 sheds human transferrin receptor 1 and furin activates hepcidin

Abstract

Among the PC family members, only furin activates hepcidin in hepatocytes, and uniquely the full-length membrane-bound PC7 can directly shed hTfR1 by cleavage at Arg100 ↓. Our results support the notion that, when iron is limiting, hTfR1 levels increase at least in part by way of the down-regulation of PC7 expression. (HEPATOLOGY 2013;).