TfR1 Extensively Regulates the Expression of Genes Associated with Ion Transport and Immunity

SummaryTransferrin receptor 1 (TfR1), encoded by theTFRC gene, is the gatekeeper of cellular iron uptake for cells. A variety of molecular mechanisms are at work to tightly regulate TfR1 expression, and abnormal TfR1 expression has been associated with various diseases. In the current study, to determine the regulation pattern of TfR1, we cloned and overexpressed the humanTFRC gene in HeLa cells. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to analyze the global transcript levels in overexpressed (OE) and normal control (NC) samples. A total of 1669 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between OE and NC. Gene ontology (GO) analysis was carried out to explore the functions of the DEGs. It was found that multiple DEGs were associated with ion transport and immunity. Moreover, the regulatory network was constructed on basis of DEGs associated with ion transport and immunity, highlighting thatTFRC was the node gene of the network. These results together suggested that precisely controlled TfR1 expression might be not only essential for iron homeostasis, but also globally important for cell physiology, including ion transport and immunity.
Source: Journal of Huazhong University of Science and Technology -- Medical Sciences -- - Category: Research Source Type: research