Ringed sideroblasts in βâ thalassemia

Symptomatic βâ thalassemia is one of the globally most common inherited disorders. The initial clinical presentation is variable. Although common hematological analyses are typically sufficient to diagnose the disease, sometimes the diagnosis can be more challenging. We describe a series of patients with βâ thalassemia whose diagnosis was delayed, required bone marrow examination in one affected member of each family, and revealed ringed sideroblasts, highlighting the association of this morphological finding with these disorders. Thus, in the absence of characteristic congenital sideroblastic mutations or causes of acquired sideroblastic anemia, the presence of ringed sideroblasts should raise the suspicion of βâ thalassemia.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136352/1/pbc26324.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136352/2/pbc26324_am.pd

Impact of Fatty-Acid Labeling of Bacillus subtilis Membranes on the Cellular Lipidome and Proteome

Developing cultivation methods that yield chemically and isotopically defined fatty acid (FA) compositions within bacterial cytoplasmic membranes establishes an in vivo experimental platform to study membrane biophysics and cell membrane regulation using novel approaches. Yet before fully realizing the potential of this method, it is prudent to understand the systemic changes in cells induced by the labeling procedure itself. In this work, analysis of cellular membrane compositions was paired with proteomics to assess how the proteome changes in response to the directed incorporation of exogenous FAs into the membrane of Bacillus subtilis. Key findings from this analysis include an alteration in lipid headgroup distribution, with an increase in phosphatidylglycerol lipids and decrease in phosphatidylethanolamine lipids, possibly providing a fluidizing effect on the cell membrane in response to the induced change in membrane composition. Changes in the abundance of enzymes involved in FA biosynthesis and degradation are observed; along with changes in abundance of cell wall enzymes and isoprenoid lipid production. The observed changes may influence membrane organization, and indeed the well-known lipid raft-associated protein flotillin was found to be substantially down-regulated in the labeled cells – as was the actin-like protein MreB. Taken as a whole, this study provides a greater depth of understanding for this important cell membrane experimental platform and presents a number of new connections to be explored in regard to modulating cell membrane FA composition and its effects on lipid headgroup and raft/cytoskeletal associated proteins

Hepcidin-mediated hypoferremia disrupts immune responses to vaccination and infection

Background: How specific nutrients influence adaptive immunity is of broad interest. Iron deficiency is the most common micronutrient deficiency worldwide and imparts a significant burden of global disease; however, its effects on immunity remain unclear. Methods: We used a hepcidin mimetic and several genetic models to examine the effect of low iron availability on T cells in vitro and on immune responses to vaccines and viral infection in mice. We examined humoral immunity in human patients with raised hepcidin and low serum iron caused by mutant TMPRSS6. We tested the effect of iron supplementation on vaccination-induced humoral immunity in piglets, a natural model of iron deficiency. Findings: We show that low serum iron (hypoferremia), caused by increased hepcidin, severely impairs effector and memory responses to immunizations. The intensified metabolism of activated lymphocytes requires the support of enhanced iron acquisition, which is facilitated by IRP1/2 and TFRC. Accordingly, providing extra iron improved the response to vaccination in hypoferremic mice and piglets, while conversely, hypoferremic humans with chronically increased hepcidin have reduced concentrations of antibodies specific for certain pathogens. Imposing hypoferremia blunted the T cell, B cell, and neutralizing antibody responses to influenza virus infection in mice, allowing the virus to persist and exacerbating lung inflammation and morbidity. Conclusions: Hypoferremia, a well-conserved physiological innate response to infection, can counteract the development of adaptive immunity. This nutrient trade-off is relevant for understanding and improving immune responses to infections and vaccines in the globally common contexts of iron deficiency and inflammatory disorders

The Steap proteins are metalloreductases

Iron and copper are essential for all organisms, assuming critical roles as cofactors in many enzymes. In eukaryotes, the transmembrane transport of these elements is a highly regulated process facilitated by the single electron reduction of each metal. Previously, we identified a mammalian ferrireductase, Steap3, critical for erythroid iron homeostasis. Now, through homology, expression, and functional studies, we characterize all 4 members of this protein family and demonstrate that 3 of them, Steap2, Steap3, and Steap4, are not only ferrireductases but also cupric reductases that stimulate cellular uptake of both iron and copper in vitro. Finally, the pattern of tissue expression and subcellular localization of these proteins suggest they are physiologically relevant cupric reductases and ferrireductases in vivo

Abcb7, the gene responsible for X-linked sideroblastic anemia with ataxia, is essential for hematopoiesis

X-linked sideroblastic anemia with ataxia (XLSA/A) is a rare syndromic form of inherited sideroblastic anemia associated with spinocerebellar ataxia, and is due to mutations in the mitochondrial ATP-binding cassette transporter Abcb7. Here, we show that Abcb7 is essential for hematopoiesis and formally demonstrate that XLSA/A is due to partial loss of function mutations in Abcb7 that directly or indirectly inhibit heme biosynthesis

A mutation in a mitochondrial transmembrane protein is responsible for the pleiotropic hematological and skeletal phenotype of flexed-tail (f/f) mice

We have studied the flexed-tail (f) mouse to gain insight into mammalian mitochondrial iron metabolism. Flexed-tail animals have axial skeletal abnormalities and a transient embryonic and neonatal anemia characterized by pathologic intramitochondrial iron deposits in erythrocytes. Mitochondrial iron accumulation is the hallmark of sideroblastic anemias, which typically result from defects in heme biosynthesis or other pathways that lead to abnormal erythroid mitochondrial iron utilization. To clone the f gene, we used positional cloning techniques, and identified a frameshift mutation in a mitochondrial transmembrane protein. The mutated gene, Sfxn1, is the prototype of a novel family of evolutionarily conserved proteins present in eukaryotes

nm1054: a spontaneous, recessive, hypochromic, microcytic anemia mutation in the mouse

Hypochromic, microcytic anemias are typically the result of inadequate hemoglobin production because of globin defects or iron deficiency. Here, we describe the phenotypic characteristics and pathogenesis of a new recessive, hypochromic, microcytic anemia mouse mutant, nm1054. Although the mutation nm1054 is pleiotropic, also resulting in sparse hair, male infertility, failure to thrive, and hydrocephaly, the anemia is the focus of this study. Hematologic analysis reveals a moderately severe, congenital, hypochromic, microcytic anemia, with an elevated red cell zinc protoporphyrin, consistent with functional erythroid iron deficiency. However, serum and tissue iron analyses show that nm1054 animals are not systemically iron deficient. From hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and iron uptake studies in nm1054 reticulocytes, we provide evidence that the nm1054 anemia is due to an intrinsic hematopoietic defect resulting in inefficient transferrin-dependent iron uptake by erythroid precursors. Linkage studies demonstrate that nm1054 maps to a genetic locus not previously implicated in microcytic anemia or iron phenotypes