Abstract
The membrane-bound ceruloplasmin homolog hephaestin plays a critical role in intestinal iron absorption. The aims of this study were to clone the rat hephaestin gene and to examine its expression in the gastrointestinal tract in relation to other genes encoding iron transport proteins. The rat hephaestin gene was isolated from intestinal mRNA and was found to encode a protein 96% identical to mouse hephaestin. Analysis by ribonuclease protection assay and Western blotting showed that hephaestin was expressed at high levels throughout the small intestine and colon. Immunofluorescence localized the hephaestin protein to the mature villus enterocytes with little or no expression in the crypts. Variations in iron status had a small but nonsignificant effect on hephaestin expression in the duodenum. The high sequence conservation between rat and mouse hephaestin is consistent with this protein playing a central role in intestinal iron absorption, although its precise function remains to be determined.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Carrier Proteins / genetics
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Carrier Proteins / metabolism
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Cation Transport Proteins*
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Cloning, Molecular
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Digestive System / metabolism*
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HLA Antigens / genetics
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HLA Antigens / metabolism
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Hemochromatosis Protein
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Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / genetics
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Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / metabolism
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Humans
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Immunoblotting
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Immunohistochemistry
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Iron / metabolism*
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Iron-Binding Proteins*
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Male
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Membrane Proteins / chemistry
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Membrane Proteins / genetics
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Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
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Mice
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Molecular Sequence Data
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RNA, Messenger / genetics
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RNA, Messenger / metabolism
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Rats
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Receptors, Transferrin / genetics
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Receptors, Transferrin / metabolism
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Sequence Alignment
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Tissue Distribution
Substances
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Carrier Proteins
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Cation Transport Proteins
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HEPH protein, human
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HFE protein, human
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HFE protein, rat
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HLA Antigens
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Hemochromatosis Protein
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Heph protein, mouse
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Heph, protein, rat
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Hfe protein, mouse
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Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
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Iron-Binding Proteins
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Membrane Proteins
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RNA, Messenger
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Receptors, Transferrin
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solute carrier family 11- (proton-coupled divalent metal ion transporters), member 2
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Iron