Regulatory Connections between Iron and Glucose Metabolism

Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Oct 21;21(20):7773. doi: 10.3390/ijms21207773.

Abstract

Iron is essential for energy metabolism, and states of iron deficiency or excess are detrimental for organisms and cells. Therefore, iron and carbohydrate metabolism are tightly regulated. Serum iron and glucose levels are subjected to hormonal regulation by hepcidin and insulin, respectively. Hepcidin is a liver-derived peptide hormone that inactivates the iron exporter ferroportin in target cells, thereby limiting iron efflux to the bloodstream. Insulin is a protein hormone secreted from pancreatic β-cells that stimulates glucose uptake and metabolism via insulin receptor signaling. There is increasing evidence that systemic, but also cellular iron and glucose metabolic pathways are interconnected. This review article presents relevant data derived primarily from mouse models and biochemical studies. In addition, it discusses iron and glucose metabolism in the context of human disease.

Keywords: IRP1; IRP2; adipokines; ferroportin; hepcidin; insulin.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Energy Metabolism
  • Glucose / metabolism*
  • Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Iron / metabolism*
  • Iron Regulatory Protein 1 / metabolism
  • Iron Regulatory Protein 2 / metabolism
  • Metabolic Syndrome / metabolism*
  • Metabolomics
  • Mice

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative
  • Iron
  • ACO1 protein, human
  • Iron Regulatory Protein 1
  • Iron Regulatory Protein 2
  • Glucose