Fig. 8

DFO regulates iron content and transport proteins in LPS-activated microglial cells. a, b Fluorescence staining of metal-sensitive probe calcein showed labile iron in microglia cells. DFO increased labile iron content in both resting and activated microglia cells. DFO also inhibited LPS-induced increase in total iron (c) and ferrous ion (d) content in microglia cells. Representative images of western blot protein bands of target proteins (e). DFO significantly attenuated LPS-induced changes in protein levels for Fpn1 (f), hepcidin (g), and DMT1 (i). Ferritin levels (h) were decreased in microglia cells after LPS or DFO treatments. n = 4/group for LIP, n = 6/group for total iron and iron marker, n = 8/group for ferrous ion, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. Data are expressed as mean ± SD. Scale bar 50 μm. DFO deferoxamine, LPS lipopolysaccharide, Fpn1 ferroportin, DMT1 divalent mental transporter1, LIP labile iron pool