Abstract
Transferrin (Trf) is a highly conserved serum glycoprotein mostly known for its iron transport capacity. As iron is an indispensable nutrient for cell division, Trf and its receptor have long been used as targets of pharmacological intervention mostly for cancer therapy and for diagnosis in inflammation. In recent years several independent pieces of work including data from our group, indicated that Trf can also have an iron independent role in the immune system. In this article new emerging roles of Trf and its receptor on iron independent processes and in drug delivery are reviewed.
Keywords: Transferrin, transferrin receptor, immunology, inflammation, drug targets, blood brain barrier, cancer
Inflammation & Allergy - Drug Targets (Discontinued)
Title: Transferrin and the Transferrin Receptor: Of Magic Bullets and Other Concerns
Volume: 7 Issue: 1
Author(s): Maria F. Macedo and Maria de Sousa
Affiliation:
Keywords: Transferrin, transferrin receptor, immunology, inflammation, drug targets, blood brain barrier, cancer
Abstract: Transferrin (Trf) is a highly conserved serum glycoprotein mostly known for its iron transport capacity. As iron is an indispensable nutrient for cell division, Trf and its receptor have long been used as targets of pharmacological intervention mostly for cancer therapy and for diagnosis in inflammation. In recent years several independent pieces of work including data from our group, indicated that Trf can also have an iron independent role in the immune system. In this article new emerging roles of Trf and its receptor on iron independent processes and in drug delivery are reviewed.
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Cite this article as:
Macedo F. Maria and Sousa de Maria, Transferrin and the Transferrin Receptor: Of Magic Bullets and Other Concerns, Inflammation & Allergy - Drug Targets (Discontinued) 2008; 7 (1) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/187152808784165162
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/187152808784165162 |
Print ISSN 1871-5281 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 2212-4055 |
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