Ferritins in Kidney Disease

Overview

Journal Semin Nephrol

Specialty Nephrology

Date 2020 Apr 19

PMID 32303279

Citations 11

Authors

Kayla McCullough

Subhashini Bolisetty

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Ferritins are evolutionarily conserved proteins that regulate cellular iron metabolism. It is the only intracellular protein that is capable of storing large quantities of iron. Although the ratio of different subunits determines the iron content of each ferritin molecule, the exact mechanism that dictates organization of these subunits still is unclear. In this review, we address renal ferritin expression and its implication in kidney disease. Specifically, we address the role of ferritin subunits in preventing kidney injury and also promoting tolerance against infection-associated kidney injury. We describe functions for ferritin that are independent of its ability to ferroxidize and store iron. We further discuss the implications of ferritin in body fluids, including blood and urine, during inflammation and kidney disease. Although there are several in-depth review articles on ferritin in the context of iron metabolism, we chose to focus on the role of ferritin particularly in kidney health and disease and highlight unanswered questions in the field.

Citing Articles

The Interplay Between Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and Selected Serum Biomarkers in Various Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease.

Twardawa M, Formanowicz P, Formanowicz D Biomedicines. 2025; 13(2).

PMID: 40002748 PMC: 11853316. DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines13020335.

Fabry Disease Podocytes Reveal Ferroptosis as a Potential Regulator of Cell Pathology.

Wise A, Krisnadevi I, Bruell S, Lee H, Bhuvan T, Kassianos A Kidney Int Rep. 2025; 10(2):535-548.

PMID: 39990892 PMC: 11843119. DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2024.11.024.

Ferritin as an Effective Prognostic Factor and Potential Cancer Biomarker.

Szymulewska-Konopko K, Reszec-Gielazyn J, Maleczek M Curr Issues Mol Biol. 2025; 47(1).

PMID: 39852175 PMC: 11763953. DOI: 10.3390/cimb47010060.

The connection between autophagy and ferroptosis in AKI: recent advances regarding selective autophagy.

Pan C, Zhao H, Cai X, Wu M, Qin B, Li J Ren Fail. 2024; 46(2):2379601.

PMID: 39099238 PMC: 11302486. DOI: 10.1080/0886022X.2024.2379601.

Association of serum ferritin and all-cause mortality in AKI patients: a retrospective cohort study.

Ren X, Jiang Z, Liu F, Wang Q, Chen H, Yu L Front Med (Lausanne). 2024; 11:1368719.

PMID: 38938379 PMC: 11208335. DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1368719.

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