Mitoferrin-1 (Mfrn1; Slc25a37), a member of the solute carrier family localized in the mitochondrial inner membrane, functions as an essential iron importer for the synthesis of mitochondrial heme and iron-sulfur clusters in erythroblasts. The biochemistry of Mfrn1-mediated iron transport into the mitochondria, however, is poorly understood. Here, we used the strategy of in vivo epitope-tagging affinity purification and mass spectrometry to investigate Mfrn1-mediated mitochondrial iron homeostasis. Abcb10, a mitochondrial inner membrane ATP-binding cassette transporter highly induced during erythroid maturation in hematopoietic tissues, was found as one key protein that physically interacts with Mfrn1 during mouse erythroleukemia ( Abcb transporters ͉ erythropoiesis ͉ iron and heme metabolism ͉ solute carriers ͉ protein complexes

SUMMARY Defects in the availability of heme substrates or the catalytic activity of the terminal enzyme in heme biosynthesis, ferrochelatase (Fech), impair heme synthesis, and thus cause human congenital anemias1,2. The inter-dependent functions of regulators of mitochondrial homeostasis and enzymes responsible for heme synthesis are largely unknown. To uncover this unmet need, we utilized zebrafish genetic screens and cloned mitochondrial ATPase inhibitory factor 1 (atpif1) from a zebrafish mutant with profound anemia, pinotage (pnt tq209). We now report a direct mechanism establishing that Atpif1 regulates the catalytic efficiency of vertebrate Fech to synthesize heme. The loss of Atpif1 impairs hemoglobin synthesis in zebrafish, mouse, and human hematopoietic models as a consequence of diminished Fech activity, and elevated mitochondrial pH. To understand the relationship among mitochondrial pH, redox potential, [2Fe-2S] clusters, and Fech activity, we used (1) genetic complementation studies of Fech constructs with or without [2Fe-2S] clusters in pnt, and (2) pharmacological agents modulating mitochondrial pH and redox potential. The presence of [2Fe-2S] cluster renders vertebrate Fech vulnerable to Atpif1-regulated mitochondrial pH and redox potential perturbations. Therefore, Atpif1 deficiency reduces the efficiency of vertebrate Fech to synthesize heme, resulting in anemia. The novel mechanism of Atpif1 as a regulator of heme synthesis advances the understanding of mitochondrial heme homeostasis and red blood cell development. A deficiency of Atpif1 may contribute to important human diseases, such as congenital sideroblastic anemias and mitochondriopathies.

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Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a unique and recently identified non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that was originally identified in patients with AIDS. PEL is caused by the Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV/HHV-8) and shows a peculiar presentation involving liquid growth in the serous body cavity and a poor prognosis. As the nuclear factor (NF)-jB pathway is activated in PEL and plays a central role in oncogenesis, we examined the effect of a biscoclaurine alkaloid, cepharanthine (CEP) on PEL derived cell lines (BCBL-1, TY-1 and RM-P1), in vitro and in vivo. An methylthiotetrazole assay revealed that the cell proliferation of PEL cell lines was significantly suppressed by the addition of CEP (1-10 lg/ml). CEP also inhibited NF-jB activation and induced apoptotic cell death in PEL cell lines. We established a PEL animal model by intraperitoneal injection of BCBL-1, which led to the development of ascites and diffuse infiltration of organs, without obvious solid lymphoma formation, which resembles the diffuse nature of human PEL. Intraperitoneal administration of CEP inhibited ascites formation and diffuse infiltration of BCBL-1 without significant systemic toxicity in this model. These results indicate that NF-jB could be an ideal molecular target for treating PEL and that CEP is quite useful as a unique therapeutic agent for PEL. ' 2009 UICC

ATP-binding cassette subfamily B member 10 (Abcb10) is a mitochondrial ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter that complexes with mitoferrin1 and ferrochelatase to enhance heme biosynthesis in developing red blood cells. Reductions in Abcb10 levels have been shown to reduce mitoferrin1 protein levels and iron import into mitochondria, resulting in reduced heme biosynthesis. As an ABC transporter, Abcb10 binds and hydrolyzes ATP, but its transported substrate is unknown. Here, we determined that decreases in Abcb10 did not result in protoporphyrin IX accumulation in morphant-treated zebrafish embryos or in differentiated Abcb10-specific shRNA murine Friend erythroleukemia (MEL) cells in which Abcb10 was specifically silenced with shRNA. We also found that the ATPase activity of Abcb10 is necessary for hemoglobinization in MEL cells, suggesting that the substrate transported by Abcb10 is important in mediating increased heme biosynthesis during erythroid development. Inhibition of 5-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (EC 4.2.1.24) with succinylacetone resulted in both 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) accumulation in control and Abcb10-specific shRNA MEL cells, demonstrating that reductions in Abcb10 do not affect ALA export from mitochondria and indicating that Abcb10 does not transport ALA. Abcb10 silencing resulted in an alteration in the heme biosynthesis transcriptional profile due to repression by the transcriptional regulator Bach1, which could be partially rescued by overexpression of Alas2 or Gata1, providing a mechanistic explanation for why Abcb10 shRNA MEL cells exhibit reduced hemoglobinization. In conclusion, our findings rule out that Abcb10 transports ALA and indicate that Abcb10's ATP-hydrolysis activity is critical for hemoglobinization and that the substrate transported by Abcb10 provides a signal that optimizes hemoglobinization.