Effect of UV radiation on the ferritin activity Available to Purchase

The goal of the present study is to demonstrate the use of potentiometric titration for investigation of some processes of iron homeostasis, namely the influence of UV on iron release from the ferritin molecule. The ferritin iron is used as a marker for different cancer diseases, especially for skin cancer. Therefore, it is important to investigate the effect of UV on ferritin release of iron. Ferritin is an iron-storing protein that plays an essential role in the biochemical reactions and the iron transport of all living organisms. The iron is stored within the ferritin core in the form of insoluble crystals containing Fe(III). Therefore, for its release, the mineral matrix has to be decomposed, usually through a reduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II). Our study considers the action of UV radiation on the structure of the protein molecule. Eventual changes in the ferritin conformation under the irradiation could result in the change of channel forming regions responsible for the iron release. This can be assessed by the quantity of Fe (II) obtained in a subsequent mobilization procedure evoked by exogenous reducing agents. In our case the content of the reduced iron is determined by the method of potentiometric titration. As already was shown, this method promises to become highly useful for quantitative evaluation of released Fe²⁺.