FTH1

This gene encodes the heavy subunit of ferritin, the major intracellular iron storage protein in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. It is composed of 24 subunits of the heavy and light ferritin chains. Variation in ferritin subunit composition may affect the rates of iron uptake and release in different tissues. A major function of ferritin is the storage of iron in a soluble and nontoxic state. Defects in ferritin proteins are associated with several neurodegenerative diseases. This gene has multiple pseudogenes. Several alternatively spliced transcript variants have been observed, but their biological validity has not been determined. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]

Ferritin Heavy Chain 1

Stores iron in a soluble, non-toxic, readily available form. Important for iron homeostasis. Has ferroxidase activity. Iron is taken up in the ferrous form and deposited as ferric hydroxides after oxidation. Also plays a role in delivery of iron to cells. Mediates iron uptake in capsule cells of the developing kidney (By similarity).

Cellular iron ion homeostasis Source: ProtInc
Immune response Source: UniProtKB
Intracellular sequestering of iron ion Source: UniProtKB
Iron ion transport Source: GO_Central
Negative regulation of cell population proliferation Source: UniProtKB
Negative regulation of fibroblast proliferation Source: UniProtKB

Cytosol; Extracellular exosome; Extracellular region; Autolysosome; Nucleus; Cytoplasm; Ficolin-1-rich granule lumen; Intracellular ferritin complex; Tertiary granule lumen

The disease is caused by variants affecting the gene represented in this entry. In a Japanese family affected by HFE5, a single point mutation has been detected in the iron-responsive element (IRE) in the 5'-UTR of FTH1 mRNA. This mutation leads to an increased binding affinity for iron regulatory protein and thereby to the efficient suppression of mRNA translation. A disorder of iron metabolism characterized by iron overload. Excess iron is deposited in a variety of organs leading to their failure, and resulting in serious illnesses including cirrhosis, hepatomas, diabetes, cardiomyopathy, arthritis, and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Severe effects of the disease usually do not appear until after decades of progressive iron loading.