Dear Editor-in-Chief, We shortly report our results of combined iron chelation therapy with deferiprone (DFP) and desferrioxamine (DFX) versus chelation therapy with DFP alone, in iron overloaded β-thalassemia patients. Desferrioxamine has been a life saving iron chelator for thousands of patients in the last 40 years. However, less than 10% of the patients requiring iron chelation therapy worl...

We have examined the mechanism by which hemin regulates the expression of the human transferrin receptor. Previous work led to the suggestion that the regulatory signal is provided by heme (Ward J. H., Jordan, I., Kushner, J. P., and Kaplan, J. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 13235-13240). We demonstrated that hemin regulates the expression of the receptor via alterations in the rate of receptor bio...

Siderophores are a diverse group of low molecular weight biogenic metallophores with a particular affinity for Fe(III) but they also have potential to complex a number of other polyvalent metal cations, including Cr(III). Here we show that two hydroxamate siderophores, desferrioxamine B and rhodotorulic acid, at environmentally relevant concentrations, facilitate the dissolution of hydroxy-Cr(I...

Secondary iron overload is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Although new, less invasive techniques are becoming available, the most acceptable and readily accessible way to assess iron overload is to measure hepatic iron by liver biopsy. In this study, we report on serial liver biopsies (at least 2) in a cohort of transfusion-dependent patients (49) on long-term desferrioxam...

Treatment of K562 cells with the iron chelator desferrioxamine results in the gradual increase in total cell receptors for transferrin. Receptor number rises 2.5-4.5-fold over 24 h and remains at the elevated level if the chelator is continuously present. Preincubation of the chelator with ferric chloride abolishes the effect. The drug has no effect on the 7-h half-life of the receptor. The inc...

We describe a case of a female who developed haemosiderosis, in the course of treatment for very severe unstable aplastic anaemia for fourteen years. She was 37 years old at the time of initial diagnosis. Her management consisted of regular blood transfusions aimed at haemoglobin above 8.5 g/dl, antimicrobials, oxymetholone, low dose prednisone and folate. She had received about seventy five un...