In contrast, high expression of TFR-2 in HCC was associated with lower AFP (P < 0.0001), well-differentiated histological grade (P < 0.0001) and morphological features (P = 0.0010).
Taken together our data suggest that transferrin receptor 2 is a likely candidate to explain the differences in iron sensing between hepatoma cell lines and primary human hepatocytes.
Correlations between hepcidin expression and the interval until HCC recurrence, and the serum concentration of hepcidin were evaluated, together with the expression of mRNAs for other iron metabolism molecules, ferroportin and transferrin receptor 2 (Trf2).
In conclusion, TfR2-alpha protein is likely to have a role in the mediation of Tf-Fe uptake by the NTfR1 process by HuH7hepatoma cell in proliferating and stationary stages of growth.
High levels of expression of TfR2 messenger RNA (mRNA) occur in the liver, as well as in HepG2 (a hepatoma cell line) and K562 (an erythroid leukemia cell line).