Transferrin aluminum binding

Farrar G, Altmann P, Welch S, Wychrij O, Ghose B, Lejeune J, Corbett J, Prasher J Blair JA. (1990). Defective gallium-transferrin binding in Alzheimer disease and Down syndrome Possible mechanism for accumulation of aluminum in brain. Lancet 335, 747-750. 

The mechanism of action for aluminum toxicity is not known, but the element is known to compete in biological systems with cations, especially magnesium (MacDonald and Martin 1988) despite an oxidation state difference, and to bind to transferrin and citrate in the blood stream (Gannot 1986). It may also affect second messenger systems and calcium availability (Birchall and Chappell 1988), and irreversibly bind to cell nucleus components (Crapper-McLachlan 1989 Dryssen et al. 1987). Aluminum has also been shown to inhibit neuronal microtubule formation. However, much more work is needed before a mechanism can be proposed. 

Fatemi SJA, Kadir FHA, Moore GR. 1991. Aluminum transport in blood serum - binding of aluminum by human transferrin in the presence of human albumin and citrate. Biochem J 280 527-532. 

Moshtaghie AA, Skillen AW. 1986. Binding of aluminum to transferrin and lactoferrin. Biochem Soc Trans 14 916-917. 

Moriyama Y, Rege A, Fisher JW (1975) Studies on an inhibitor of erythropoesis ii. Inhibitory effects of serum from uremic rabbits on heme synthesis in rabbit bone marrow culture. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 148 94-97 Moshtaghie AA, Bazrafshan MR (1992) Comparative binding study of aluminum and chromium to human transferrin effect of iron. Biol Trance Elem Res 32 39-45... 

Aluminum binds to proteins, nucleotides, and phospholipids aluminum-bound transferrin apparently is a transport molecule... 

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