Coordinate expression and localization of iron and zinc transporters explain iron–zinc interactions during uptake in Caco-2 cells: implications for iron uptake at the enterocyte

Iron and zinc have diverse and important physiological functions. Yet, the mechanism of their absorption at the intestine remains controversial and is confounded by the fact that many studies have shown, to varying extents, that they inhibit the absorption of each other. We have studied the expression of iron and zinc transporters and storage proteins, and their regulation, in Caco-2 cells, an established enterocyte model, under normal culture conditions and under conditions of iron and zinc depletion and supplementation using a combination of immunoblotting, confocal microscopy and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. We show that divalent metal transporter-1 (DMT-1) delocalizes from the plasma membrane upon iron or zinc depletion, but its apical abundance increases with zinc supplementation. This translocation of DMT-1 coincides with an increase in iron uptake upon zinc supplementation, as previously reported by us. FPN-1 expression increases upon zinc supplementation and decreases with iron or zinc depletion, effluxing the excess sequestered iron and thus maintaining cellular iron homeostasis. Zinc influx transporters Zip-1 and Zip-14 and efflux transporters ZnT-1 and ZnT-4 are coordinately regulated under conditions of zinc supplementation and depletion to ensure cellular zinc homeostasis. We have previously reported that iron uptake can entail two transporters and that zinc noncompetitively inhibits iron uptake in Caco-2 cells. We now provide evidence that this inhibition is independent of DMT-1 and that Zip-14 may be a relevant iron transporter. These new observations provide experimental support to this two-transporter model of iron uptake and give mechanistic insight to iron–zinc interactions during uptake at the enterocyte.