Aubailly M, Santus R, Salmon S
Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie de l'Adaptation Biologique, (INSERM U.312), Paris, France.
Photochem Photobiol. 1991 Nov;54(5):769-73. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-1097.1991.tb02088.x.
Ferritin is the principal protein of iron storage (in the Fe(III) state). The UV-A irradiation of 0.25 microM ferritin solutions (from horse spleen) loaded with 530 microM Fe(III) induces Fe2+ release in the medium. The initial quantum yield is wavelength dependent (phi(365 nm) approximately 2 x 10(-3) but pH and oxygen independent. The Fe2+ release reaches a plateau which strongly depends on pH and oxygen. The amino acid composition of the apoprotein is not altered by the UV irradiation. Addition of formate ions enhances the Fe2+ production, suggesting that the ferritin photoreduction involves an electron transfer from an OH- ligand. The possible importance of this phenomenon in skin photobiology is discussed.
