Employing proteomic techniques (isolation of membrane proteins, protein separation by high-resolution 2D electrophoresis, computer differential analysis, and tandem mass spectrometry) we identified two proteins with statistically significant upregulation under iron deprivation in membrane fraction of K562 cells (human erythroleukemia), i.e., aldolase A (ALDA) and voltage-dependent anion channel 2 (VDAC2). The increased expression of aldolase A and VDAC2 under iron deprivation was also confirmed by western blot analysis.
This is the first time when the control of aldolase A and VDAC2 levels by iron status of the cell is demonstrated.