Transferrin's role in red blood cell production and iron balance
Official title: Regulatory Role of Transferrin in Erythropoiesis and Iron Metabolism
Funded at Saint Louis University · NIH-11384296 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether shifting iron onto the N lobe of transferrin can improve red blood cell production in people with ineffective erythropoiesis like beta‑thalassemia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Saint Louis University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | September 28, 2012 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $708,121 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK095112-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384296 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with ineffective red blood cell production, especially those with beta‑thalassemia or related iron‑handling anemias, would be the most likely candidates for related future trials.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose anemia comes from unrelated causes, such as bone marrow failure syndromes or autoimmune hemolysis, are unlikely to benefit from transferrin‑focused approaches.
What this research studies
This work explains how transferrin, the protein that carries iron, also sends signals that affect bone marrow and red blood cell production. The team uses genetically engineered mice with changes in transferrin's two iron‑binding lobes to see how each lobe influences iron handling and erythropoiesis. They found that increasing iron bound to the N lobe improves disease signs in a mouse model of beta‑thalassemia and are now studying the signaling steps behind that benefit. The researchers are exploring whether raising N‑lobe transferrin could be developed into a new treatment for ineffective erythropoiesis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments that reduce anemia and improve quality of life for people with beta‑thalassemia and other iron‑related ineffective erythropoiesis.
How similar studies have gone: Animal studies from this team and others have shown promising improvement in mouse models when N‑lobe transferrin is increased, but human testing has not yet been done.
Where this research is happening
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Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fleming, Robert E — Saint Louis University
- Study coordinator: Fleming, Robert E
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.