SLC40A1 (iron transporter): mechanistic regulation, role in disease pathogenesis, and prospects for targeted therapy

Solute carrier family 40 member 1 (SLC40A1) encodes ferroportin 1 (FPN1), the only known iron efflux transporter in mammalian cells, which is critical for maintaining systemic iron homeostasis and cellular iron balance. SLC40A1 plays a key role in regulating iron homeostasis and is involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory, fibrotic, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer, with dysfunction linked to mutations or epigenetic silencing. Its biological functions and regulatory mechanisms are complex and diverse. This article provides an overview of SLC40A1's molecular and biological properties, elucidates its involvement in disease progression, and evaluates its clinical potential. The study seeks to enhance understanding of SLC40A1's mechanisms, laying the groundwork for the development of targeted therapies.