2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin impairs iron homeostasis by modulating iron-related proteins expression and increasing the labile iron pool in mammalian cells

►TCDD affects the maintenance of iron homeostasis. ►TCDD causes an opposite modulation of the iron regulatory proteins activity. ►TCDD determines an increase of TfR-1 expression and a decrease of ferritin content. ►TCDD causes an enlargement of the intracellular free iron pool. ►IRP2 becomes the effector of cellular iron homeostasis when TCDD exposure is prolonged.