Figure 2. Effects of desferal on the concentration of intracellular iron and copper and expression of Sp1, hCtr1, and TfR1.

(A) Western blot analysis of the expression levels of hCtr1 and TfR1 protein in SiHa and S3 cells. β-Actin served as an internal control. (B) SiHa and S3 cells were treated with 1-fold of IC₅₀ of desferal or D-penicillamine. After 24 h, cells were lysed and subjected to mass spectrometry for determining intracellular iron and copper concentrations (P < 0.05). (C) SiHa and S3 cells were treated with folds of IC₅₀ of desferal for 24 h. Cell lysates were then harvested and subjected to Western blot analysis. NC denotes negative control. SiHa and S3 cells were treated with 1-fold of IC₅₀ of desferal for 8, 18, and 24 h. Cell lysates were then harvested and subjected to Western blot analysis. NC denotes negative control. (D) The effect of desferal on Sp1 binding to the Sp1 and hCtr1 promoter regions in both SiHa and S3 cells was analyzed through ChIP. The effect of desferal on the transcription levels of both Sp1 and hCtr1 genes was determined through RT-qPCR (P < 0.05). The effect of desferal on the promoter activity levels of both Sp1 and hCtr1 promoters was determined using the promoter assay (P < 0.05).