Thus, the finding of increased protein levels of FTL and FTH and a decrease in TfR1 protein levels in concert with a decrease in the binding activity of IRP-IRE in HF fibroblasts strongly supports the notion of a failure of ferritin in its iron storage function in HF fibroblasts, leading to an increase in FTL and FTH1 translation and degradation of TfR1 mRNA. This evidence concerns the gene FTL and hydrops fetalis.