Ferroportin 1 (FPN1) is an iron export protein found in mammals. FPN1 is important for the export of iron across the basolateral membrane of absorptive enterocytes and across the plasma membrane of macrophages. The expression of FPN1 is regulated by hepcidin, which binds to FPN1 and then induces its degradation. Previously, we demonstrated that divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) interacts with the intracellular iron chaperone protein poly(rC)-binding protein 2 (PCBP2). Subsequently, PCBP2 receives iron from DMT1 and then disengages from the transporter. In this study, we investigated the function of PCBP2 in iron export. Mammalian genomes encode four PCBPs (i.e. PCBP1-4). Here, for the first time, we demonstrated using both yeast and mammalian cells that PCBP2, but not PCBP1, PCBP3, or PCBP4, binds with FPN1. Importantly, ironloaded, but not iron-depleted, PCBP2 interacts with FPN1. The PCBP2-binding domain of FPN1 was identified in its C-terminal cytoplasmic region. The silencing of PCBP2 expression suppressed FPN1-dependent iron export from cells. These results suggest that FPN1 exports iron received from the iron chaperone PCBP2. Therefore, it was found that PCBP2 modulates cellular iron export, which is an important physiological process.Iron is an essential but potentially hazardous bio-metal (1). Because of its ability to readily accept or donate electrons, iron is a valuable cofactor that is used in oxygen transport, electron transfer, and DNA synthesis (2, 3). However, iron is potentially toxic because it catalyzes the generation of reactive oxygen species. The ensuing oxidative stress is associated with damage to cellular molecules, injury to tissues, and disease via processes including hydroxyl radical formation, glutathione depletion, protein aggregation, lipid peroxidation, and nucleic acid modification (4, 5).Despite its high abundance in nature, ferric iron is poorly bioavailable due to its exceedingly low solubility at physiological pH. Thus, the acquisition and usage of iron presents a considerable challenge to cells and organisms, which have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to satisfy their metabolic needs and concomitantly minimize the risk of toxicity.It has long been known that there is very little, yet potentially toxic, low-molecular-weight iron in rapidly metabolizing cells (6). However, the molecular mechanisms involved in intracellular iron transport have remained elusive (7). Recently, it was revealed that one of the mechanisms of iron transport and metabolism involves intracellular chaperone proteins (8). It was reported that poly(rC)-binding protein 1 (PCBP1), 3 also referred to as ␣-CP1 or hnRNP E1, is a cytosolic iron chaperone protein that delivers iron to ferritin (9). PCBP1 binds to iron with micromolar affinity at a molar ratio of 3:1 Fe:PCBP1. Notably, PCBP1 has been shown previously to function as an RNAand DNA-binding protein and has been identified as a member of a family of four homologous proteins containing three heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K-homology (KH) do...