Development of nutritional iron deficiency in growing male rats:haematological parameters, iron bioavailability and oxidative defence

摘要

Despite Fe deficiency having been widely studied, the sequence of events in its development still remains unclear. The aim of the presentnstudy was to elucidate the effects of nutritional Fe-deficiency development on haematological parameters, Fe bioavailability and thenenzymes involved in oxidative defence in recently weaned male Wistar albino rats. Control (C) and Fe-deficient (ID) groups were fednthe AIN-93 G diet with a normal Fe level (45mg/kg diet) or with a low Fe level (5mg/kg diet), respectively, for 20, 30 or 40 d. At dayn20 serum Fe, serum ferritin and the saturation of transferrin decreased drastically, decreasing further in the course of Fe-deficiencyndevelopment for the saturation of transferrin. The development of Fe deficiency did not affect plasma thiobarbituric acid-reactive substancenproduction, or catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities in erythrocyte cytosol. Fe deficiency diminished hepatic Fe con-ntent and CAT and GPx activities in hepatic cytosol only at day the 20. However, in spite of the minor Fe deposits in the brain of ID rats, thenCAT and GPx activities in the brain cytosolic fraction did not differ in any of the studied periods v. control rats. These results show thatnbrain is a tissue that does not seem to depend on Fe levels for the maintenance of antioxidant defence mechanisms in the course of nutri-ntional Fe deficiency.