Effect of Early Iron Deficiency in Rat on the γ-Aminobutyric Acid Shunt in Brain |
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Authors: | Veena Taneja Kamalapati Mishra K. N. Agarwal |
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Affiliation: | Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India;Section of Nutrition Research, Department of Paediatrics, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India |
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Abstract: | Early iron deficiency in rat does not affect the weight or the protein, DNA, and RNA content but results in a slight reduction in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) (13%, p less than 0.01) and glutamic acid (20%, p less than 0.001) content of the brain. The activities of the two GABA shunt enzymes, glutamate dehydrogenase and GABA-transaminase, and of the NAD+-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH) were inhibited whereas the glutamic acid decarboxylase, mitochondrial NADP+-linked ICDH, and succinic dehydrogenase activities remained unaltered in brain. On rehabilitation with the iron-supplemented diet for 1 week, these decreased enzyme activities in brain attained the corresponding control values. However, the hepatic nonheme iron content increased to about 80% of the control, after rehabilitation for 2 weeks. A prolonged iron deficiency resulting in decreased levels of glutamate and GABA may lead to endocrinological, neurological, and behavioral alterations. |
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Keywords: | Early iron deficiency Brain γ-Aminobutyric acid Glutamic acid γ-Aminobutyric acid shunt and NAD+-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase. |
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