Multiple mechanisms account for lower plasma iron in young copper deficient rats |
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Authors: | Joshua W Pyatskowit Joseph R Prohaska |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Minnesota Medical School, 1035 University Drive, Duluth, MN 55812, USA |
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Abstract: | Copper deficiency lowers brain copper and iron during development. The reduced iron content could be due to hypoferremia.
Experiments were conducted to evaluate plasma iron and “ferroxidase” hypotheses by determining copper and iron status of Holtzman
albino rats following gestational/lactational copper deficiency. Copper deficient (Cu−) dams on treatment for 5 weeks, two
of gestation and three of lactation, had markedly lower copper content of milk and mammary tissue, and lower milk iron. Newborn
pups from Cu− dams had lower copper and iron concentrations. Compared to Cu+ pups, Cu− pups, analyzed between postnatal age
(P) 0 and P26, were smaller, anemic, had lower plasma iron, cardiac hypertrophy, and near zero ceruloplasmin activity. Liver
copper in Cu+ pups increased then decreased during development and major reductions were evident in Cu− pups. Liver iron in
Cu+ pups decreased with age while nursing but increased after eating solid food. Liver iron was lower in Cu− pups at P0 and
P13 and normal at P20 and P26. Small intestinal copper decreased with age in Cu+ pups and was lower in Cu− pups. Intestinal
iron levels in Cu− pups were higher than Cu+ pups postweaning in some experiments. Reduction in plasma iron in Cu− pups is
likely due to a decreased “ferroxidase” function leading to lower placental iron transport, a lower milk iron diet, and partial
block in iron uptake from intestine but is not due to failure to mobilize hepatic iron, in contrast to older rats eating diet
with adequate iron. |
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Keywords: | Copper deficiency Rats Plasma iron Ceruloplasmin Milk Intestine |
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