title: Dietary iron alters liver, erythrocyte and plasma antioxidant and nitrite levels, and also sensitizes the heart to ischemia/reperfusion.
abstract: The aim of the study was to determine whether dietary iron within the normal range is (i) responsible for oxidative changes in the liver, erythrocytes and plasma; and (ii) make the heart more susceptible to ischemia/reperfusion injury. Female rats were allocated to four groups according to diet supplemented with either 15, 35, 150, or 300 mg iron/kg diet. After 4 months the following statistical difference in the two higher dietary groups were observed compared to the lower ones: (i) decreased antioxidant concentrations in liver, plasma and erythrocytes (alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid); (ii) increased plasma nitrite concentration; (iii) ischemia/reperfusion elevated LMWI and MDA concentrations and decreased ascorbate concentrations. This study clearly showed that increased dietary iron concentration causes oxidative changes in plasma, erythrocytes and liver. Higher dietary iron aggravated the outcome of ischemia/reperfusion injury as indicated by an elevated malondialdehyde concentration in the two higher dietary iron groups.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Pathology, University of the Orange Free State/Universitas Hospital, Republic of South Africa.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van Jaarsveld
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Schulenburg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D002374:Catalase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D019266:Iron, Dietary; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D014810:Vitamin E; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D007501:Iron; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D001205:Ascorbic Acid