title: The effects of dietary ferric iron and iron deprivation on the bacterial composition of the mouse intestine.
abstract: The influence of dietary ferric iron on the intestinal microbiota of mice was investigated with a view to promoting benign lactic acid bacteria (which have minimal iron requirements) in order to enhance colonization-resistance potential. Three groups of eight mice received a diet differing only in iron content, for a period of 12 weeks. Dietary iron deprivation resulted in overall increased small intestinal bacterial populations, including lactic acid bacteria, but these differences were generally not significant (p > 0.05). With the exception of coliforms, all examined bacterial groups (anaerobes, micro-aerophiles, lactobacilli, and enterococci) were significantly (p < 0.05) elevated in the colons of iron-deprived mice. The relatively low numbers of total anaerobes in the colons of iron-replete and iron-overloaded mice suggested that, as well as promotion of bacteria under iron-deprived condition, provision of ferric iron suppressed bacteria, probably by oxidation of normally reduced environments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912-1126, USA. geoffrey.tompkins@stonebow.otago.ac.nz
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Tompkins
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: O'Dell
authors.forename: I T
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Bryson
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Pennington
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology*; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D007082:Ileum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology*; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology*; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D019266:Iron, Dietary