Iron, infection and the evolutionary ecology of heart disease.
Levels of iron intake and stored iron have been implicated as risk factors for coronary heart disease. More recently, considerable interest has centered on the role of a variety of infectious pathogens, particulary bacterial pathogens, in the development of artherosclerosis and heart disease. The mechanism whereby elevated iron levels increase the risk of coronary heart disease is not well understood. Here it is proposed that the influence of iron levels on the persistence, pervasiveness and intensity of bacterial infections may play an important role in the development of coronary heart disease.
Summers
K
K
Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA. summersk@mail.ecu.edu
D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D005075:Biological Evolution; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D007501:Iron