Duodenal nonheme iron content correlates with iron stores in mice, but the relationship is altered by Hfe gene knock-out.
Hereditary hemochromatosis is a common iron-loading disorder found in populations of European descent. It has been proposed that mutations causing loss of function of HFE gene result in reduced iron incorporation into immature duodenal crypt cells. These cells then overexpress genes for iron absorption, leading to inappropriate cellular iron balance, a persistent iron deficiency of the duodenal mucosa, and increased iron absorption. The objective was to measure duodenal iron content in Hfe knock-out mice to test whether the mutation causes a persistent decrease in enterocyte iron concentration. In both normal and Hfe knock-out mice, duodenal nonheme iron content was found to correlate with liver iron stores (P <.001, r = 0.643 and 0.551, respectively), and this effect did not depend on dietary iron levels. However, duodenal iron content was reduced in Hfe knock-out mice for any given content of liver iron stores (P <.001).
Simpson
Robert J
RJ
Department of Life Sciences, King's College London, England. robert.simpson@kcl.ac.uk
Debnam
Edward S
ES
Laftah
Abas H
AH
Solanky
Nita
N
Beaumont
Nick
N
Bahram
Seiamak
S
Schümann
Klaus
K
Srai
S Kaila S
SK
D000818:Animals; D004386:Duodenum / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009928:Organ Specificity
D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; C499535:Hfe protein, mouse; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D007501:Iron