title: Iron availability and complex stability of iron hydroxyethyl starch and iron dextran a comparative in vitro study with liver cells and macrophages.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intravenous iron (IVI) therapy is required in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) under chronic haemodialysis (HD). In this in vitro study we investigated the availability and stability of iron hydroxyethyl starch (iron-Hes) compounds in THP-1 cells (macrophage phenotype) and liver cells (HepG2 cells) and compared it with the well-known iron dextran.
  
  
  METHODS
  The uptake and release of these iron formulations by THP-1 cells (macrophage phenotype) and HepG2 cells were investigated with atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Ferritin was measured by ELISA. HepG2 cells were used to investigate effects of IVI on the intracellular labile iron pool (LIP), which was measured by using the fluorescent calcein assay. The amount of redox-active iron within the iron formulations was assayed using dichlorofluorescein as fluorescent probe.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All iron preparations were taken up, stored in ferritin and released again by macrophages and HepG2-cells. This study shows that the availability and stability of iron-HES formulations in vitro are comparable with the well-known iron dextran compounds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that these new iron formulations have a good stability and availability in vitro and are comparable with the well-known iron dextran complexes.
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Vienna, Department of Medical Chemistry, Waehringerstrasse 10, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ternes
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Scheiber-Mojdehkar
authors.forename: Grit
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Landgraf
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Goldenberg
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sturm
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003911:Dextrans / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005293:Ferritins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006895:Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002614:Chelating Agents; D003911:Dextrans; D006895:Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron