Iron absorption by Belgrade rat pups during lactation.
Divalent metal transporter-1 (DMT1) mediates dietary nonheme iron absorption. Belgrade (b) rats have defective iron metabolism due to a mutation in the DMT1 gene. To examine the role of DMT1 in neonatal iron assimilation, b/b and b/+ pups were cross-fostered to F344 Fischer dams injected with (59)FeCl(3) twice weekly during lactation. Tissue distribution of the radioisotope in the pups was determined at weaning (day 21). The b/b pups had blood (59)Fe levels significantly lower than b/+ controls but significantly higher (59)Fe tissue levels in heart, bone marrow, skeletal muscle, kidney, liver, spleen, stomach, and intestines. To study the pharmacokinetics of nonheme iron absorption at the time of weaning, (59)FeCl(3) was administered to 21-day-old b/b and b/+ rats by intragastric gavage. Blood (59)Fe levels measured 5 min to 4 h postgavage were significantly lower in b/b rats, consistent with impaired DMT1 function in intestinal iron absorption. Tissue (59)Fe levels were also lower in b/b rats postgavage. Combined, these data suggest that DMT1 function is not essential for iron assimilation from milk during early development in the rat.
Thompson
Khristy
K
Department of Genetics and Complex Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Molina
Ramon M
RM
Donaghey
Thomas
T
Brain
Joseph D
JD
Wessling-Resnick
Marianne
M
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002712:Chlorides; D004386:Duodenum / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007441:Intubation, Gastrointestinal; D007504:Iron Radioisotopes; D007774:Lactation / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D011922:Rats, Mutant Strains; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014886:Weaning; D000099236:Solute Carrier Family 11, Member 2
D027682:Cation Transport Proteins; D002712:Chlorides; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D007504:Iron Radioisotopes; D000099236:Solute Carrier Family 11, Member 2; C024555:ferric chloride