[Effect of chronic iron overload on atherosclerosis lesion in apolipoprotein E knockout mice].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effect of chronic iron overload on the lesion of atherosclerosis (AS) in apolipoprotein (apo) E knockout mice.


METHODS
Twenty-four ApoE knockout mice were randomly divided into ApoE knockout group (0.1 mL saline for 4 weeks) and iron overload group (10 mg iron dextran for 4 weeks). The levels of serum iron (SI), total iron binding capacity, contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the liver were measured. Iron deposition in the liver and heart was determined, and atherosclerotic plaque areas of the sinus aortae were analyzed.


RESULTS
In the iron overload group, the levels of SI increased by 377.86%, the saturation of transferrin increased by 121.98% and the levels of iron in the liver increased by 2,548.15% (P<0.01). The contents of MDA in the liver increased by 32.51% (P<0.01), and the activity of SOD in the liver decreased by 17.2% in the ApoE knockout group (P<0.05). The level of MDA in the liver increased by 411.15%, and the activity of SOD in the liver decreased by 46.84% in the iron overload group (P<0.01). There was a significant deposition of iron in the liver and heart of mice, and the areas of atherosclerotic plaque of sinus aortae increased markedly in the iron overload group.


CONCLUSIONS
Chronic iron overload may promote the development of AS lesion in the ApoE knockout mice, in which the increased oxidative stress and lipid oxidation may involve.
Xie
Xiu-mei
XM
Department of Geriatric Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China. xyxiexm@sina.com
Cao
Xia
X
Chen
Mei-fang
MF
Zhou
Yu-cheng
YC
Chen
Xiao-bin
XB
Jiang
Hai-ying
HY
D000818:Animals; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011897:Random Allocation; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism
D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D014168:Transferrin; D007501:Iron; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase