Iron withholding: a defense against disease.
Excessive and misplaced iron promotes an array of neurodegenerative and endocrine diseases as well as cardiomyopathy, arthropathy, neoplasia and infection. Vertebrates maintain an iron withholding defense system designed to prevent accumulation of redox-active (free) iron in sensitive sites and to sequester the metal in innocuous packages. Numerous genetic, behavioral and environmental factors counteract the defense system. Our increasing awareness of the pathologic roles of iron, as well as of the methods for prevention of iron loading coupled with intensified research and development of tissue specific iron chelator drugs, can be expected to yield marked improvements in human health.
Weinberg
Eugene D
ED
Department of Biology and Program in Medical Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA. eweinber@indiana.edu
Miklossy
Judith
J
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000378:metabolism; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000378:metabolism
D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D007501:Iron