Plasma iron levels appraised 15 days after spinal cord injury in a limb movement animal model.
METHODS
Experimental, controlled trial.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate plasma iron and transferrin levels in a limb movement animal model with spinal cord injury (SCI).


METHODS
Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Departamento de Psicobiologia.


METHODS
In all, 72 male Wistar rats aged 90 days were divided into four groups: (1) acute SCI (1 day, SCI1), (2) 3 days post-SCI (SCI3), (3) 7 days post-SCI (SCI7) and (4) 15 days post-SCI (SCI15). Each of these groups had corresponding control (CTRL) and SHAM groups. Plasma iron and transferrin levels of the different groups were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's test.


RESULTS
We found a significant reduction in iron plasma levels after SCI compared with the CTRL group: SCI1 (CTRL: 175±10.58 μg dl(-1); SCI: 108.28±11.7 μg dl(-1)), SCI3 (CTRL: 195.5±11.00 μg dl(-1); SCI: 127.88±12.63 μg dl(-1)), SCI7 (CTRL: 186±2.97 μg dl(-1); SCI: 89.2±15.39 μg dl(-1)) and SCI15 (CTRL: 163±5.48 μg dl(-1); SCI: 124.44±10.30 μg dl(-1)) (P<0.05; ANOVA). The SHAM1 group demonstrated a reduction in iron plasma after acute SCI (CTRL: 175±10.58 μg dl(-1); SHAM: 114.60±7.81 μg dl(-1)) (P<0.05; ANOVA).


CONCLUSIONS
Reduced iron metabolism after SCI may be one of the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of sleep-related movement disorders.
Reis
F M
FM
Departamento de Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Esteves
A M
AM
Tufik
S
S
de Mello
M T
MT
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000294:innervation*; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000097:blood*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism
D015415:Biomarkers; D014168:Transferrin; D007501:Iron