Biomaterial Database

Effect of latent iron deficiency on metal levels of rat brain regions. 1989

A Shukla, and K N Agarwal, and G S Shukla

Department of Pediatrics, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.

Seven different metals (iron, copper, zinc, calcium, manganese, lead, and cadmium) were studied in eight different brain regions (cerebral cortex, cerebellum, corpus striatum, hypothalamus, hippocampus, midbrain, medulla oblongata, and pons) of weaned rats (21-d-old) maintained on an iron-deficient (18-20 mg iron/kg) diet for 8 wk. Iron was found to decrease in all the brain regions, except medulla oblongata and pons, in comparison to their respective levels in control rats, receiving an iron-sufficient (390 mg iron/kg) diet. Brain regions showed different susceptibility toward iron deficiency-induced alterations in the levels of various metals, such as zinc, was found to increase in hippocampus (19%, p less than 0.05) and midbrain (16%, p less than 0.05), copper in cerebral cortex (18%, p less than 0.05) and corpus striatum (16% p less than 0.05), calcium in corpus striatum (22%, p less than 0.01) and hypothalamus (17%, p less than 0.02), and manganese in hypothalamus (18%, p less than 0.05) only. Toxic metals lead and cadmium also increased in cerebellum (19%, p less than 0.05) and hippocampus (17%, p less than 0.05) regions, respectively. Apart from these changes, liver (64%, p less than 0.001) and brain (19%, p less than 0.01) nonheme iron contents were found to decrease significantly, but body, liver, and brain weights, packed cell volume, and hemoglobin content remained unaltered in these experimental rats. Rehabilitation of iron-deficient rats with an iron-sufficient diet for 2 wk recovered the values of zinc in both the hippocampus and mid-brain regions and calcium in the hypothalamus region only. Liver nonheme iron improved significantly; however, no remarkable effect was noticed in brain nonheme iron following rehabilitation. It may be concluded that latent iron deficiency produced alterations in various metal levels in different brain regions, and corpus striatum was found to be the most vulnerable region for such changes. It is also evident that brain regions were resistant for any recovery in their altered metallic levels in response to rehabilitation for 2 wk.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007501	Iron	A metallic element with atomic symbol Fe, atomic number 26, and atomic weight 55.85. It is an essential constituent of HEMOGLOBINS; CYTOCHROMES; and IRON-BINDING PROTEINS. It plays a role in cellular redox reactions and in the transport of OXYGEN.	Iron-56,Iron 56
D007855	Lead Poisoning	Poisoning that results from chronic or acute ingestion, injection, inhalation, or skin absorption of LEAD or lead compounds.	Poisoning, Lead,Lead Poisonings,Poisonings, Lead
D008670	Metals	Electropositive chemical elements characterized by ductility, malleability, luster, and conductance of heat and electricity. They can replace the hydrogen of an acid and form bases with hydroxyl radicals. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed)	Metal
D009929	Organ Size	The measurement of an organ in volume, mass, or heaviness.	Organ Volume,Organ Weight,Size, Organ,Weight, Organ
D011506	Proteins	Linear POLYPEPTIDES that are synthesized on RIBOSOMES and may be further modified, crosslinked, cleaved, or assembled into complex proteins with several subunits. The specific sequence of AMINO ACIDS determines the shape the polypeptide will take, during PROTEIN FOLDING, and the function of the protein.	Gene Products, Protein,Gene Proteins,Protein,Protein Gene Products,Proteins, Gene
D001923	Brain Chemistry	Changes in the amounts of various chemicals (neurotransmitters, receptors, enzymes, and other metabolites) specific to the area of the central nervous system contained within the head. These are monitored over time, during sensory stimulation, or under different disease states.	Chemistry, Brain,Brain Chemistries,Chemistries, Brain
D002105	Cadmium Poisoning	Poisoning occurring after exposure to cadmium compounds or fumes. It may cause gastrointestinal syndromes, anemia, or pneumonitis.	Itai-Itai,Poisoning, Cadmium,Cadmium Poisonings,Itai Itai,Poisonings, Cadmium
D004032	Diet	Regular course of eating and drinking adopted by a person or animal.	Diets
D004247	DNA	A deoxyribonucleotide polymer that is the primary genetic material of all cells. Eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms normally contain DNA in a double-stranded state, yet several important biological processes transiently involve single-stranded regions. DNA, which consists of a polysugar-phosphate backbone possessing projections of purines (adenine and guanine) and pyrimidines (thymine and cytosine), forms a double helix that is held together by hydrogen bonds between these purines and pyrimidines (adenine to thymine and guanine to cytosine).	DNA, Double-Stranded,Deoxyribonucleic Acid,ds-DNA,DNA, Double Stranded,Double-Stranded DNA,ds DNA
D004906	Erythrocyte Count	The number of RED BLOOD CELLS per unit volume in a sample of venous BLOOD.	Blood Cell Count, Red,Erythrocyte Number,Red Blood Cell Count,Count, Erythrocyte,Counts, Erythrocyte,Erythrocyte Counts,Erythrocyte Numbers