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Anemia in Cu‐deficient rats was not reversed by administering high amounts of Cu‐free Fe, either parenterally or by diet
Author(s) -
Reeves Philip G.,
DeMars Lana C.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.4.a193-c
Subject(s) - weanling , anemia , hemoglobin , medicine , endocrinology , chemistry
In rats, dietary Cu deficiency (CuD) reduces Fe absorption and leads to anemia (J. Nutr., 134: 1953, 2004) that can be reversed by dietary Cu supplements (Exp. Biol. Med. 230: 320, 2005). Fe supplements reversed anemia in CuD mice (J. Nutr., 114: 422, 1984) and rats (Blood, 34: 747, 1969) but not swine (Blood, 11: 143, 1956). To further assess these effects in rats, two groups of 24 males of weanling age were fed an AIN‐93G diet with either low Cu (<0.3 mg/kg) or with adequate Cu (CuA; 5.0 mg/kg). At d‐14, 8 rats from each group were fed a similar diet containing 110 mg Fe/kg as Cu‐free ferric citrate. Another 8 rats from each group received daily IP injections of 2.5 mg Fe/kg BW as Cu‐free ferric citrate. The remaining rats received no Fe supplement. At d‐21, all rats were given an oral dose of 59 Fe incorporated into 1.0 g of diet. At d‐28, blood and tissues were collected to determine Cu and Fe status and 59 Fe retention. Signs of CuD, including reduced serum ceruloplasmin activity, anemia, low serum Fe, and low serum and liver Cu, were evident in rats fed the CuD diet. Fe supplementations either by diet or injections did not elevate serum Fe or reverse anemia in the CuD rats. However, when compared with CuA controls, liver Fe was elevated 3‐fold in CuD rats without an Fe supplement and 6‐fold in CuD rats receiving Fe IP. Compared with the respective CuA controls, the percent of the 59 Fe dose retained was reduced in CuD rats with either no Fe supplement or a dietary Fe supplement, but was not affected by receiving Fe IP. These findings suggest that the cause of anemia in CuD rats is a combination of reduced Fe absorption and a failure of Fe utilization for hemoglobin synthesis.