Sample records for iab iron evidence

  1. A Petrologic Study of the IAB Iron Meteorites: Constraints on the Formation of the IAB-Winonaite Parent Body

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Benedix, G. K.; McCoy, T. J.; Keil, K.; Love, S. G.

    1998-01-01

    We have studied IAB iron meteorites and their silicate-bearing inclusions to elucidate the origin of their parent body. We have divided IAB irons into five categories which best describe the inclusions and other properties of the irons.

  2. Carbon Isotopic Heterogeneity of Graphite in the San Juan Mass of the Campo Del Cielo IAB Iron Meteorite

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Maruoka, T.; Kurat, G.; Zinner, E.; Varela, M. E.; Ametrano, S. J.

    2003-01-01

    The origin of IAB iron meteorites is still a matter of debate. It is generally believed that iron meteorites originated from molten cores in small planetesimals because the fractionation trend of trace elements (e.g., Ir, Ge, Ga, etc. vs. Ni) for most iron meteorites can be more or less explained by fractional crystallization from metal melts. However, this process cannot produce trace element characteristics of the IAB (and other) iron meteorites. To explain these trace element abundance patterns, several models have been proposed. Although most of these models require a high temperature, clear evidence has recently been obtained for a sub-solidus formation of IAB iron meteorites from noble gas analyses. Moreover, heterogeneous distributions of some trace elements in metal and other phases also suggest a low temperature origin of at least some IAB iron meteorites. Here we use the carbon isotopic compositions of graphite to constrain the origin of IAB iron meteorites. Our data confirm a possible low temperature origin of IAB iron meteorites.

  3. Origin of iron meteorite groups IAB and IIICD

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wasson, J. T.; Willis, J.; Wai, C. M.; Kracher, A.

    1980-01-01

    Several low Ni-iron meteorites previously classified with group IAB are reclassified with group IIICD because of lower Ge, Ga, W, and Ir concentrations and higher As concentrations. The low Ni extreme of IIICD is now 62 mg/g, and that of IAB is 64 mg/g. It is proposed that the meteorites of both groups formed as individual shock melts on a chondritic parent body. The differences in log element-log Ni slopes of the daughter irons demonstrate that there were detailed differences in the composition and size of phases in the parental material (e.g., more Ni in the sulfides or metal of IAB, or more Ge and Ir in the oxides of IIICD).

  4. Metallographic Cooling Rates of IAB Iron Meteorites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meibom, A.; Haack, H.; Jensen, S. K.; Ulff-Moller, F.; Rasmussen, K. L.

    1995-09-01

    Non-metals can play an important role for the diffusion-controlled growth of the Widmanstatten structure in iron meteorites. The presence of P significantly changes the diffusivity and equilibrium concentration of Ni in kamacite and taenite [1,2], and the effects of P have therefore been included in metallographic cooling rate calculations for many years. The presence of C probably increases the diffusivity of Ni in taenite up to a factor of two, which is considerably smaller than the effect of P that increases the Ni diffusivity by up to a factor of 10 [3,1]. On the other hand, C partitions strongly into taenite leaving kamacite essentially C-free (<10 micrograms/g [4]) and significantly reduces the equilibrium Ni-concentration in taenite [5]. Therefore, the effect of C should be included in metallographic cooling rate calculations of C-rich iron meteorites [6]. IAB iron meteorites have much higher bulk C-concentrations than most other iron meteorites and the metallic phases of the IAB irons were probably saturated with C soon after kamacite nucleation commenced. Since C is expected to decrease the solubility of P in taenite [7] we have based our cooling rate estimate of Toluca (IAB) on the Fe-Ni-C system rather than the Fe-Ni-P system. Previous metallographic cooling rates determined for IAB irons, including the effect of P, are low (1-10 degrees C/My [8] and 30-70 degrees C/My [9]). Fractional crystallization of S-rich cores [10, 11] and impact generated melt pools [12] have been proposed as origins of the IAB iron meteorites. Since we expect melt pools near the surface to have cooled significantly faster than the core of a differentiated parent body, the metallographic cooling rates may be used to discriminate between the two models. We have performed thermodynamic calculations on the C-saturated Fe-Ni-C-system at temperatures above 400 degrees C [13]. The results agree with earlier experimental work [5] and indicate that C, to the same degree as P, reduces the

  5. Ar-Ar and I-Xe Ages of Caddo County and Thermal History of IAB Iron Meteorites

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bogard, Donald D.; Garrison, Daniel H.; Takeda, Hiroshi

    2005-01-01

    Inclusions in IAB iron meteorites include non-chondritic silicate and those with more primitive chondritic silicate composition. Coarse-grained gabbroic material rich in plagioclase and diopside occurs in the Caddo County IAB iron meteorite and represents a new type of chemically differentiated, extra-terrestrial, andesitic silicate. Other parts of Caddo contain mostly andesitic material. Caddo thus exhibits petrologic characteristics of parent body metamorphism of a chondrite-like parent and inhomogeneous segregation of melts. Proposed IAB formation models include parent body partial melting and fractional crystallization or incomplete differentiation due to internal heat sources, and impact/induced melting and mixing. Benedix et al. prefer a hybrid model whereby the IAB parent body largely melted, then underwent collisional breakup, partial mixing of phases, and reassembly. Most reported 129I- Xe-129 ages of IABs are greater than 4.56 Gyr and a few are greater than or = 4.567 Gyr. These oldest ages exceed the 4.567 Gyr Pb-Pb age of Ca, Al-rich inclusions in primitive meteorites,

  6. Characterizing cosmochemical materials with genetic affinities to the Earth: Genetic and chronological diversity within the IAB iron meteorite complex

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Worsham, Emily A.; Bermingham, Katherine R.; Walker, Richard J.

    2017-06-01

    The IAB iron meteorite complex consists of a main group (MG) and five chemical subgroups (sLL, sLM, sLH, sHL, and sHH). Here, mass-independent Mo and radiogenic 182W isotope compositions are reported for IAB complex meteorites to evaluate the genetics and chronology, respectively, of the MG and subgroups. Osmium isotopes are used to correct for cosmic ray exposure effects on isotopes of Mo and W. The MG and three subgroups (i.e., sLL, sLM, and sLH), characterized by low Au abundances, have the same Mo isotopic compositions within analytical uncertainty, consistent with a common genetic origin. These meteorites, together with winonaites, are the only cosmochemical materials yet identified with Mo isotopic compositions that are identical to Earth. The Mo isotopic compositions of two subgroups characterized by higher Au abundances (sHL and sHH) are identical to one another within uncertainty, but differ from the low Au subgroups, indicating derivation from genetically distinct materials. The MG has a 182W, post calcium-aluminum inclusion (CAI) formation model age of 3.4 ± 0.7 Ma. One of the low Au subgroups (sLM) is ∼1.7 Ma younger, whereas the high Au subgroups are ∼1.5-3 Ma older. The new Mo-W data, coupled with chemical data, indicate that the MG and the low Au subgroups formed in different impact-generated melts, some of which evidently formed on a chemically disparate, but genetically identical parent body. The high Au subgroups likely formed via core-formation processes on separate, internally-heated parent bodies from other IAB subgroups. The IAB complex meteorites fall on a linear trend defined by 94Mo/96Mo vs. 95Mo/96Mo, along with most other iron meteorite groups. Variation along this line was caused by mixing between at least two nebular components. One component was likely a pure s-process enriched nucleosynthetic carrier, and the other a homogenized nebular component. Sombrerete, currently classified as an sHL iron, has a Mo isotopic composition that

  7. Silicate Inclusions in IAB Irons: Correlations Between Metal Composition and Inclusion Properties, and Inferences for Their Origin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Benedix, G. K.; McCoy, T. J.; Keil, K.

    1995-09-01

    do exist. Inclusion mineralogy progresses from graphite-troilite nodules in low Ni IAB's, to silicate-dominated inclusions in high Ni IAB's. With increasing Ni abundance in the metal, systematic variations are found in several properties. Two groups are delineated on a Ni vs Fa content plot and both are positively correlated with Ni content. Graphite abundance noticeably decreases with increasing Ni content [7]. Graphite location also varies with Ni: graphite is primarily found interstitial to the silicates in low Ni IAB's, but is located at metal-silicate boundaries in those with higher Ni abundances. With increasing Ni, daubreelite disappears. Inclusion shape also varies [7]: more angular inclusions are associated with low Ni, while more rounded inclusions exist at high Ni contents. These systematic changes suggest interaction between the silicate inclusions and an evolving metallic magma. Troilite and graphite abundances may be related to early nucleation on silicates, hence their depletion in high Ni (later crystallizing) irons. The presence of abundant graphite creates reducing conditions which would result in the formation of daubreelite. Conditions become more oxidizing with loss of graphite, evidenced by lack of daubreelite and more FeO-rich silicates in high Ni irons. Although an overall trend exists, the story is complicated by heterogeneities. Significant variations are found between paired samples (e.g., Toluca and Tacubaya), as well as within individual inclusions (daubreelite and chromite in same inclusion). Local oxidation conditions may be controlled by graphite abundance. Heterogeneities within specific meteorites need documentation. Most of the inclusions exhibit similar textural (metamorphic) features, but a few show evidence of partial melting and melt migration, further complicating the parent body history. While a variety of processes (oxidation-reduction, metamorphism, partial melting) affected the inclusions during formation, systematic

  8. The Sm-Nd systematics of silicate inclusions in iron meteorites: Results from Caddo (IAB)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stewart, Brian W.; Papanastassiou, D. A.; Wasserburg, G. J.

    1993-01-01

    The timing of events leading to the formation of silicate-rich and metal-rich regions in planetesimals remains an important problem in the study of planetary formation and differentiation in the early solar system. The IAB irons are especially important as they are considered to represent a magmatic differentiation series. Iron meteorites present a particular challenge for chronological studies, due to the relative paucity of phases serving as hosts for radioactive parent-daughter nuclides. Recent work using the Re-Os system, following on the pioneering work by Herr et al. and Luck and Allegre, appears promising, but investigators up to now have concentrated on whole rock isochrons. Silicate clasts enclosed within iron meteorites can provide information about the chronology and thermal history of irons. Extensive work on Rb-Sr, K-Ar, and I-Xe has been reported on silicate inclusions in iron meteorites. We report the initial results from our Sm-Nd study of an inclusion with the Caddo IAB iron, the first Sm-Nd isotopic study of a silicate clast embedded within an iron meteorite. Our results include measurements of the standard long-lived Sm-147/Nd-143 (tau = 152 AE) system, as well as the shorter-lived SM-146/Nd-142 (tau = 0.149 AE) system, which has been shown to be very useful in deciphering the history of the early solar system. The Caddo silicate clast was described by Palme et al., who kindly provided us with a major part of the inclusion. The inclusion is coarse-grained consisting predominantly of olivine, clinopyroxene, and plagioclase, with lesser amounts of orthopyroxene, Fe-Ni metal, sulfide, and phosphate. The relatively large grain size (up to 3 mm) and 120 degree grain boundaries suggest extensive metamorphism at high temperatures. Based on study of a thin section, there is evidence for metal invading along grain boundaries in some regions of the inclusion, suggesting that the Fe-Ni metal was molten when the silicate clast was incorporated. Metamorphic

  9. The IAB Iron-Meteorite Complex: A Group, Five Subgroups, Numerous Grouplets, Closely Related, Mainly Formed by Crystal Segregation in Rapidly Cooling Melts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wasson, J. T.; Kallemeyn, G. W.

    2002-01-01

    We present new data or iron meteorites that are members of group IAB or are closely related to this large group, and we have also reevaluated some of our earlier data for these irons. In the past it was not possible to distinguish IAB and IIICD irons on the basis of their positions on element-Ni diagrams. We now find that plotting, the new and revised data yields six sets of compact fields on element-Au diagrams, each set corresponding to a compositional group. The largest set includes the majority (approximately equal to 70) of irons previously designated IA: We christened this set the IAB main group. The remaining five sets we designate subgroups within the IAB complex. Three of these subgroups have Au contents similar to the main group, and form parallel trends in most element-Ni diagrams. The groups originally designated IIIC and IIID are two of these subgroups: they are now well resolved from each other and from the main group. The other low-Au subgroup has Ni contents just above the main group. Two other IAB subgroups have appreciably higher Au contents than the main group and show weaker compositional links to it. We have named these five subgroups on the basis of their Au and Ni contents. The three subgroups having Au contents similar to the main group are the low-Au (L) subgroups the two others the high-Au (H) subgroups. The Ni contents are designated high (H), medium (M), or low (L). Thus the old group IIID is now the sLH subgroup. the old group IIIC is the sLM subgroup. In addition, eight irons assigned to two grouplets plot between sLL and sLM on most element-Au diagrams. A large number (27) of related irons plot outside these compact fields but nonetheless appear to be sufficiently related to also be included in the IAB complex.

  10. Genesis of IIICD Iron Meteorites: Evidence From Silicate Inclusions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McCoy, T. J.; Keil, K.; Scott, E. R. D.; Haack, H.

    1992-07-01

    The IAB and IIICD iron meteorite groups exhibit much larger ranges in siderophile concentrations than other groups and commonly contain silicate inclusions. Extensive studies of metal in both groups and silicates in IAB irons have led to a variety of ideas to explain the genesis of these groups. Wasson et al. (1980) envision each meteorite forming in a separate impact melt pool. Kracher (1982, 1985) suggested that the siderophile trends might result from fractional crystallization of both metal and troilite in a S-saturated magma. A role for oxidation-reduction in these groups has been proposed by Scott and Bild (1974). Similarities in siderophile elemental trends indicate that IIICD metal has a similar origin, although data on silicate inclusions in IIICD irons are scarce (Ramdohr, 1973; Scott and Bild, 1974; Kracher and Kurat, 1977; Prinz et al., 1982; Clayton et al., 1983). We report the first detailed study of silicate inclusions in IIICD iron meteorites in an attempt to elucidate their history. We have studied the only silicate-bearing IIICD irons - Carlton, Dayton, and the recently reported Maltahohe. Silicate-graphite-phosphate inclusions comprise at most a few percent of the bulk meteorite, and silicates comprise <25 vol% of the inclusion. Silicate mineralogy and chemistry vary systematically with increasing M content of the metal. Maltahohe (10.7 wt% Ni) and Carlton (13.0%) contain olivine, pyroxene, and plagioclase, whereas Dayton (17.0%) contains pyroxene, plagioclase, and SiO2. Pyroxene becomes more FeO-rich from Maltahohe (FS(sub)7.8) to Carlton (Fs(sub)9.7) to Dayton (Fs(sub)11.6). Inverse FeO zoning in silicates and lower Fa than Fs indicate reduction in all three meteorites. Plagioclase compositions in IIICD (An(sub)1.1-4.9) are lower than IAB (An(sub)9.2-2l.5) and uncorrelated with Ni content. The abundances of associated phases also vary. Graphite comprises ~25 vol% of Maltahohe silicate inclusions, but only a few percent in Carlton, and is absent

  11. Evidence for a Late Reducing Event in IAB-Silicate Inclusions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seckendorff, V. V.; O'Neill, H. St. C.; Zipfel, J.; Palme, H.

    1992-07-01

    Coexisting orthopyroxene (opx) and olivine (ol) in silicate inclusions of IAB-iron meteorites have different Fe/(Fe+Mg) ratios. Ferrosilite (fs) contents of opx are higher than fayalite contents (fa) of ol (e.g., Bunch and Keil 1970). Non-ideal solid solution of fs in opx and/or fa in ol is generally assumed. We reinvestigated the equilibrium Fe-Mg distribution between coexisting ol+opx in the system MgO-FeO-SiO2 (von Seckendorff and O'Neill 1992). Reversal experiments at high- Mg compositions were performed from 900 to 1600 degrees C at 16 and 20 kbar using a barium borosilicate flux. The data could be fitted to a simple thermodynamic model with ol and opx treated as regular solutions and this model was found to describe satisfactorily the literature data extending down to 700 degrees C. For Fe/(Fe+Mg) between 0.05 to 0.15 we find KD^ol-opx close to one from 1600 to 700 degrees C, virtually independent of pressure and temperature. Fig. 1 shows experimental results at the Mg-rich end. Error bars mark 1-sigma standard deviations. Ol is in all cases more Fe-rich than coexisting opx, except for a single run at 1000 degrees C that probably did not reach equilibrium because of slow reaction kinetics. Two calculated distribution curves (1300, 700 degrees C at 16 kbar) lie close together indicating the absence of any significant temperature dependence of the exchange reaction at the Mg- rich end of the system. IAB-silicate inclusions plot outside the range of experimental data (Fig. 1). Although some previous models for Fe-Mg exchange between ol and opx (e.g., Sack 1980) extrapolate to KD<1 at temperatures near 500 degrees C, such models reproduce the experimental data (700 to 1600 degrees C) less well, than our updated model. In addition, temperatures at 500 degrees C are probably too low to allow Fe diffusion in opx. Two pyroxene equilibration temperatures of IAB-silicate inclusions are around 900-1000 degrees C suggesting a similar closure temperature for Fe diffusion

  12. Microstructural and paleomagnetic insight into the cooling history of the IAB parent body

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nichols, Claire I. O.; Krakow, Robert; Herrero-Albillos, Julia; Kronast, Florian; Northwood-Smith, Geraint; Harrison, Richard J.

    2018-05-01

    The IABs represent one of only two groups of iron meteorites that did not form by fractional crystallization of liquid Fe-Ni in the core of a differentiated planetesimal. Instead, they are believed to originate from a partially differentiated body that was severely disrupted by one or more impacts during its early history. We present a detailed microstructural and paleomagnetic study of the Odessa and Toluca IAB meteorites, with a view to further constraining the complex history of the IAB parent body. X-ray photoemission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy were used to generate high-resolution Ni/Fe maps. The crystallographic architecture of Odessa was analysed using electron backscatter diffraction. Paleomagnetic signals and the magnetic properties of several microstructures were also assessed using X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. Odessa exhibits a complex series of microstructures, requiring an unusual evolution during slow cooling. A conventional Widmanstätten microstructure, consisting of multiple generations of kamacite lamellae surrounded by M-shaped diffusion profiles, developed via continuous precipitation to temperatures below ∼400 °C. Multiple generations of pearlitic plessite nucleated from kamacite/taenite (T > 400 °C) and tetrataenite rim/taenite interfaces (T < 400 °C), via a process of discontinuous precipitation. Rounded rafts of Ni-rich taenite, observed within some regions of pearlitic plessite, are shown to have the same crystallographic orientation as the parental taenite, and a non-standard orientation relationship with the enclosing kamacite. Contrary to current theories, these rafts cannot have formed by coarsening of pre-existing pearlitic plessite. A new bowing mechanism is proposed, whereby rafts of Ni-enriched taenite form between advancing lobes of an irregular reaction front during discontinuous precipitation. Subsequent coarsening leads to the growth of the taenite rafts, and the partial or complete removal

  13. Late metal-silicate separation on the IAB parent asteroid: Constraints from combined W and Pt isotopes and thermal modelling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hunt, Alison C.; Cook, David L.; Lichtenberg, Tim; Reger, Philip M.; Ek, Mattias; Golabek, Gregor J.; Schönbächler, Maria

    2018-01-01

    The short-lived 182Hf-182W decay system is a powerful chronometer for constraining the timing of metal-silicate separation and core formation in planetesimals and planets. Neutron capture effects on W isotopes, however, significantly hamper the application of this tool. In order to correct for neutron capture effects, Pt isotopes have emerged as a reliable in-situ neutron dosimeter. This study applies this method to IAB iron meteorites, in order to constrain the timing of metal segregation on the IAB parent body. The ε182W values obtained for the IAB iron meteorites range from -3.61 ± 0.10 to -2.73 ± 0.09. Correlating εiPt with ε182W data yields a pre-neutron capture ε182W of -2.90 ± 0.06. This corresponds to a metal-silicate separation age of 6.0 ± 0.8 Ma after CAI for the IAB parent body, and is interpreted to represent a body-wide melting event. Later, between 10 and 14 Ma after CAI, an impact led to a catastrophic break-up and subsequent reassembly of the parent body. Thermal models of the interior evolution that are consistent with these estimates suggest that the IAB parent body underwent metal-silicate separation as a result of internal heating by short-lived radionuclides and accreted at around 1.4 ± 0.1 Ma after CAIs with a radius of greater than 60 km.

  14. Ar-Ar and I-Xe Ages and the Thermal History of IAB Meteorites

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bogard, Donald D.; Garrison, Daniel H.; Takeda, Hiroshi

    2005-01-01

    Studies of several samples of the large Caddo County IAB iron meteorite reveal andesitic material, enriched in Si, Na, Al and Ca, which is essentially unique among meteorites. This material is believed to have formed from a chondritic source by partial melting and to have further segregated by grain coarsening. Such an origin implies extended metamorphism of the IAB parent body. New Ar-39- Ar-40 ages for silicate from three different Caddo samples are consistent with a common age of 4.50-4.51 Gyr ago. Less well defined Ar-Ar degassing ages for inclusions from two other IABs, EET8333 and Udei Station, are approx.4.32 Gyr, whereas the age for Campo del Cielo varies considerably over approx.3.23-4.56 Gyr. New I-129-Xe-129 ages for Caddo County and EET8333 are 4557.9+/-0.1 Myr and 4557-4560 Myr, respectively, relative to an age of 4562.3 Myr for Shallowater. Considering all reported Ar-Ar degassing ages for IABs and related winonaites, the range is approx.4.32-4.53 Gyr, but several IABs give similar Ar ages of 4.50-4.52 Gyr. We interpret these older Ar ages to represent cooling after the time of last significant metamorphism on the parent body, and the younger ages to represent later 40Ar diffusion loss. The older Ar-Ar ages for IABs are similar to Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr isochron ages reported in the literature for Caddo County. Considering the possibility that IAB parent body formation was followed by impact disruption, reassembly, and metamorphism (e.g., Benedix et al. 2000), the Ar-Ar ages and IAB cooling rates deduced from Ni concentration profiles in IAB metal (Herpfer et al., 1994) are consistent if the time of the post-assembly metamorphism was as late as approx.4.53 Gyr ago. However, I-Xe ages reported for some IABs define much older ages of approx.4558-4566 Myr, which cannot easily be reconciled with the much younger Ar-Ar and Sm-Nd ages. An explanation for the difference in radiometric ages of IABs may reside in combinations of the following: a) I-Xe ages have very

  15. Ar-Ar and I-XE Ages and the Thermal History of IAB Meteorites

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bogard, Donald D.; Garrison, Daniel H.; Takeda, Hiroshi

    2006-01-01

    Studies of several samples of the large Caddo County IAB iron meteorite reveal andesitic material, enriched in Si, Na, Al and Ca which is essentially unique among meteorites. This material is believed to have formed from a chondritic source by partial melting and to have further segregated by grain coarsening. Such an origin implies extended metamorphism of the IAB parent body. New Ar-39- Ar-40 ages for silicate from three different Caddo samples are consistent with a common age of 4.50- 4.51 Gyr ago. Less well defined Ar-Ar degassing ages for inclusions from two other IABs, EET8333 and Udei Station, are approx. 4.32 Gyr, whereas the age for Campo del Cielo varies considerably over approx. 3.23-4.56 Gyr. New I-129-Xe-129 ges for Caddo County and EET8333 are 4561.9 plus or minus 0.1 Myr and 4560-4563 Myr, respectively, relative to an age of 4566 Myr for Shallowater. Considering all reported Ar-Ar ages for IABs and related winonaites, the range is approx. 4.32-4.53 Gyr, but several IABs give similar Ar ages of 4.50-4.52 Gyr. We interpret these older ages to represent cooling after the time of last significant metamorphism on the parent body, and the younger ages to represent later 40Ar diffusion loss. These older Ar-Ar ages are similar to Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr isochron ages reported in the literature for Caddo County. Considering the possibility that IAB parent body formation was followed by impact disruption, reassembly, and metamorphism (e.g., Benedix et al. 2000), the time of the postassembly metamorphism may have been as late as approx. 4.53 Gyr ago. However, precise I-Xe ages reported for some IABs define a range of ages of approx. 4560 to approx. 4576 Myr. The older I-Xe ages exceed the oldest precise radiometric ages of meteorites, appear unrealistic, and suggest a bias in the calibration of all I-Xe ages. But even with such a bias, the I-Xe ages of IABs cannot easily be reconciled with the much younger Ar-Ar and Sm-Nd ages and with cooling rates deduced from Ni

  16. Mineralogy, Petrology, Chemistry, and Ar-39 - Ar-40 and Ages of the Caddo County IAB Iron: Evidence for Early Partial Melt Segregation of a Gabbro Area Rich in Plagioclase-Diopside

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Takeda, Hiroshi; Bogard, Donald D.; Mittlefehldt, David W.; Garrison, Daniel H.

    2000-01-01

    We found coarse-grained gabbroic material rich in plagioclase and diopside in the Caddo County IAB iron meteorite. The polished thin sections studied were made from areas rich in Al and Ca detected by a micro-focus X-ray fluorescence (XRF) mapping technique. The gabbro is not a clast within a breccia, but rather this area is located mainly at silicate-metal boundaries only a few cm away from an area with fine-grained, ultramafic silicate similar to winonaites. Medium-grained orthopyroxene and olivine are found in transitional areas showing no disturbance of their crystalline textures. A vein-like region, starting at the area rich in fine-grained mafic silicate, extends towards the gabbroic area with a gradual increase in abundance of plagioclase and diopside. This texture and our accumulated knowledge of the formation mechanism of IAB/winonaltes meteorites, suggest that the gabbroic materials were formed by inhomogeneous segregation of partial melts of chondritic source materials. Compositional data on two mineralogically distinct samples of the gabbro-rich portion of the inclusion were obtained by INAA. Compared to an average of LAB silicate inclusions or winonaites, the Caddo County gabbro is enriched in the incompatible lithophile elements Na, Ca, Sc, REE and Hf, which is consistent with a melt origin for the gabbro. The cosmogenic space exposure age of Caddo County (511 Ma) is significantly younger than exposure ages of some other IAB meteorites, An 39Ar-40Ar age determination of the gabbroic material indicates a series of upward steps in age from 4.516 Ga to 4.523 Ga, with a few high temperature ages up to 4.54 Ga. The older age could approximate the primary recrystallization age of silicates. The stepped Ar age spectrum may indicate differences in Ar closure temperatures during slow cooling of -2-20'C/Myr in the parent body. Alternatively, the younger Ar-Ar ages may date a shock event which occurred while Caddo County was hot and which also created textures

  17. Tungsten isotopic compositions of iron meteorites: Chronological constraints vs. cosmogenic effects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Markowski, A.; Quitté, G.; Halliday, A. N.; Kleine, T.

    2006-02-01

    High-precision W isotopic compositions are presented for 35 iron meteorites from 7 magmatic groups (IC, IIAB, IID, IIIAB, IIIF, IVA, and IVB) and 3 non-magmatic groups (IAB, IIICD, and IIE). Small but resolvable isotopic variations are present both within and between iron meteorite groups. Variations in the 182W/ 184W ratio reflect either time intervals of metal-silicate differentiation, or result from the burnout of W isotopes caused by a prolonged exposure to galactic cosmic rays. Calculated apparent time spans for some groups of magmatic iron meteorites correspond to 8.5 ± 2.1 My (IID), 5.1 ± 2.3 My (IIAB), and 5.3 ± 1.3 My (IVB). These time intervals are significantly longer than those predicated from models of planetesimal accretion. It is shown that cosmogenic effects can account for a large part of the W isotopic variation. No simple relationship exists with exposure ages, compromising any reliable method of correction. After allowance for maximum possible cosmogenic effects, it is found that there is no evidence that any of the magmatic iron meteorites studied here have initial W isotopic compositions that differ from those of Allende CAIs [ ɛ182W = - 3.47 ± 0.20; [T. Kleine, K. Mezger, H. Palme, E. Scherer and C. Münker, Early core formation in asteroids and late accretion of chondrite parent bodies: evidence from 182Hf- 182W in CAIs, metal-rich chondrites and iron meteorites, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta (in press)]. Cosmogenic corrections cannot yet be made with sufficient accuracy to obtain highly precise ages for iron meteorites. Some of the corrected ages nevertheless require extremely early metal-silicate segregation no later than 1 My after formation of CAIs. Therefore, magmatic iron meteorites appear to provide the best examples yet identified of material derived from the first planetesimals that grew by runaway growth, as modelled in dynamic simulations. Non-magmatic iron meteorites have a more radiogenic W isotopic composition than magmatic

  18. The IAB Congress 2016: Is there justice in the bioethics world?

    PubMed

    Gopichandran, Vijayaprasad

    2017-01-01

    This comment contains the reflections of a first-time participant in the 13th International Association of Bioethics Congress (IAB 2016), held from June 14 to 17, 2016, in Edinburgh. At the outset, I would like to make a couple of clarifications. First, the opinions expressed here are my personal reflections and second, I am a physician and public health practitioner by profession and my interest is bioethics. I reflect on the justice implications of the IAB 2016 from the perspective of the challenge of maintaining inclusivity in a multidisciplinary bioethics world.

  19. Magnetic and microstructural characterisation of FeNi: Insight into the formation and impact history of the IAB parent body

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nichols, C. I. O.; Krakow, R.; Herrero-Albillos, J.; Kronast, F.; Northwood-Smith, G.; Harrison, R. J.

    2017-12-01

    The IABs represent one of only two groups of iron meteorites that did not form by fractional crystallization of liquid Fe-Ni in the core of a differentiated planetesimal. Instead, they are believed to originate from a partially differentiated body that was severely disrupted by one or more impacts during its early history. Paleomagnetic signals from two IABs, Toluca and Odessa, were investigated using X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) and X-ray photoemission electron microscopy (X-PEEM) to image the magnetisation of the cloudy zone. The IABs do not appear to have experienced a magnetic field, consistent with the lack of a metallic core on the parent body. We also present a detailed microstructural and magnetic study of the observed FeNi microstructures, characterising their properties using XMCD and X-PEEM. The crystallographic architecture of the microstructures was analysed using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Odessa and Toluca both exhibit a complex series of microstructures, requiring an unusual evolution during slow cooling. A conventional Widmanstätten sequence of kamacite, tetrataenite rim and cloudy zone developed via slow cooling to temperatures below 400 ºC. Subsequent modification of the microstructures resulted in the formation of pearlitic plessite and spheroidized plessite. Compositional and crystallographic analysis suggests that pearlitic and spheroidized plessite formed by impact modification of the cloudy zone and martensite, respectively. This study highlights the importance of characterising microstructures in order to corroborate paleomagnetic observations, as well as improving our understanding of the processes effecting planetary formation and evolution.

  20. Working Time and the Volume of Work in Germany: The IAB Concept of Measurement. IAB Labour Market Research Topics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bach, Hans-Uwe; Koch, Susanne

    The Institut fuer Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB) or Institute for Employment Research has developed a detailed working time and volume of work measurement concept in order to more comprehensively assess the demand for labor. The individual components of working time in Germany are obtained from various data sources and combined to form…

  1. Internal Rb-Sr Age and Initial Sr-87/Sr-86 of a Silicate Inclusion from the Campo Del Cielo Iron Meteorite

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Liu, Y.; Nyquist, L.; Wiesmann, H.; Shih, C.; Schwandt, C.; Takeda, H.

    2003-01-01

    The largest group of iron meteorites, IAB, is distinguished by the presence of diverse silicate inclusions. In principle, Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd radiometric dating of these silicate inclusions by internal isochron techniques can determine both the times of melting and parent/daughter ratios in the precursor materials via initial Sr-87/Sr-86 and Nd-143/Nd-144 ratios. The Sr-87/Sr-86 and Nd-143/Nd-144 ratios could distinguish chondritic precursors from already differentiated silicates. We reported Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd internal ischron ages of 4.52+/-0.03 Ga and 4.50+/-0.04 Ga, respectively, for plagioclase-diopside-rich material in the Caddo County IAB iron meteorite. These results are essentially identical to literature values of its Ar-Ar age of 4.520+/-0.005 Ga and its Sm-Nd age of 4.53+/-0.02 Ga. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the formation and evolution of silicate inclusions in IAB iron meteorites by determination of their initial Sr-87/Sr-86 ratios combined with higher-resolution chronology and mineralogical and geochemical studies.

  2. Magnetic Mineralogy of Troilite-Inclusions and their Fe-Ni Host Alloys in IAB Iron Meteorites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kontny, A. M.; Kramar, U.; Luecke, W.

    2011-12-01

    Iron-nickel meteorites often contain isolated, mostly rounded troilite nodules enclosed in a bulk of Fe-Ni alloy. As sulfur has a low solubility in metal, it is excluded from the crystallization of metal during cooling. Therefore troilite nodules are interpreted to be trapped droplets of residual sulfur-enriched melts. Microscopic examinations of the interface (mm-range) between troilite inclusions and Fe-Ni alloy yield clear mineralogical differences compared to the troilite inclusion. Such rims around troilite nodules seem to occur exclusively in Fe-Ni meteorites with slow cooling rates, and therefore might provide interesting clues on segregation, fractional crystallization and reequilibration processes between the Fe-Ni alloy and the sulfide phases. These interfaces however are also highly sensitive to terrestrial weathering. We present microscopic observations in combination with temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility (k-T curves) in order to identify the magnetic mineralogy of the Morasko (Poland) and Coahuila (Mexico) meteorites, which both geochemically belong to the non-magmatic IAB or IIICD group. In the k-T curves both, rim and troilite nodule are characterized by Curie temperatures (TC) that can be related to magnetite, daubreelite (FeCr2O4), Fe-hydroxide and sometimes cohenite. Therefore the interface seems to be geochemically more similar to the troilite nodule than the Fe-Ni alloy. Optical microscopy in combination with the ferrofluid method revealed complex microstructures of intergrown magnetic (TC = 780-785 °C) and non-magnetic phases in the Fe-Ni alloy, which differ in their Ni-concentration. Towards the rim of the troilite nodule the concentration of magnetic cohenite ((Fe,Ni)3C) and especially schreibersite ((Fe,Ni)3P), which are both intergrown with the metal, increases. Cohenite is easily identified microscopically by a very characteristic stripe-like magnetic domain structure and it shows a TC at about 200 °C. The carbon-rich, dark

  3. A IAB-Complex Iron Meteorite Containing Low-Ca Clinopyroxene: Northwest Africa 468 and its Relationship to Iodranites and Formation by Impact Melting

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rubin, Alan E.; Kallemeyn, Gregory W.; Wasson, John T.

    2002-01-01

    Northwest Africa 468 (NWA 468) is a new ungrouped, silicate-rich member of the IAB complex of nonmagmatic iron meteorites. The silicates contain relatively coarse (approximately 300 micron-size) grains of low-Ca clinopyroxene with polysynthetic twinning and inclined extinction. Low-Ca clinopyroxene is indicative of quenching from high temperatures (either from protoenstatite in a few seconds or high-temperature clinoenstatite in a few hours). It seems likely that NWA 468 formed by impact melting followed by rapid cooling to less than or equal to 660 C. After the loss of a metal-sulfide melt from the silicates, sulfide was reintroduced, either from impact-mobilized FeS or as an S2 vapor that combined with metallic Fe to produce FeS. The O-isotopic composition (delta O-17 = -1.39 %) indicates that the precursor material of NWA 468 was a metal-rich (e.g., CR) carbonaceous chondrite. Lodranites are similar in bulk chemical and O-isotopic composition to the silicates in NWA 468; the MAC 88177 lodranite (which also contains low-Ca clinopyroxene) is close in bulk chemical composition. Both NWA 468 and MAC 88177 have relatively low abundances of REE (rare earth elements) and plagiophile elements. Siderophiles in the metal-rich areas of NWA 468 are similar to those in the MAC 88177 whole rock; both samples contain low Ir and relatively high Fe, Cu and Se. Most unweathered lodranites contain approximately 20 - 38 wt. % metallic Fe-Ni. These rocks may have formed in an analogous manner to NWA 468 (i.e., by impact melting of metal-rich carbonaceous-chondrite precursors) but with less separation of metal-rich melts from silicates.

  4. He Who Seeks Shall Find... Or Perhaps Not? Analysis of Firms' Searches for Qualified Personnel, Using Data from the IAB Establishment Panel 2000. IAB Labour Market Research Topics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kolling, Arnd

    The success of German firms' searches for qualified personnel to fill openings in skilled occupations was examined through a statistical analysis of data from the Institut fur Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung der Bundesanstalt fur Arbeit's (IAB) establishment panel for 2000. An employer search model was used to explain the current German debate…

  5. Chemical classification of iron meteorites. XI. Multi-element studies of 38 new irons and the high abundance of ungrouped irons from Antarctica

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wasson, J.T.; Ouyang, Xinwei; Wang, Jianmin

    1989-03-01

    The authors report concentrations of 14 elements in the metal of 38 iron meteorites and a pallasite. The meteorites are classified based on these data and on structural observations. Three samples are paired with previously classified irons; thus, these additional 35 irons raise the number of well-classified, independent iron meteorites to 598. One Yamato iron contains 342 mg/g Ni, the second highest Ni content in an IAB iron after Oktibbeha County. Two small irons from Western Australia appear to be metal nodules from mesosiderites. Several of the new irons are from Antarctica. Of 24 independent irons from Antarctica, 8 aremore » ungrouped. The fraction, 0.333, is much higher than the fraction 0.161 among all 598 classified irons. Statistical tests show that it is highly improbably ({approximately}2.9% probability) that the Antarctic population is a random sample of the larger population. The difference is probably related to the fact that the median mass of Antarctic irons is about two orders of magnitude smaller than that of non-Antarctic irons. It is doubtful that the difference results from fragmentation patterns yielding different size distributions favoring smaller masses among ungrouped irons. More likely is the possibility that smaller meteoroids tend to sample a larger number of asteroidal source regions, perhaps because small meteoroids tend to have higher ejection velocities or because small meteoroids have random-walked a greater increment of orbital semimajor axis away from that of the parent body.« less

  6. A geochemical study of the winonaites: Evidence for limited partial melting and constraints on the precursor composition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hunt, Alison C.; Benedix, Gretchen K.; Hammond, Samantha J.; Bland, Philip A.; Rehkämper, Mark; Kreissig, Katharina; Strekopytov, Stanislav

    2017-02-01

    The winonaites are primitive achondrites which are associated with the IAB iron meteorites. Textural evidence implies heating to at least the Fe, Ni-FeS cotectic, but previous geochemical studies are ambiguous about the extent of silicate melting in these samples. Oxygen isotope evidence indicates that the precursor material may be related to the carbonaceous chondrites. Here we analysed a suite of winonaites for modal mineralogy and bulk major- and trace-element chemistry in order to assess the extent of thermal processing as well as constrain the precursor composition of the winonaite-IAB parent asteroid. Modal mineralogy and geochemical data are presented for eight winonaites. Textural analysis reveals that, for our sub-set of samples, all except the most primitive winonaite (Northwest Africa 1463) reached the Fe, Ni-FeS cotectic. However, only one (Tierra Blanca) shows geochemical evidence for silicate melting processes. Tierra Blanca is interpreted as a residue of small-degree silicate melting. Our sample of Winona shows geochemical evidence for extensive terrestrial weathering. All other winonaites studied here (Fortuna, Queen Alexander Range 94535, Hammadah al Hamra 193, Pontlyfni and NWA 1463) have chondritic major-element ratios and flat CI-normalised bulk rare-earth element patterns, suggesting that most of the winonaites did not reach the silicate melting temperature. The majority of winonaites were therefore heated to a narrow temperature range of between ∼1220 (the Fe, Ni-FeS cotectic temperature) and ∼1370 K (the basaltic partial melting temperature). Silicate inclusions in the IAB irons demonstrate partial melting did occur in some parts of the parent body (Ruzicka and Hutson, 2010), thereby implying heterogeneous heat distribution within this asteroid. Together, this indicates that melting was the result of internal heating by short-lived radionuclides. The brecciated nature of the winonaites suggests that the parent body was later disrupted by

  7. [Insufficient evidence supporting iron supplementation in anaemia during pregnancy].

    PubMed

    Wiegerinck, Melanie M; Mol, Ben Willem J

    2012-01-01

    The Royal Dutch Organization of Midwives (KNOV) recently presented their practice guideline 'Anaemia in midwifery practice'. The guideline identified available evidence on diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of anaemia in pregnancy. Anaemia based on iron deficiency and subsequent treatment with iron supplementation are probably the most frequent aspects of care for pregnant women. However, there is surprisingly enough no evidence of the efficacy of iron supplementation treatment on relevant clinical outcomes in pregnant women with anaemia. We plead to make the next guideline a multidisciplinary one. Such a guideline may lead to a large pragmatic trial evaluating the efficacy of iron supplementation treatment for patients with anaemia.

  8. The Evidence-Based Evaluation of Iron Deficiency Anemia.

    PubMed

    Hempel, Eliana V; Bollard, Edward R

    2016-09-01

    Anemia is a prevalent disease with multiple possible etiologies and resultant complications. Iron deficiency anemia is a common cause of anemia and is typically due to insufficient intake, poor absorption, or overt or occult blood loss. Distinguishing iron deficiency from other causes of anemia is integral to initiating the appropriate treatment. In addition, identifying the underlying cause of iron deficiency is also necessary to help guide management of these patients. We review the key components to an evidence-based, cost-conscious evaluation of suspected iron deficiency anemia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Chemical compositional study of 35 iron meteorites and its application in taxonomy

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wang, D.; Malvin, D. J.; Wasson, J. T.

    1985-01-01

    Structural and compositional data are reported as a guide to the classification of 35 iron meteorites. The Xinjiang iron meteorite, previously classified as III AB, is reclassified as III E on the basis of its lower Ga/Ni and Ge/Ni ratios, its wider, swollen kamacite bands, and the ubiquitous presence of haxonite, (Fe,Ni)22C. The Dongling (III CD) appears not to be a new meteorite, but to be paired with the Nantan. Four Antarctic iron meteorites, IAB Allan Hills A77250, A77263, A77289, and A77290, are classified as a paired meteorite because of their similarities in structure and in concentrations of various elements. It is shown that Cu shares certain properties with Ga and Ge, which makes them excellent taxonomic parameters.

  10. Evidence that stainable bone marrow iron following parenteral iron therapy does not correlate with serum iron studies and may not represent readily available storage iron.

    PubMed

    Thomason, Ronald W; Almiski, Muhamad S

    2009-04-01

    We recently reported that parenteral iron therapy is associated with a characteristic pattern of iron staining on bone marrow aspirate smears. We now present clinical information from 6 patients who received parenteral iron and, at one or more points in follow-up, were found to have low or borderline low serum ferritin levels and/or serum iron levels, even though marrow aspirate smears revealed abundant stainable iron in the pattern characteristic of prior parenteral iron therapy. We conclude that stainable iron seen in this pattern does not correlate with serum iron studies and may not represent functionally available storage iron. This pattern of iron staining should not be used as evidence to withhold further iron therapy in patients who otherwise continue to have features of iron deficiency anemia.

  11. Platinum isotopes in iron meteorites: Galactic cosmic ray effects and nucleosynthetic homogeneity in the p-process isotope 190Pt and the other platinum isotopes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hunt, Alison C.; Ek, Mattias; Schönbächler, Maria

    2017-11-01

    Platinum isotopes are sensitive to the effects of galactic cosmic rays (GCR), which can alter isotope ratios and mask nucleosynthetic isotope variations. Platinum also features one p-process isotope, 190Pt, which is very low abundance and therefore challenging to analyse. Platinum-190 is relevant for early solar-system chronology because of its decay to 186Os. Here, we present new Pt isotope data for five iron meteorite groups (IAB, IIAB, IID, IIIAB and IVA), including high-precision measurements of 190Pt for the IAB, IIAB and IIIAB irons, determined by multi-collector ICPMS. New data are in good agreement with previous studies and display correlations between different Pt isotopes. The slopes of these correlations are well-reproduced by the available GCR models. We report Pt isotope ratios for the IID meteorite Carbo that are consistently higher than the predicted effects from the GCR model. This suggests that the model predictions do not fully account for all the GCR effects on Pt isotopes, but also that the pre-atmospheric radii and exposure times calculated for Carbo may be incorrect. Despite this, the good agreement of relative effects in Pt isotopes with the predicted GCR trends confirms that Pt isotopes are a useful in-situ neutron dosimeter. Once GCR effects are accounted for, our new dataset reveals s- and r-process homogeneity between the iron meteorite groups studied here and the Earth. New 190Pt data for the IAB, IIAB and IIIAB iron meteorites indicate the absence of GCR effects and homogeneity in the p-process isotope between these groups and the Earth. This corresponds well with results from other heavy p-process isotopes and suggests their homogenous distribution in the inner solar system, although it does not exclude that potential p-process isotope variations are too diluted to be currently detectable.

  12. Thermal and collisional history of Tishomingo iron meteorite: More evidence for early disruption of differentiated planetesimals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Jijin; Goldstein, Joseph I.; Scott, Edward R. D.; Michael, Joseph R.; Kotula, Paul G.; Grimberg, Ansgar; Leya, Ingo

    2014-01-01

    Tishomingo is a chemically and structurally unique iron with 32.5 wt.% Ni that contains 20% residual taenite and 80% martensite plates, which formed on cooling to between -75 and -200 °C, probably the lowest temperature recorded by any meteorite. Our studies using transmission (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray microanalysis (AEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) show that martensite plates in Tishomingo formed in a single crystal of taenite and decomposed during reheating forming 10-100 nm taenite particles with ∼50 wt.% Ni, kamacite with ∼4 wt.%Ni, along with martensite or taenite with 32 wt.% Ni. EBSD data and experimental constraints show that Tishomingo was reheated to 320-400 °C for about a year transforming some martensite to kamacite and to taenite particles and some martensite directly to taenite without composition change. Fizzy-textured intergrowths of troilite, kamacite with 2.7 wt.% Ni and 2.6 wt.% Co, and taenite with 56 wt.% Ni and 0.15 wt.% Co formed by localized shock melting. A single impact probably melted the sub-mm sulfides, formed stishovite, and reheated and decomposed the martensite plates. Tishomingo and its near-twin Willow Grove, which has 28 wt.% Ni, differ from IAB-related irons like Santa Catharina and San Cristobal that contain 25-36 wt.% Ni, as they are highly depleted in moderately volatile siderophiles and enriched in Ir and other refractory elements. Tishomingo and Willow Grove therefore resemble IVB irons but are chemically distinct. The absence of cloudy taenite in these two irons shows that they cooled through 250 °C abnormally fast at >0.01 °C/yr. Thus this grouplet, like the IVA and IVB irons, suffered an early impact that disrupted their parent body when it was still hot. Our noble gas data show that Tishomingo was excavated from its parent body about 100 to 200 Myr ago and exposed to cosmic rays as a meteoroid with a radius of ∼50-85 cm.

  13. Radiogenic Xenon-129 in Silicate Inclusions in the Campo Del Cielo Iron Meteorite

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Meshik, A.; Kurat, G.; Pravdivtseva, O.; Hohenberg, C. M.

    2004-01-01

    Iron meteorites present a challenge for the I-Xe dating technique because it is usually the inclusions, not metal, that contain radiogenic xenon and iodine. Silicate inclusions are frequent in only types IAB and IIE, and earlier studies of irons have demonstrated that I-Xe system can survive intact in these inclusions preserving valuable age information. Our previous studies of the I-Xe record in pyroxene grains from Toluca iron suggested an intriguing relationship between apparent I-Xe ages and (Mg+Fe)/Fe ratios. The I-Xe system in K-feldspar inclusions from Colomera (IIE) had the fingerprint of slow cooling, with an indicated cooling rate of 2-4 C/Ma. Here we present studies of the iodine-xenon system in a silicate-graphite-metal (SiGrMet) inclusion of the IA Campo del Cielo iron meteorite from the collection of the Museum of Natural History in Vienna.

  14. Iron dosing in kidney disease: inconsistency of evidence and clinical practice

    PubMed Central

    Gaweda, Adam E.; Ginzburg, Yelena Z.; Chait, Yossi; Germain, Michael J.; Aronoff, George R.; Rachmilewitz, Eliezer

    2015-01-01

    The management of anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is difficult. The availability of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) has increased treatment options for previously transfusion-requiring patients, but the recent evidence of ESA side effects has prompted the search for complementary or alternative approaches. Next to ESA, parenteral iron supplementation is the second main form of anemia treatment. However, as of now, no systematic approach has been proposed to balance the concurrent administration of both agents according to individual patient's needs. Furthermore, the potential risks of excessive iron dosing remain a topic of controversy. How, when and whether to monitor CKD patients for potential iron overload remain to be elucidated. This review addresses the question of risk and benefit of iron administration in CKD, highlights the evidence supporting current practice, provides an overview of standard and potential new markers of iron status and outlines a new pharmacometric approach to physiologically compatible individualized dosing of ESA and iron in CKD patients. PMID:24821751

  15. Experimental evidence of body centered cubic iron in Earth's core

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hrubiak, R.; Meng, Y.; Shen, G.

    2017-12-01

    The Earth's core is mainly composed of iron. While seismic evidence has shown a liquid outer core and a solid inner core, the crystalline nature of the solid iron at the core condition remains debated, largely due to the difficulties in experimental determination of exact polymorphs at corresponding pressure-temperature conditions. We have examined crystal structures of iron up to 220 GPa and 6000 K with x-ray diffraction using a double-sided laser heating system at HPCAT, Advanced Photon Source. The iron sample is confined in a small chamber surrounded by single crystal MgO. The laser power can be modulated together with temperature measurements. The modulated heating of iron in an MgO single crystal matrix allows for microstructure analysis during heating and after the sample is quenched. We present experimental evidence of a body-centered-cubic (BCC) iron from about 100 GPa and 3000 K to at least 220 GPa and 4000 K. The observed BCC phase may be consistent with a theoretically predicted BCC phase that is dynamically stable in similar pressure-temperature conditions [1]. We will discuss the stability region of the BCC phase and the melting curve of iron and their implications in the nature of the Earth's inner core. References: A. B. Belonoshko et al., Nat. Geosci., 1-6 (2017).

  16. Integrating themes, evidence gaps, and research needs identified by workshop on iron screening and supplementation in iron-replete pregnant women and young children.

    PubMed

    Brannon, Patsy M; Stover, Patrick J; Taylor, Christine L

    2017-12-01

    This report addresses the evidence and the uncertainties, knowledge gaps, and research needs identified by participants at the NIH workshop related to iron screening and routine iron supplementation of largely iron-replete pregnant women and young children (6-24 mo) in developed countries. The workshop presentations and panel discussions focused on current understanding and knowledge gaps related to iron homeostasis, measurement of and evidence for iron status, and emerging concerns about supplementing iron-replete members of these vulnerable populations. Four integrating themes emerged across workshop presentations and discussion and centered on 1 ) physiologic or developmental adaptations of iron homeostasis to pregnancy and early infancy, respectively, and their implications, 2 ) improvement of the assessment of iron status across the full continuum from iron deficiency anemia to iron deficiency to iron replete to iron excess, 3 ) the linkage of iron status with health outcomes beyond hematologic outcomes, and 4 ) the balance of benefit and harm of iron supplementation of iron-replete pregnant women and young children. Research that addresses these themes in the context of the full continuum of iron status is needed to inform approaches to the balancing of benefits and harms of screening and routine supplementation. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

  17. The Aggregate National Supply of Job Openings and Firms' Procedures for Filling Positions. IAB Labour Market Research Topics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Magvas, Emil; Spitznagel, Eugen

    Surveys by the Institut fur Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB) of German firms' job openings have been combined with job registry data from the Bundesanstalt fur Arbeit on an annual basis since 1989 in order to determine the scope and structure of the aggregate national supply of job openings. The surveys also indicated problems encountered…

  18. Review of the Evidence from Epidemiology, Toxicology, and Lung Bioavailability on the Carcinogenicity of Inhaled Iron Oxide Particulates.

    PubMed

    Pease, Camilla; Rücker, Thomas; Birk, Thomas

    2016-03-21

    Since the iron-age and throughout the industrial age, humans have been exposed to iron oxides. Here, we review the evidence from epidemiology, toxicology, and lung bioavailability as to whether iron oxides are likely to act as human lung carcinogens. Current evidence suggests that observed lung tumors in rats result from a generic particle overload effect and local inflammation that is rat-specific under the dosing conditions of intratracheal instillation. This mode of action therefore, is not relevant to human exposure. However, there are emerging differences seen in vitro, in cell uptake and cell bioavailability between "bulk" iron oxides and "nano" iron oxides. "Bulk" particulates, as defined here, are those where greater than 70% are >100 nm in diameter. Similarly, "nano" iron oxides are defined in this context as particulates where the majority, usually >95% for pure engineered forms of primary particulates (not agglomerates), fall in the range 1-100 nm in diameter. From the weight of scientific evidence, "bulk" iron oxides are not genotoxic/mutagenic. Recent evidence for "nano" iron oxide is conflicting regarding genotoxic potential, albeit genotoxicity was not observed in an in vivo acute oral dose study, and "nano" iron oxides are considered safe and are being investigated for biomedical uses; there is no specific in vivo genotoxicity study on "nano" iron oxides via inhalation. Some evidence is available that suggests, hypothetically due to the larger surface area of "nano" iron oxide particulates, that toxicity could be exerted via the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cell. However, the potential for ROS generation as a basis for explaining rodent tumorigenicity is only apparent if free iron from intracellular "nano" scale iron oxide becomes bioavailable at significant levels inside the cell. This would not be expected from "bulk" iron oxide particulates. Furthermore, human epidemiological evidence from a number of studies suggests that

  19. Prevalence and development of workplace health promotion in Germany: results of the IAB Establishment Panel 2012.

    PubMed

    Hollederer, Alfons; Wießner, Frank

    2015-10-01

    Based on survey data from the IAB Establishment Panel, the investigation aims to examine the prevalence of workplace health promotion among German establishments and its determinants. The IAB Establishment Panel 2012 comprises interviews with 15,556 establishments of all sizes and industrial sectors in Germany. We first present some descriptive statistics and then analyse the determinants of the prevalence of workplace health promotion by means of a probit regression. In 2012, 27 % of the interviewed establishments reported providing workplace health promotion measures on a voluntary basis. 64 % of all employees do work in establishments with workplace health promotion. From 2002 to 2012, the share of establishments with workplace health promotion increased by 8 % points. The strongest increase was observed in establishments in Western Germany and establishments with work councils. Most popular among the measures of workplace health promotion are employee surveys and analysis of the sickness absence. The vast majority of establishments provide only single measures. The econometric analysis shows that industrial sector, size of establishment, expected problems with human resources and the existence of a work council are important factors for workplace health promotion. Only a minority of establishments are committed to workplace health promotion, while these establishments provide the majority of jobs in Germany. Our analysis displays considerable disparities in terms of prevalence as well as potential for further extensions. This could be taken more into account when discussing innovative approaches of workplace health promotion.

  20. Dietary iron intake, iron status, and gestational diabetes.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Cuilin; Rawal, Shristi

    2017-12-01

    Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to iron deficiency and related adverse pregnancy outcomes and, as such, are routinely recommended for iron supplementation. Emerging evidence from both animal and population-based studies, however, has raised potential concerns because significant associations have been observed between greater iron stores and disturbances in glucose metabolism, including increased risk of type 2 diabetes among nonpregnant individuals. Yet, the evidence is uncertain regarding the role of iron in the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a common pregnancy complication which has short-term and long-term adverse health ramifications for both women and their children. In this review, we critically and systematically evaluate available data examining the risk of GDM associated with dietary iron, iron supplementation, and iron status as measured by blood concentrations of several indicators. We also discuss major methodologic concerns regarding the available epidemiologic studies on iron and GDM. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

  1. Petrographic and Isotopic Evidence for Siderite Precursors to Iron Oxide Cements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Loope, D.

    2015-12-01

    The origin of iron oxide mineralization in the Navajo Sandstone on the Colorado Plateau is important because of the different forms of distinct self-organization exhibited by these systems, the potential importance of the cements as geochronometers, and their use as analogs for similar mineralization on other planets. We consider this mineralization to be the product of microbially mediated oxidation of siderite in evolving groundwater systems. Iron oxide grain coatings were dissolved and the iron precipitated as siderite during a reducing phase of diagenesis. Upon invasion by oxidizing waters, iron-oxidizing bacteria colonized the redox interface between siderite-cemented and porous sandstone. Precipitation of iron oxide at this interface generated acid that facilitated further siderite dissolution. One difficulty in testing this hypothesis is that siderite is destroyed by the cm-scale transport of iron during oxidation. There are two lines of evidence that support the presence of a siderite precursor in these systems. 1)Rhombic grains that we interpret to be iron oxide pseudomorphs after siderite occur where in-situ oxidation rather than dissolution of the siderite precursor has occurred. 2) The δ56Fe values of these iron oxide cements are typically negative. We have measured the δ56Fe value of Navajo Sandstone to be 0.2‰; a value in good agreement with previous workers (Chan et al., 2006; Busigny and Dauphas, 2007). Bleaching of the sandstones apparently results in near complete removal of Fe with little change in the δ56Fe values of the bulk sandstone. The δ56Fe values of iron oxide cements have a median value of -0.8‰; similar to the value we obtained from ferroan carbonate (-0.86‰). Iron oxide from samples that comprise largely rhombic grains has similar δ56Fe values (-0.5‰) to those obtained from cements produced by siderite dissolution and subsequent oxidation (-0.4‰). Our interpretation is that siderite precipitated from an aqueous solution

  2. Dissolved iron anomaly in the deep tropical-subtropical Pacific: Evidence for long-range transport of hydrothermal iron

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Jingfeng; Wells, Mark L.; Rember, Robert

    2011-01-01

    Dissolved iron profiles along a north-south transect along 158°W in the tropical Pacific show evidence of two deepwater anomalies. The first extends from Station ALOHA (22.78°N) to the equator at ˜1000-1500 m and lies below the maximum apparent oxygen utilization and nutrient (N, P) concentrations. The feature is not supported by vertical export processes, but instead corresponds with the lateral dilution field of δ 3He derived from the Loihi seamount, Hawaii, though a sediment source associated with the Hawaiian Island Chain cannot be entirely ruled out. The second, deeper (2000-3000 m) anomaly occurs in tropical South Pacific waters (7°S) and also does not correlate with the depths of maximum nutrient concentrations or apparent oxygen utilization, but it does coincide closely with δ 3He emanating from the East Pacific Rise, more than 5000 km to the east. We hypothesize that these anomalies represent the long-range (>2000 km) transport of hydrothermal iron residuals, stabilized against scavenging by complexation with excess organic ligands in the plume source regions. Such trace leakage of hydrothermal iron to distal plume regions would have been difficult to identify in most hydrothermal vent mapping studies because low analytical detection limits were not needed for the proximal plume regions. These findings suggest that hydrothermal activity may represent a major source of dissolved iron throughout the South Pacific deep basin today, as well as other regions having high mid-ocean spreading rates in the geologic past. In particular, we hypothesize that high spreading rates along the South Atlantic and Southern Ocean mid-oceanic ridges, combined with the upwelling ventilation of these distal hydrothermal plumes, may have increased ocean productivity and carbon export in the Southern Ocean. Assessing the magnitude and persistence of dissolved hydrothermal iron in basin scale deep waters will be important for understanding the marine biogeochemistry of iron

  3. Daily iron supplementation for improving anaemia, iron status and health in menstruating women.

    PubMed

    Low, Michael Sze Yuan; Speedy, Joanna; Styles, Claire E; De-Regil, Luz Maria; Pasricha, Sant-Rayn

    2016-04-18

    Iron-deficiency anaemia is highly prevalent among non-pregnant women of reproductive age (menstruating women) worldwide, although the prevalence is highest in lower-income settings. Iron-deficiency anaemia has been associated with a range of adverse health outcomes, which restitution of iron stores using iron supplementation has been considered likely to resolve. Although there have been many trials reporting effects of iron in non-pregnant women, these trials have never been synthesised in a systematic review. To establish the evidence for effects of daily supplementation with iron on anaemia and iron status, as well as on physical, psychological and neurocognitive health, in menstruating women. In November 2015 we searched CENTRAL, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and nine other databases, as well as four digital thesis repositories. In addition, we searched the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (WHO ICTRP) and reference lists of relevant reviews. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs comparing daily oral iron supplementation with or without a cointervention (folic acid or vitamin C), for at least five days per week at any dose, to control or placebo using either individual- or cluster-randomisation. Inclusion criteria were menstruating women (or women aged 12 to 50 years) reporting on predefined primary (anaemia, haemoglobin concentration, iron deficiency, iron-deficiency anaemia, all-cause mortality, adverse effects, and cognitive function) or secondary (iron status measured by iron indices, physical exercise performance, psychological health, adherence, anthropometric measures, serum/plasma zinc levels, vitamin A status, and red cell folate) outcomes. We used the standard methodological procedures of Cochrane. The search strategy identified 31,767 records; after screening, 90 full-text reports were assessed for eligibility. We included 67 trials (from 76 reports), recruiting 8506 women; the number of women

  4. Intravenous iron-dextran: studies on unsaturated iron-binding capacity

    PubMed Central

    Cox, J. S. G.; Moss, G. F.; Bremner, I.; Reason, Janet

    1968-01-01

    A method is described for measuring the plasma unsaturated iron-binding capacity in the presence of very high concentrations of iron as iron-dextran. The procedure utilizes 59Fe to label the apotransferrin with subsequent separation of ionic iron from transferrin-bound iron on an ion exchange or Sephadex G.25 column. The unsaturated iron-binding capacity has been measured in rabbits and dogs after intravenous injection of iron-dextran and in human subjects after total dose infusion of iron-dextran. No evidence of saturation of the unsaturated iron-binding capacity was found even when the plasma iron values were greater than 40,000 μg Fe/100 ml. PMID:5697365

  5. Iron homeostasis and eye disease

    PubMed Central

    Loh, Allison; Hadziahmetovic, Majda; Dunaief, Joshua L.

    2009-01-01

    Summary Iron is necessary for life, but excess iron can be toxic to tissues. Iron is thought to damage tissues primarily by generating oxygen free radicals through the Fenton reaction. We present an overview of the evidence supporting iron's potential contribution to a broad range of eye disease using an anatomical approach. Firstly, iron can be visualized in the cornea as iron lines in the normal aging cornea as well as in diseases like keratoconus and pterygium. In the lens, we present the evidence for the role of oxidative damage in cataractogenesis. Also, we review the evidence that iron may play a role in the pathogenesis of the retinal disease age-related macular degeneration. Although currently there is no direct link between excess iron and development of optic neuropathies, ferrous iron's ability to form highly reactive oxygen species may play a role in optic nerve pathology. Lastly, we discuss recent advances in prevention and therapeutics for eye disease with antioxidants and iron chelators,. PMID:19059309

  6. Petrology, Mineralogy, and Trace Element Geochemistry of Yuanyang

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, H. Y.; Xu, W. B.

    2016-09-01

    Yuanyang was found in Yunnan in 2010. Yuanyang has a rusted surface, and there are also some corroded materials inside. The major phases in Yuanyang are kamacite (Ni 4.88-6.21 wt%) and taenite (Ni 26.13-50.27 wt%). The minor ones are schreibersite, sphalerite, and carlsbergite. Yuanyang is a coarse octahedrite with a high content of kamacite (80 vol%). No silicate inclusions are found in Yuanyang. The instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) of Yuanyang reveals that it is a low-Ni (7 wt%) and low-Au (1.565 ppm) iron. Yuanyang is an IAB-MG iron. The Ir content (1.00 ppm) of Yuanyang is relatively low compared to other IAB-MG irons. This is probably due to the partial melting of Ir-rich phase in its parent body during an impact event.

  7. Iron speciation in peats: Chemical and spectroscopic evidence for the co-occurrence of ferric and ferrous iron in organic complexes and mineral precipitates

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bhattacharyya, Amrita; Schmidt, Michael P.; Stavitski, Eli

    The speciation of iron (Fe) in organic matter (OM)-rich environments under in situ variable redox conditions is largely unresolved. Peatlands provide a natural setting to study Fe–OM interactions. Utilizing chemical, spectroscopic and theoretical modeling approaches, we report the chemical forms, oxidation states and local coordination environment of naturally occurring Fe in the vertically redox-stratified Manning peatlands of western New York. In addition, we report dominant carbon, sulfur and nitrogen species that can potentially stabilize the various Fe species present in these peatlands. Our results provide clear direct and indirect evidence for the co-occurrence of ferrous (Fe 2+) and ferric (Femore » 3+) iron species in peats under both oxic and anoxic conditions. Iron is mostly present within the operationally defined organic and amorphous (i.e., short range ordered, SRO) fractions; ferric iron primarily as magnetically isolated paramagnetic Fe 3+ in Fe(III)-organic complexes, but also in mineral forms such as ferrihydrite; ferrous iron in tetrahedral coordination in Fe(II)-organic complexes with minor contribution from pyrite. All of the Fe species identified stabilize Fe(III) and/or Fe(II) in anoxic and oxic peats. Fundamental differences are also observed in the relative proportion of C, S and N functionalities of OM in oxic and anoxic peats. Aromatic C=C, ester, phenol and anomeric C (R-O-C-O-R), as well as thiol, sulfide and heterocyclic N functionalities are more prevalent in anoxic peats. Collectively, our experimental evidence suggests iron forms coordination complexes with O-, S- and N-containing functional groups of OM. We posit the co-occurrence of organic and mineral forms of Fe(II) and Fe(III) in both oxic and anoxic peat layers results from dynamic complexation and hydrolysis-precipitation reactions that occur under variable redox conditions. In conclusion, our findings aid in understanding the crucial role OM plays in determining Fe

  8. Iron speciation in peats: Chemical and spectroscopic evidence for the co-occurrence of ferric and ferrous iron in organic complexes and mineral precipitates

    DOE PAGES

    Bhattacharyya, Amrita; Schmidt, Michael P.; Stavitski, Eli; ...

    2017-10-31

    The speciation of iron (Fe) in organic matter (OM)-rich environments under in situ variable redox conditions is largely unresolved. Peatlands provide a natural setting to study Fe–OM interactions. Utilizing chemical, spectroscopic and theoretical modeling approaches, we report the chemical forms, oxidation states and local coordination environment of naturally occurring Fe in the vertically redox-stratified Manning peatlands of western New York. In addition, we report dominant carbon, sulfur and nitrogen species that can potentially stabilize the various Fe species present in these peatlands. Our results provide clear direct and indirect evidence for the co-occurrence of ferrous (Fe 2+) and ferric (Femore » 3+) iron species in peats under both oxic and anoxic conditions. Iron is mostly present within the operationally defined organic and amorphous (i.e., short range ordered, SRO) fractions; ferric iron primarily as magnetically isolated paramagnetic Fe 3+ in Fe(III)-organic complexes, but also in mineral forms such as ferrihydrite; ferrous iron in tetrahedral coordination in Fe(II)-organic complexes with minor contribution from pyrite. All of the Fe species identified stabilize Fe(III) and/or Fe(II) in anoxic and oxic peats. Fundamental differences are also observed in the relative proportion of C, S and N functionalities of OM in oxic and anoxic peats. Aromatic C=C, ester, phenol and anomeric C (R-O-C-O-R), as well as thiol, sulfide and heterocyclic N functionalities are more prevalent in anoxic peats. Collectively, our experimental evidence suggests iron forms coordination complexes with O-, S- and N-containing functional groups of OM. We posit the co-occurrence of organic and mineral forms of Fe(II) and Fe(III) in both oxic and anoxic peat layers results from dynamic complexation and hydrolysis-precipitation reactions that occur under variable redox conditions. In conclusion, our findings aid in understanding the crucial role OM plays in determining Fe

  9. The influence of iron deficiency on the functioning of skeletal muscles: experimental evidence and clinical implications.

    PubMed

    Stugiewicz, Magdalena; Tkaczyszyn, Michał; Kasztura, Monika; Banasiak, Waldemar; Ponikowski, Piotr; Jankowska, Ewa A

    2016-07-01

    Skeletal and respiratory myopathy not only constitutes an important pathophysiological feature of heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but also contributes to debilitating symptomatology and predicts worse outcomes in these patients. Accumulated evidence from laboratory experiments, animal models, and interventional studies in sports medicine suggests that undisturbed systemic iron homeostasis significantly contributes to the effective functioning of skeletal muscles. In this review, we discuss the role of iron status for the functioning of skeletal muscle tissue, and highlight iron deficiency as an emerging therapeutic target in chronic diseases accompanied by a marked muscle dysfunction. © 2016 The Authors. European Journal of Heart Failure © 2016 European Society of Cardiology.

  10. U-shaped curve for risk associated with maternal hemoglobin, iron status, or iron supplementation.

    PubMed

    Dewey, Kathryn G; Oaks, Brietta M

    2017-12-01

    Both iron deficiency (ID) and excess can lead to impaired health status. There is substantial evidence of a U-shaped curve between the risk of adverse birth outcomes and maternal hemoglobin concentrations during pregnancy; however, it is unclear whether those relations are attributable to conditions of low and high iron status or to other mechanisms. We summarized current evidence from human studies regarding the association between birth outcomes and maternal hemoglobin concentrations or iron status. We also reviewed effects of iron supplementation on birth outcomes among women at low risk of ID and the potential mechanisms for adverse effects of high iron status during pregnancy. Overall, we confirmed a U-shaped curve for the risk of adverse birth outcomes with maternal hemoglobin concentrations, but the relations differ by trimester. For low hemoglobin concentrations, the link with adverse outcomes is more evident when hemoglobin concentrations are measured in early pregnancy. These relations generally became weaker or nonexistent when hemoglobin concentrations are measured in the second or third trimesters. Associations between high hemoglobin concentration and adverse birth outcomes are evident in all 3 trimesters but evidence is mixed. There is less evidence for the associations between maternal iron status and adverse birth outcomes. Most studies used serum ferritin (SF) concentrations as the indicator of iron status, which makes the interpretation of results challenging because SF concentrations increase in response to inflammation or infection. The effect of iron supplementation during pregnancy may depend on initial iron status. There are several mechanisms through which high iron status during pregnancy may have adverse effects on birth outcomes, including oxidative stress, increased blood viscosity, and impaired systemic response to inflammation and infection. Research is needed to understand the biological processes that underlie the U-shaped curves

  11. The iron status at birth of neonates with risk factors for developing iron deficiency: a pilot study.

    PubMed

    MacQueen, B C; Christensen, R D; Ward, D M; Bennett, S T; O'Brien, E A; Sheffield, M J; Baer, V L; Snow, G L; Weaver Lewis, K A; Fleming, R E; Kaplan, J

    2017-04-01

    Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) neonates, infants of diabetic mothers (IDM) and very-low-birth weight premature neonates (VLBW) are reported to have increased risk for developing iron deficiency and possibly associated neurocognitive delays. We conducted a pilot study to assess iron status at birth in at-risk neonates by measuring iron parameters in umbilical cord blood from SGA, IDM, VLBW and comparison neonates. Six of the 50 infants studied had biochemical evidence of iron deficiency at birth. Laboratory findings consistent with iron deficiency were found in one SGA, one IDM, three VLBW, and one comparison infant. None of the infants had evidence of iron deficiency anemia. Evidence of biochemical iron deficiency at birth was found in 17% of screened neonates. Studies are needed to determine whether these infants are at risk for developing iron-limited erythropoiesis, iron deficiency anemia or iron-deficient neurocognitive delay.

  12. The iron status at birth of neonates with risk factors for developing iron deficiency: a pilot study

    PubMed Central

    MacQueen, BC; Christensen, RD; Ward, DM; Bennett, ST; O’Brien, EA; Sheffield, MJ; Baer, VL; Snow, GL; Lewis, KA Weaver; Fleming, RE; Kaplan, J

    2016-01-01

    OBJECTIVE Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) neonates, infants of diabetic mothers (IDM) and very-low-birth weight premature neonates (VLBW) are reported to have increased risk for developing iron deficiency and possibly associated neurocognitive delays. STUDY DESIGN We conducted a pilot study to assess iron status at birth in at-risk neonates by measuring iron parameters in umbilical cord blood from SGA, IDM, VLBW and comparison neonates. RESULTS Six of the 50 infants studied had biochemical evidence of iron deficiency at birth. Laboratory findings consistent with iron deficiency were found in one SGA, one IDM, three VLBW, and one comparison infant. None of the infants had evidence of iron deficiency anemia. CONCLUSIONS Evidence of biochemical iron deficiency at birth was found in 17% of screened neonates. Studies are needed to determine whether these infants are at risk for developing iron-limited erythropoiesis, iron deficiency anemia or iron-deficient neurocognitive delay. PMID:27977019

  13. VISUALIZING IRON IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

    PubMed Central

    Bagnato, Francesca; Hametner, Simon; Welch, Edward Brian

    2012-01-01

    Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols that are designed to be sensitive to iron typically take advantage of (1) iron effects on the relaxation of water protons and/or (2) iron-induced local magnetic field susceptibility changes. Increasing evidence sustains the notion that imaging iron in brain of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) may add some specificity toward the identification of the disease pathology. The present review summarizes currently reported in vivo and post mortem MRI evidence of (1) iron detection in white matter and grey matter of MS brains, (2) pathological and physiological correlates of iron as disclosed by imaging and (3) relations between iron accumulation and disease progression as measured by clinical metrics. PMID:23347601

  14. Molecular control of vertebrate iron homeostasis by iron regulatory proteins

    PubMed Central

    Wallander, Michelle L.; Leibold, Elizabeth A.; Eisenstein, Richard S.

    2008-01-01

    Both deficiencies and excesses of iron represent major public health problems throughout the world. Understanding the cellular and organismal processes controlling iron homeostasis is critical for identifying iron-related diseases and in advancing the clinical treatments for such disorders of iron metabolism. Iron regulatory proteins (IRPs) 1 and 2 are key regulators of vertebrate iron metabolism. These RNA binding proteins post-transcriptionally control the stability or translation of mRNAs encoding proteins involved in iron homeostasis thereby controlling the uptake, utilization, storage or export of iron. Recent evidence provides insight into how IRPs selectively control the translation or stability of target mRNAs, how IRP RNA binding activity is controlled by iron-dependent and iron-independent effectors, and the pathological consequences of dysregulation of the IRP system. PMID:16872694

  15. Paleomagnetic Evidence for Partial Differentiation of the Silicate-Bearing IIE Iron Meteorite Parent Body

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maurel, C.; Bryson, J. F. J.; Weiss, B. P.; Scholl, A.

    2016-12-01

    The identification of dozens of petrologically diverse chondritic and achondritic meteoritic groups indicates that a diversity of planetesimals formed in the early solar system. It is commonly thought that planetesimals formed as either unmelted or else fully differentiated bodies, implying that chondrites and achondrites cannot have originated on a single body. However, it has been suggested that partially melted bodies with chondritic crusts and achondritic interiors may also have formed. This alternative proposal is supported by the recent identification of post-accretional remanent magnetization in CV, H chondrites, and also possibly in CM chondrites, which has been interpreted as possible evidence for a core dynamo on their parent bodies. Other piece of evidence suggesting the existence of partially differentiated bodies is the existence of the silicate-bearing IIE iron meteorites. The IIEs are composed of a Fe-Ni alloy matrix containing a mixture of chondritic, primitive achondritic, and chondritic silicate inclusions that likely formed on a single parent body. Therefore, IIEs may sample all three putative layers of a layered, partially differentiated body. On the other hand, the siderophile element compositions of the matrix metal demonstrate that it is not the product of fractional crystallization of a molten core. This suggests that the matrix metal is derived from isolated reservoirs of metal in the mantle and/or crust. It is unknown whether a large-scale metallic core, not represented by known meteorite samples, also formed on the same parent planetesimal. We can search for evidence of a molten, advecting core by assessing whether IIE irons contain remanent magnetization produced by a core dynamo. With this goal, we studied the paleomagnetism of a cloudy zone (CZ) interface in the Fe-Ni matrix of the IIE iron Colomera using X-ray photoelectron emission microscopy (XPEEM). Our initial results suggest that a steady, intense magnetic field was present

  16. Paleomagnetic Evidence for Partial Differentiation of the Silicate-Bearing IIE Iron Meteorite Parent Body

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maurel, C.; Bryson, J. F. J.; Weiss, B. P.; Scholl, A.

    2017-12-01

    The identification of dozens of petrologically diverse chondritic and achondritic meteoritic groups indicates that a diversity of planetesimals formed in the early solar system. It is commonly thought that planetesimals formed as either unmelted or else fully differentiated bodies, implying that chondrites and achondrites cannot have originated on a single body. However, it has been suggested that partially melted bodies with chondritic crusts and achondritic interiors may also have formed. This alternative proposal is supported by the recent identification of post-accretional remanent magnetization in CV, H chondrites, and also possibly in CM chondrites, which has been interpreted as possible evidence for a core dynamo on their parent bodies. Other piece of evidence suggesting the existence of partially differentiated bodies is the existence of the silicate-bearing IIE iron meteorites. The IIEs are composed of a Fe-Ni alloy matrix containing a mixture of chondritic, primitive achondritic, and chondritic silicate inclusions that likely formed on a single parent body. Therefore, IIEs may sample all three putative layers of a layered, partially differentiated body. On the other hand, the siderophile element compositions of the matrix metal demonstrate that it is not the product of fractional crystallization of a molten core. This suggests that the matrix metal is derived from isolated reservoirs of metal in the mantle and/or crust. It is unknown whether a large-scale metallic core, not represented by known meteorite samples, also formed on the same parent planetesimal. We can search for evidence of a molten, advecting core by assessing whether IIE irons contain remanent magnetization produced by a core dynamo. With this goal, we studied the paleomagnetism of a cloudy zone (CZ) interface in the Fe-Ni matrix of the IIE iron Colomera using X-ray photoelectron emission microscopy (XPEEM). Our initial results suggest that a steady, intense magnetic field was present

  17. Does Iron Supplementation Improve Performance in Iron-Deficient Nonanemic Athletes?

    PubMed

    Rubeor, Amity; Goojha, Carmen; Manning, Jeffrey; White, Jordan

    2018-05-01

    Supplementing iron-deficient nonanemic (IDNA) athletes with iron to improve performance is a trend in endurance sports. To investigate the benefits of iron on performance, identify a ferritin level cutoff in IDNA athletes, and determine which iron supplementation regimens are most effective. A search of the PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, ERIC, and Cochrane databases was performed in 2014 including all articles. Citations of pertinent review articles were also searched. In 2017, the search was repeated. Inclusion criteria comprised studies of level 1 to 3 evidence, written in the English language, that researched iron supplementation in nonanemic athletes and reported performance outcomes. Systematic review. Level 3. The search terms used included athletic performance, resistance training, athletes, physical endurance, iron, iron deficiency, supplement, non-anemic, low ferritin, ferritin, ferritin blood level, athletes, and sports. A total of 1884 studies were identified through the initial database search, and 13 were identified through searching references of relevant review articles. A subsequent database search identified 46 studies. Following exclusions, 12 studies with a total of 283 participants were included. Supplementing IDNA athletes with iron improved performance in 6 studies (146 participants) and did not improve performance in the other 6 studies (137 participants). In the 6 studies that showed improved performance with iron supplementation, all used a ferritin level cutoff of ≤20 μg/L for treatment. Additionally, all studies that showed improved performance used oral iron as a supplement. The evidence is equivocal as to whether iron supplementation in IDNA athletes improves athletic performance. Supplementing athletes with ferritin levels <20 μg/L may be more beneficial than supplementing athletes with higher baseline ferritin levels.

  18. Iron-Dependent Regulation of Hepcidin in Hjv−/− Mice: Evidence That Hemojuvelin Is Dispensable for Sensing Body Iron Levels

    PubMed Central

    Daba, Alina; Wagner, John; Sebastiani, Giada; Pantopoulos, Kostas

    2014-01-01

    Hemojuvelin (Hjv) is a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) co-receptor involved in the control of systemic iron homeostasis. Functional inactivation of Hjv leads to severe iron overload in humans and mice due to marked suppression of the iron-regulatory hormone hepcidin. To investigate the role of Hjv in body iron sensing, Hjv−/− mice and isogenic wild type controls were placed on a moderately low, a standard or a high iron diet for four weeks. Hjv−/− mice developed systemic iron overload under all regimens. Transferrin (Tf) was highly saturated regardless of the dietary iron content, while liver iron deposition was proportional to it. Hepcidin mRNA expression responded to fluctuations in dietary iron intake, despite the absence of Hjv. Nevertheless, iron-dependent upregulation of hepcidin was more than an order of magnitude lower compared to that seen in wild type controls. Likewise, iron signaling via the BMP/Smad pathway was preserved but substantially attenuated. These findings suggest that Hjv is not required for sensing of body iron levels and merely functions as an enhancer for iron signaling to hepcidin. PMID:24409331

  19. Iron chelation therapy for transfusional iron overload: a swift evolution.

    PubMed

    Musallam, Khaled M; Taher, Ali T

    2011-01-01

    Chronic transfusional iron overload leads to significant morbidity and mortality. While deferoxamine (DFO) is an effective iron chelator with over four decades of experience, it requires tedious subcutaneous infusions that reflect negatively on patient compliance. The novel oral iron chelators deferiprone (L1) and deferasirox (DFRA) opened new horizons for the management of transfusional siderosis. A large body of evidence is now available regarding their efficacy and safety in various populations and settings. Nevertheless, experience with both drugs witnessed some drawbacks, and the search for an ideal and cost-effective iron chelator continues.

  20. Evidence of biogeochemical processes in iron duricrust formation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Levett, Alan; Gagen, Emma; Shuster, Jeremiah; Rintoul, Llew; Tobin, Mark; Vongsvivut, Jitraporn; Bambery, Keith; Vasconcelos, Paulo; Southam, Gordon

    2016-11-01

    Canga is a moderately hard iron-rich duricrust primarily composed of goethite as a result of the weathering of banded iron formations. Canga duricrusts lack a well-developed soil profile and consequently form an innate association with rupestrian plants that may become ferruginised, contributing to canga possessing macroscopic biological features. Examination of polished canga using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) revealed the biological textures associated with canga extended to the sub-millimetre scale in petrographic sections and polished blocks. Laminae that formed by abiotic processes and regions where goethite cements were formed in association with microorganisms were observed in canga. Biological cycling of iron within canga has resulted in two distinct forms of microbial fossilisation: permineralisation of multispecies biofilms and mineralisation of cell envelopes. Goethite permineralised biofilms frequently formed around goethite-rich kaolinite grains in close proximity to goethite bands and were composed of micrometre-scale rod-shaped, cocci and filamentous microfossils. In contrast, the cell envelopes immobilised by authigenic iron oxides were primarily of rod-shaped microorganisms, were not permineralised and occurred in pore spaces within canga. Complete mineralisation of intact rod-shaped casts and the absence of permineralisation suggested mineralised cell envelopes may represent fossilised iron-oxidising bacteria in the canga ecosystem. Replication of these iron-oxidising bacteria appeared to infill the porous regions within canga. Synchrotron-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy demonstrated that organic biomarkers were poorly preserved with only weak bands indicative of aliphatic methylene (CH2) associated with permineralised microbial biofilms. High resolution imaging of microbial fossils in canga that had been etched with oxalic acid supported the poor preservation of organic biomarkers within canga

  1. Iron and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: What is the empirical evidence so far? A systematic review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Cortese, Samuele; Angriman, Marco; Lecendreux, Michel; Konofal, Eric

    2012-10-01

    The authors systematically reviewed evidence on iron status, as well as studies of iron supplementation, in individuals with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). PubMed, Ovid, EMBASE and Web of Knowledge were searched on 4 July 2012. Quantitative appraisal of trials was performed using Jadad's score. Most (n = 20) of the retrieved studies assessed an index of peripheral iron status (i.e., serum ferritin), with overall mixed results - that is, both significant and nonsignificant association between ADHD symptoms and serum ferritin levels. One MRI study reported significantly lower indices of thalamic iron in ADHD versus comparison subjects. Two trials, an open-label and a pilot randomized placebo-controlled study with high Jaded score (4), showed improvement in some but not all measures of ADHD symptoms. Three studies showed that children with ADHD plus sleep disorders, in particular restless legs syndrome, are at risk of iron deficiency. Finally, two studies suggested that iron deficiency might decrease the effectiveness of psychostimulant treatment. The authors discussed how the field could move from initial research mainly focused on serum ferritin towards a more comprehensive and translational investigation of iron in ADHD, with the potential to inform clinical practice in terms of screening and treating iron deficiency in individuals with ADHD.

  2. Myelodysplastic Syndromes and Iron Chelation Therapy

    PubMed Central

    Angelucci, Emanuele; Urru, Silvana Anna Maria; Pilo, Federica; Piperno, Alberto

    2017-01-01

    Over recent decades we have been fortunate to witness the advent of new technologies and of an expanded knowledge and application of chelation therapies to the benefit of patients with iron overload. However, extrapolation of learnings from thalassemia to the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) has resulted in a fragmented and uncoordinated clinical evidence base. We’re therefore forced to change our understanding of MDS, looking with other eyes to observational studies that inform us about the relationship between iron and tissue damage in these subjects. The available evidence suggests that iron accumulation is prognostically significant in MDS, but levels of accumulation historically associated with organ damage (based on data generated in the thalassemias) are infrequent. Emerging experimental data have provided some insight into this paradox, as our understanding of iron-induced tissue damage has evolved from a process of progressive bulking of organs through high-volumes iron deposition, to one of ‘toxic’ damage inflicted through multiple cellular pathways. Damage from iron may, therefore, occur prior to reaching reference thresholds, and similarly, chelation may be of benefit before overt iron overload is seen. In this review, we revisit the scientific and clinical evidence for iron overload in MDS to better characterize the iron overload phenotype in these patients, which differs from the classical transfusional and non-transfusional iron overload syndrome. We hope this will provide a conceptual framework to better understand the complex associations between anemia, iron and clinical outcomes, to accelerate progress in this area. PMID:28293409

  3. Impact of iron overload and potential benefit from iron chelation in low-risk myelodysplastic syndrome.

    PubMed

    Shenoy, Niraj; Vallumsetla, Nishanth; Rachmilewitz, Eliezer; Verma, Amit; Ginzburg, Yelena

    2014-08-07

    Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) are a group of heterogeneous clonal bone marrow disorders characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis, peripheral blood cytopenias, and potential for malignant transformation. Lower/intermediate-risk MDSs are associated with longer survival and high red blood cell (RBC) transfusion requirements resulting in secondary iron overload. Recent data suggest that markers of iron overload portend a relatively poor prognosis, and retrospective analysis demonstrates that iron chelation therapy is associated with prolonged survival in transfusion-dependent MDS patients. New data provide concrete evidence of iron's adverse effects on erythroid precursors in vitro and in vivo. Renewed interest in the iron field was heralded by the discovery of hepcidin, the main serum peptide hormone negative regulator of body iron. Evidence from β-thalassemia suggests that regulation of hepcidin by erythropoiesis dominates regulation by iron. Because iron overload develops in some MDS patients who do not require RBC transfusions, the suppressive effect of ineffective erythropoiesis on hepcidin may also play a role in iron overload. We anticipate that additional novel tools for measuring iron overload and a molecular-mechanism-driven description of MDS subtypes will provide a deeper understanding of how iron metabolism and erythropoiesis intersect in MDSs and improve clinical management of this patient population. © 2014 by The American Society of Hematology.

  4. Evidence for iron-sulfate coupling in salt marsh sediments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mills, Jennifer; Antler, Gilad; Turchyn, Alexandra

    2014-05-01

    Organic carbon burial in shallow marine sediments represents an important net sink in the global carbon cycle. Microbially mediated oxidation of organic matter in oxic, suboxic, and anoxic sediments however, prevents the ultimate burial of organic carbon and its removal from the surface of the planet. Although the subsurface transformations of organic carbon have been studied extensively, an enigmatic question remains: when organic matter is deposited, what determines whether it will be buried, reoxidized, or undergo methanogenesis? One hypothesis is that the sulfur cycle, due to the abundance of sulfate in many surface environments, dominates the subsurface oxidation or other fate of organic carbon. However, it has also been suggested that iron may in turn play a key role in determining the behavior of the sulfur cycle. To better understand the controls on these processes, we are using stable isotope and geochemical techniques to explore the microbially mediated oxidation of organic carbon in salt marsh sediments in North Norfolk, UK. In these sediments there is a high supply of organic carbon, iron, and sulfate (from diurnal tidal cycles). Thus these environments may provide insight into the nature of interactions between the carbon, iron, and sulfur cycles. A series of sampling missions was undertaken in the autumn and winter of 2013-2014. In subsurface fluid samples we observe very high ferrous iron concentrations (>1mM), indicative of extended regions of iron reduction (to over 30cm depth). Within these zones of iron reduction we would predict no sulfate reduction, and as expected δ34Ssulfate remains unchanged with depth. However, δ18Osulfate exhibits significant enrichments of up to 5 permil. This decoupling in the sulfur and oxygen isotopes of sulfate is suggestive of a sulfate recycling process in which sulfate is reduced to an intermediate sulfur species and subsequently reoxidized to sulfate. Taken together, these data suggest that microbial assemblages

  5. Possible Evidence for Iron Sulfates, Iron Sulfides, and Elemental Sulfur at Gusev Crater, Mars, from Mer, Crism, and Analog Data

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Morris, R. V.; Ming, D. W.; Yen, A.; Arvidson, R. E.; Gruener, J.; Humm, D.; Klingelhoefer, G.; Murchie, S.; Schroeder, C.; Seelos, F., IV; hide

    2007-01-01

    The Mossbauer (MB) spectrometers on the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) Spirit (Gusev crater) and Opportunity (Meridiani Planum) have detected 14 Fe-bearing phases, and mineralogical assignments have been made for all except 3. Identified Fe2+-bearing phases are olivine, pyroxene, ilmenite, and troilite. Magnetite and chromite are present as mixed Fe(2+) and Fe(3+) phases. Identified Fe(3+) phase are jarosite, hematite, goethite, and nanophase ferric oxide (npOx). Fe(sup 0) (iron metal) is present as kamacite. Nanophase ferric oxide (npOx) is a generic name for octahedrally coordinated Fe(3+) alteration products that cannot be otherwise mineralogically assigned on the basis of MER data. On the Earth, npOx would include ferrihydrite, iddingsite, schwertmannite, akaganeite, and superparamagnetic hematite and goethite. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter CRISM instrument, a visible, near-IR hyperspectral imager (approximately 0.35 to 4 micron) enables mineralogical examination of Mars with a tool that is sensitive to H2O and to M-OH (M = Al, Si, Fe, Mg, etc.) at spatial resolution of about 20 m/pixel. We examined a CRISM image of the MER region of Gusev crater (Columbia Hills and plains to the west), looking for spectral evidence of the aqueous process apparent from the MER analyses. We also searched for spectral constraints for the mineralogical composition of our unidentified Fe-bearing phases and the forms of npOx present on Mars. We also consider evidence from analogue samples that the precursor for the goethite detected by MB in Clovis Class rocks is an iron sulfide. We suggest that there is some indirect evidence that elemental sulfur might be present to different extents in Clovis Class rocks, the Fe3Sulfate-rich soils, and perhaps even typical (Laguna Class) surface soils.

  6. Introduction to workshop on iron screening and supplementation in iron-replete pregnant women and young children.

    PubMed

    Taylor, Christine L; Brannon, Patsy M

    2017-12-01

    The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements convened a public workshop on iron screening and supplementation in iron-replete pregnant women and young children in 2016 in Bethesda, Maryland. The starting point for the workshop was the recent reports from the US Preventive Services Task Force concluding that there was insufficient evidence to evaluate the benefits and harms associated with iron screening and routine supplementation among asymptomatic pregnant women and young children (6-24 mo old) in the United States. The goal of the workshop was to explore and refine understanding about the existing knowledge gaps and research needs associated with these preventive services for these groups. Given the focus on the United States, planning for the workshop took into account the higher iron status in the United States compared with developing countries and, in turn, included a focus on iron-replete individuals consistent with the U-shaped risk curve for nutrient-health relations. Topic areas included adaptations in iron homeostasis associated with pregnancy and young childhood, the impact of inflammation, measurement of iron status, current estimates of iron status for pregnant women and young children in the United States and in Europe, and emerging evidence suggesting adverse effects associated with iron supplementation of iron-replete individuals. A crosscutting dialogue conducted at the close of the workshop formed the basis for a workshop summary that specified evidence gaps and research needs in a range of areas centered on the relation of these adaptations of iron homeostasis with the response to and risk from iron supplementation as well as the need for indicators informative of the full continuum of iron status and based on health outcomes, not just erythropoiesis. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

  7. Impact of iron overload and potential benefit from iron chelation in low-risk myelodysplastic syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Shenoy, Niraj; Vallumsetla, Nishanth; Rachmilewitz, Eliezer; Verma, Amit

    2014-01-01

    Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) are a group of heterogeneous clonal bone marrow disorders characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis, peripheral blood cytopenias, and potential for malignant transformation. Lower/intermediate-risk MDSs are associated with longer survival and high red blood cell (RBC) transfusion requirements resulting in secondary iron overload. Recent data suggest that markers of iron overload portend a relatively poor prognosis, and retrospective analysis demonstrates that iron chelation therapy is associated with prolonged survival in transfusion-dependent MDS patients. New data provide concrete evidence of iron’s adverse effects on erythroid precursors in vitro and in vivo. Renewed interest in the iron field was heralded by the discovery of hepcidin, the main serum peptide hormone negative regulator of body iron. Evidence from β-thalassemia suggests that regulation of hepcidin by erythropoiesis dominates regulation by iron. Because iron overload develops in some MDS patients who do not require RBC transfusions, the suppressive effect of ineffective erythropoiesis on hepcidin may also play a role in iron overload. We anticipate that additional novel tools for measuring iron overload and a molecular-mechanism–driven description of MDS subtypes will provide a deeper understanding of how iron metabolism and erythropoiesis intersect in MDSs and improve clinical management of this patient population. PMID:24923296

  8. Ion probe measurements of carbon and nitrogen in iron meteorites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sugiura, Naoji

    1998-05-01

    Carbon and nitrogen distributions in iron meteorites, their concentrations in various phases, and their isotopic compositions in certain phases were measured by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Taenite (and its decomposition products) is the main carrier of carbon except for IAB irons where graphite and/or carbide (cohenite) may be the main carrier. Taenite is also the main carrier of nitrogen in most iron meteorites unless nitrides (carlsbergite CrN or roaldite (Fe,Ni)4N) are present. Carbon and nitrogen distributions in taenite are well correlated, unless carbides and/or nitrides are exsolved. There seem to be three types of C and N distributions within taenite. 1) These elements are enriched at the center of taenite (convex type). 2) They are enriched at the edge of taenite (concave type). 3) They are enriched near but some distance away from the edge of taenite (complex type). The case 1) is explained as equilibrium distribution of C and N in Fe-Ni alloy with M- shape nickel concentration profile. The case 2) seems to be best explained as diffusion controlled C and N distributions. In the case 3), the interior of taenite has been transformed to the a phase (kamacite or martensite). C and N were expelled from the a phase and enriched near the inner border of the remaining g phase. Such differences in the C and N distributions in taenite may reflect different cooling rates of iron meteorites. Nitrogen concentrations in taenite are quite high approaching 1 wt.% in some irons. Nitride (carlsbergite and roaldite) is present in meteorites with high nitrogen concentrations in taenite, suggesting that the nitride was formed due to supersaturation of the metallic phases with nitrogen. The same tendency is generally observed for carbon, i.e. high C concentrations in taenite correlate with the presence of carbide and/or graphite. Concentrations of C and N in kamacite are generally below detection limits. Isotopic compositions of C and N in taenite can be measured

  9. IRON INCREASES EXPRESSION OF IRON-EXPORT PROTEIN MTP1 IN LUNG CELLS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Accumulation of reactive iron in acute and chronic lung disease suggests that iron-driven free radical formation could contribute to tissue injury. Safe transport and sequestration of this metal is likely to be of importance in lung defense. We provide evidence for the expression...

  10. Evidence of coupled carbon and iron cycling at a hydrocarbon-contaminated site from time lapse magnetic susceptibility

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lund, Anders L.; Slater, Lee D.; Atekwana, Estella A.; Ntarlagiannis, Dimitrios; Cozzarelli, Isabelle M.; Bekins, Barbara A.

    2017-01-01

    Conventional characterization and monitoring of hydrocarbon (HC) pollution is often expensive and time-consuming. Magnetic susceptibility (MS) has been proposed as an inexpensive, long-term monitoring proxy of the degradation of HC. We acquired repeated down hole MS logging data in boreholes at a HC-contaminated field research site in Bemidji, MN, USA. The MS data were analyzed in conjunction with redox conditions and iron availability within the source zone to better assess whether MS can serve as a proxy for monitoring HC contamination in unconsolidated sediments. The MS response at the site diminished during the sampling period, which was found to coincide with depletion of solid phase iron in the source zone. Previous geochemical observations and modeling at the site suggest that the most likely cause of the decrease in MS is the transformation of magnetite to siderite, coupled with the exhaustion of ferrihydrite. Although the temporal MS response at this site gives valuable field-scale evidence for changing conditions of iron cycling and stability of iron minerals it does not provide a simple proxy for long-term monitoring of biodegradation of hydrocarbons in the smear zone.

  11. Screening for iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia in pregnancy: a structured review and gap analysis against UK national screening criteria.

    PubMed

    Rukuni, Ruramayi; Knight, Marian; Murphy, Michael F; Roberts, David; Stanworth, Simon J

    2015-10-20

    Iron deficiency anaemia is a common problem in pregnancy despite national recommendations and guidelines for treatment. The aim of this study was to appraise the evidence against the UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) criteria as to whether a national screening programme could reduce the prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia and/or iron deficiency in pregnancy and improve maternal and fetal outcomes. Search strategies were developed for the Cochrane library, Medline and Embase to identify evidence relevant to UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) appraisal criteria which cover the natural history of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia, the tests for screening, clinical management and evidence of cost effectiveness. Many studies evaluated haematological outcomes of anaemia, but few analysed clinical consequences. Haemoglobin and ferritin appeared the most suitable screening tests, although future options may follow recent advances in understanding iron homeostasis. The clinical consequences of iron deficiency without anaemia are unknown. Oral and intravenous iron are effective in improving haemoglobin and iron parameters. There have been no trials or economic evaluations of a national screening programme for iron deficiency anaemia in pregnancy. Iron deficiency in pregnancy remains an important problem although effective tests and treatment exist. A national screening programme could be of value for early detection and intervention. However, high quality studies are required to confirm whether this would reduce maternal and infant morbidity and be cost effective.

  12. A new analysis of Monturaqui Meteorites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaniansky, S.; Molnár, K.

    2015-01-01

    The Monturaqui meteorite crater, located in the Andes Mountains, is known to host corroded iron meteorites (Koch and Buchwald, 1994), of probable IAB type. Over three hundred suspicious rocks with an exterior appearance were collected during the two expeditions to Monturaqui crater. A sample has been analyzed in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Canada. The analyses support the conclusion that the Monturaqui rocks are corroded iron meteorites.

  13. "Iron-Clad" Evidence For Spinning Black Hole

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2003-09-01

    competing explanations that do not require extreme gravitational effects, and provide the best look yet at the geometry of the space-time around a stellar black hole created by the death of a massive star." The orbit of a particle near a black hole depends on the curvature of space around the black hole, which also depends on how fast the black hole is spinning. A spinning black hole drags space around with it and allows atoms to orbit closer to the black hole than is possible for a non-spinning black hole. The latest Chandra data from Cygnus X-1, the first stellar-size black hole discovered, show that the gravitational effects on the signal from the iron atoms can only be due to relativistic effects, and that some of the atoms are no closer than 100 miles to the black hole. There was no evidence that the Cygnus X-1 black hole is spinning. The XMM-Newton data from the black hole, XTE J1650-500, show a very similar distribution of iron atom X-rays with one important exception. More low energy X-rays from iron atoms are observed, an indication that some X-rays are coming from deep in the gravitational well around the black hole, as close as 20 miles to the black hole event horizon. This black hole must be spinning rapidly. Chandra observations of a third stellar black hole, GX 339-4, have revealed that it is also spinning rapidly, and clouds of warm absorbing gas appear to be flowing away from the black hole at speeds of about three hundred thousand miles per hour. Such warm gas flows have been observed in the vicinity of supermassive black holes. Previous observations of some supermassive black holes by Japan's ASCA satellite, XMM-Newton and Chandra have indicated that they may also be rotating rapidly. The latest results presented by Miller indicate that the peculiar geometry of space around spinning stellar-mass black holes and supermassive black holes is remarkably similar. Stellar and supermassive black holes may be similar in other ways. Powerful jets of high

  14. Oral iron supplements for children in malaria-endemic areas

    PubMed Central

    Neuberger, Ami; Okebe, Joseph; Yahav, Dafna; Paul, Mical

    2016-01-01

    Background Iron-deficiency anaemia is common during childhood. Iron administration has been claimed to increase the risk of malaria. Objectives To evaluate the effects and safety of iron supplementation, with or without folic acid, in children living in areas with hyperendemic or holoendemic malaria transmission. Search methods We searched the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group Specialized Register; the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), published in the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE (up to August 2015) and LILACS (up to February 2015). We also checked the metaRegister of Controlled Trials (mRCT) and World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (WHO ICTRP) up to February 2015. We contacted the primary investigators of all included trials, ongoing trials, and those awaiting assessment to ask for unpublished data and further trials. We scanned references of included trials, pertinent reviews, and previous meta-analyses for additional references. Selection criteria We included individually randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cluster RCTs conducted in hyperendemic and holoendemic malaria regions or that reported on any malaria-related outcomes that included children younger than 18 years of age. We included trials that compared orally administered iron, iron with folic acid, and iron with antimalarial treatment versus placebo or no treatment. We included trials of iron supplementation or fortification interventions if they provided at least 80% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for prevention of anaemia by age. Antihelminthics could be administered to either group, and micronutrients had to be administered equally to both groups. Data collection and analysis The primary outcomes were clinical malaria, severe malaria, and death from any cause. We assessed the risk of bias in included trials with domain-based evaluation and assessed the quality of the evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment

  15. Genetic Diversity of Venezuelan Alphaviruses and Circulation of a Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus Subtype IAB Strain During an Interepizootic Period

    PubMed Central

    Medina, Gladys; Garzaro, Domingo J.; Barrios, Miguel; Auguste, Albert J.; Weaver, Scott C.; Pujol, Flor H.

    2015-01-01

    Several species of alphaviruses have been previously described in the Americas, some of which are associated with encephalitis and others are associated with arthralgia. Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) and eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) are endemic to Venezuela, with the former being responsible for major outbreaks of severe and often fatal disease in animals and humans. The aim of this study was to analyze the genetic diversity of Venezuelan alphaviruses isolated during two decades (1973–1999) of surveillance in northern Venezuela. Phylogenetic analysis indicated the circulation of a VEEV subtype IAB strain 8 years after the last reported outbreak. Thirteen strains within two subclades of South American lineage III of EEEV were also found in Venezuela. Considerable genetic variability was observed among Venezuelan Una virus strains, which were widely distributed among the clades. The first Venezuelan Mayaro sequence was also characterized. PMID:25940191

  16. Genetic diversity of Venezuelan alphaviruses and circulation of a Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus subtype IAB strain during an interepizootic period.

    PubMed

    Medina, Gladys; Garzaro, Domingo J; Barrios, Miguel; Auguste, Albert J; Weaver, Scott C; Pujol, Flor H

    2015-07-01

    Several species of alphaviruses have been previously described in the Americas, some of which are associated with encephalitis and others are associated with arthralgia. Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) and eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) are endemic to Venezuela, with the former being responsible for major outbreaks of severe and often fatal disease in animals and humans. The aim of this study was to analyze the genetic diversity of Venezuelan alphaviruses isolated during two decades (1973-1999) of surveillance in northern Venezuela. Phylogenetic analysis indicated the circulation of a VEEV subtype IAB strain 8 years after the last reported outbreak. Thirteen strains within two subclades of South American lineage III of EEEV were also found in Venezuela. Considerable genetic variability was observed among Venezuelan Una virus strains, which were widely distributed among the clades. The first Venezuelan Mayaro sequence was also characterized. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  17. Intravenous Iron Therapy in Patients with Iron Deficiency Anemia: Dosing Considerations

    PubMed Central

    Myers, Jennifer; Goodnough, Lawrence Tim

    2015-01-01

    Objective. To provide clinicians with evidence-based guidance for iron therapy dosing in patients with iron deficiency anemia (IDA), we conducted a study examining the benefits of a higher cumulative dose of intravenous (IV) iron than what is typically administered. Methods. We first individually analyzed 5 clinical studies, averaging the total iron deficit across all patients utilizing a modified Ganzoni formula; we then similarly analyzed 2 larger clinical studies. For the second of the larger studies (Study 7), we also compared the efficacy and retreatment requirements of a cumulative dose of 1500 mg ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) to 1000 mg iron sucrose (IS). Results. The average iron deficit was calculated to be 1531 mg for patients in Studies 1–5 and 1392 mg for patients in Studies 6-7. The percentage of patients who were retreated with IV iron between Days 56 and 90 was significantly (p < 0.001) lower (5.6%) in the 1500 mg group, compared to the 1000 mg group (11.1%). Conclusions. Our data suggests that a total cumulative dose of 1000 mg of IV iron may be insufficient for iron repletion in a majority of patients with IDA and a dose of 1500 mg is closer to the actual iron deficit in these patients. PMID:26257955

  18. Planktonic Marine Iron-Oxidizers Drive Iron(III) Mineralization Under Low Oxygen Conditions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luther, G. W., III; Field, E.; Findlay, A.; MacDonald, D. J.; Chan, C. S. Y.; Kato, S.

    2016-02-01

    Observations of modern microbes have led to several hypotheses on how microbes precipitated the extensive banded iron formations in the geologic record, but we have yet to resolve the exact microbial contributions. An initial hypotheses was that cyanobacteria produced oxygen that oxidized iron(II) abiotically; however, in modern environments such as microbial mats, where Fe(II) and O2 coexist, we commonly find microaerophilic chemolithotrophic iron(II)-oxidizing bacteria producing Fe(III) oxyhydroxides. This suggests that such iron-oxidizers could have inhabited niches in ancient coastal oceans where Fe(II) and O2 coexisted, and therefore contributed to iron deposits, but there is currently little evidence for planktonic marine iron-oxidizers in modern analogs. Here, we demonstrate successful cultivation of planktonic microaerophilic iron-oxidizing Zetaproteobacteria from the Chesapeake Bay during seasonal stratification. Iron-oxidizers were associated with low oxygen concentrations and active iron redox cycling in the oxic-anoxic transition zone (<3 µM O2, <0.2 µM H2S). While cyanobacteria were also detected in this transition zone, oxygen concentrations were too low to support significant rates of abiotic iron oxidation. Instead, cyanobacteria may be providing oxygen for microaerophilic iron(II) oxidation through a symbiotic relationship that promotes oxygen consumption rather than build-up. Our results suggest that once oxygenic photosynthesis evolved, microaerophilic chemolithotrophic iron(II)-oxidizers were likely important drivers of iron(III) mineralization in ancient oceans.

  19. Atherogenesis and iron: from epidemiology to cellular level

    PubMed Central

    Vinchi, Francesca; Muckenthaler, Martina U.; Da Silva, Milene C.; Balla, György; Balla, József; Jeney, Viktória

    2014-01-01

    Iron accumulates in human atherosclerotic lesions but whether it is a cause or simply a downstream consequence of the atheroma formation has been an open question for decades. According to the so called “iron hypothesis,” iron is believed to be detrimental for the cardiovascular system, thus promoting atherosclerosis development and progression. Iron, in its catalytically active form, can participate in the generation of reactive oxygen species and induce lipid-peroxidation, triggering endothelial activation, smooth muscle cell proliferation and macrophage activation; all of these processes are considered to be proatherogenic. On the other hand, the observation that hemochromatotic patients, affected by life-long iron overload, do not show any increased incidence of atherosclerosis is perceived as the most convincing evidence against the “iron hypothesis.” Epidemiological studies and data from animal models provided conflicting evidences about the role of iron in atherogenesis. Therefore, more careful studies are needed in which issues like the source and the compartmentalization of iron will be addressed. This review article summarizes what we have learnt about iron and atherosclerosis from epidemiological studies, animal models and cellular systems and highlights the rather contributory than innocent role of iron in atherogenesis. PMID:24847266

  20. Genomic insights into microbial iron oxidation and iron uptake strategies in extremely acidic environments.

    PubMed

    Bonnefoy, Violaine; Holmes, David S

    2012-07-01

    This minireview presents recent advances in our understanding of iron oxidation and homeostasis in acidophilic Bacteria and Archaea. These processes influence the flux of metals and nutrients in pristine and man-made acidic environments such as acid mine drainage and industrial bioleaching operations. Acidophiles are also being studied to understand life in extreme conditions and their role in the generation of biomarkers used in the search for evidence of existing or past extra-terrestrial life. Iron oxidation in acidophiles is best understood in the model organism Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. However, recent functional genomic analysis of acidophiles is leading to a deeper appreciation of the diversity of acidophilic iron-oxidizing pathways. Although it is too early to paint a detailed picture of the role played by lateral gene transfer in the evolution of iron oxidation, emerging evidence tends to support the view that iron oxidation arose independently more than once in evolution. Acidic environments are generally rich in soluble iron and extreme acidophiles (e.g. the Leptospirillum genus) have considerably fewer iron uptake systems compared with neutrophiles. However, some acidophiles have been shown to grow as high as pH 6 and, in the case of the Acidithiobacillus genus, to have multiple iron uptake systems. This could be an adaption allowing them to respond to different iron concentrations via the use of a multiplicity of different siderophores. Both Leptospirillum spp. and Acidithiobacillus spp. are predicted to synthesize the acid stable citrate siderophore for Fe(III) uptake. In addition, both groups have predicted receptors for siderophores produced by other microorganisms, suggesting that competition for iron occurs influencing the ecophysiology of acidic environments. Little is known about the genetic regulation of iron oxidation and iron uptake in acidophiles, especially how the use of iron as an energy source is balanced with its need to take up

  1. Current misconceptions in diagnosis and management of iron deficiency

    PubMed Central

    Muñoz, Manuel; Gómez-Ramírez, Susana; Besser, Martin; Pavía, José; Gomollón, Fernando; Liumbruno, Giancarlo M.; Bhandari, Sunil; Cladellas, Mercé; Shander, Aryeh; Auerbach, Michael

    2017-01-01

    The prevention and treatment of iron deficiency is a major public health goal. Challenges in the treatment of iron deficiency include finding and addressing the underlying cause and the selection of an iron replacement product which meets the needs of the patient. However, there are a number of non-evidence-based misconceptions regarding the diagnosis and management of iron deficiency, with or without anaemia, as well as inconsistency of terminology and lack of clear guidance on clinical pathways. In particular, the pathogenesis of iron deficiency is still frequently not addressed and iron not replaced, with indiscriminate red cell transfusion used as a default therapy. In our experience, this imprudent practice continues to be endorsed by non-evidence-based misconceptions. The intent of the authors is to provide a consensus that effectively challenges these misconceptions, and to highlight evidence-based alternatives for appropriate management (referred to as key points). We believe that this approach to the management of iron deficiency may be beneficial for both patients and healthcare systems. We stress that this paper solely presents the Authors’ independent opinions. No pharmaceutical company funded or influenced the conception, development or writing of the manuscript. PMID:28880842

  2. Current misconceptions in diagnosis and management of iron deficiency.

    PubMed

    Muñoz, Manuel; Gómez-Ramírez, Susana; Besser, Martin; Pavía, José; Gomollón, Fernando; Liumbruno, Giancarlo M; Bhandari, Sunil; Cladellas, Mercé; Shander, Aryeh; Auerbach, Michael

    2017-09-01

    The prevention and treatment of iron deficiency is a major public health goal. Challenges in the treatment of iron deficiency include finding and addressing the underlying cause and the selection of an iron replacement product which meets the needs of the patient. However, there are a number of non-evidence-based misconceptions regarding the diagnosis and management of iron deficiency, with or without anaemia, as well as inconsistency of terminology and lack of clear guidance on clinical pathways. In particular, the pathogenesis of iron deficiency is still frequently not addressed and iron not replaced, with indiscriminate red cell transfusion used as a default therapy. In our experience, this imprudent practice continues to be endorsed by non-evidence-based misconceptions. The intent of the authors is to provide a consensus that effectively challenges these misconceptions, and to highlight evidence-based alternatives for appropriate management (referred to as key points). We believe that this approach to the management of iron deficiency may be beneficial for both patients and healthcare systems. We stress that this paper solely presents the Authors' independent opinions. No pharmaceutical company funded or influenced the conception, development or writing of the manuscript.

  3. Iron and Mechanisms of Emotional Behavior

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Jonghan; Wessling-Resnick, Marianne

    2014-01-01

    Iron is required for appropriate behavioral organization. Iron deficiency results in poor brain myelination and impaired monoamine metabolism. Glutamate and GABA homeostasis is modified by changes in brain iron status. Such changes not only produce deficits in memory/learning capacity and motor skills, but also emotional and psychological problems. An accumulating body of evidence indicates that both energy metabolism and neurotransmitter homeostasis influence emotional behavior, and both functions are influenced by brain iron status. Like other neurobehavioral aspects, the influence of iron metabolism on mechanisms of emotional behavior are multifactorial: brain region-specific control of behavior, regulation of neurotransmitters and associated proteins, temporal and regional differences in iron requirements, oxidative stress responses to excess iron, sex differences in metabolism, and interactions between iron and other metals. To better understand the role that brain iron plays in emotional behavior and mental health, this review discusses the pathologies associated with anxiety and other emotional disorders with respect to body iron status. PMID:25154570

  4. Iron plaque formation and morphoanatomy of roots from species of restinga subjected to excess iron.

    PubMed

    Siqueira-Silva, Advanio Inácio; da Silva, Luzimar Campos; Azevedo, Aristéa Alves; Oliva, Marco Antonio

    2012-04-01

    The restingas, a sandy coastal plain ecosystem of Brazil, have received an additional amount of iron due to the activity of mining industries. The present study aims to characterize morphoanatomically and histochemically the iron plaque formation on roots of Ipomoea pes-caprae L. and Canavalia rosea DC, cultivated in hydroponic solution with and without excess iron. The iron plaque formation as well as changes in the external morphology of the lateral roots of both species were observed after the subjection to excess iron. Changes in the nutrient uptake, and in the organization and form of the pericycle and cortex cells were observed for both species. Scanning electron microscopy showed evident iron plaques on the whole surface of the root. The iron was histolocalized in all root tissues of both species. The species of restinga studied here formed iron plaque in their roots when exposed to excess of this element, which may compromise their development in environments polluted by particulated iron. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Iron deficiency and cognitive functions.

    PubMed

    Jáuregui-Lobera, Ignacio

    2014-01-01

    Micronutrient deficiencies, especially those related to iodine and iron, are linked to different cognitive impairments, as well as to potential long-term behavioral changes. Among the cognitive impairments caused by iron deficiency, those referring to attention span, intelligence, and sensory perception functions are mainly cited, as well as those associated with emotions and behavior, often directly related to the presence of iron deficiency anemia. In addition, iron deficiency without anemia may cause cognitive disturbances. At present, the prevalence of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia is 2%-6% among European children. Given the importance of iron deficiency relative to proper cognitive development and the alterations that can persist through adulthood as a result of this deficiency, the objective of this study was to review the current state of knowledge about this health problem. The relevance of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia, the distinction between the cognitive consequences of iron deficiency and those affecting specifically cognitive development, and the debate about the utility of iron supplements are the most relevant and controversial topics. Despite there being methodological differences among studies, there is some evidence that iron supplementation improves cognitive functions. Nevertheless, this must be confirmed by means of adequate follow-up studies among different groups.

  6. When Less is More: Novel Mechanisms of Iron Conservation

    PubMed Central

    Bayeva, Marina; Chang, Hsiang-Chun; Wu, Rongxue; Ardehali, Hossein

    2016-01-01

    Disorders of iron homeostasis are very common, yet the molecular mechanisms of iron regulation remain understudied. Over 20 years have passed since the first characterization of iron regulatory proteins (IRP) as mediators of cellular iron deficiency response in mammals through iron acquisition. However, little is known about other mechanisms necessary for adaptation to low-iron states. In this review we present recent evidence that establishes existence of a new iron regulatory pathway aimed at iron conservation and optimization of iron use through suppression of non-essential iron-consuming processes. Moreover, we discuss the possible links between iron homeostasis and energy metabolism uncovered by studies of iron deficiency response. PMID:23948590

  7. Sequestration and Scavenging of Iron in Infection

    PubMed Central

    Parrow, Nermi L.; Fleming, Robert E.

    2013-01-01

    The proliferative capability of many invasive pathogens is limited by the bioavailability of iron. Pathogens have thus developed strategies to obtain iron from their host organisms. In turn, host defense strategies have evolved to sequester iron from invasive pathogens. This review explores the mechanisms employed by bacterial pathogens to gain access to host iron sources, the role of iron in bacterial virulence, and iron-related genes required for the establishment or maintenance of infection. Host defenses to limit iron availability for bacterial growth during the acute-phase response and the consequences of iron overload conditions on susceptibility to bacterial infection are also examined. The evidence summarized herein demonstrates the importance of iron bioavailability in influencing the risk of infection and the ability of the host to clear the pathogen. PMID:23836822

  8. Advanced interatrial block and ischemic stroke: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.

    PubMed

    O'Neal, Wesley T; Kamel, Hooman; Zhang, Zhu-Ming; Chen, Lin Y; Alonso, Alvaro; Soliman, Elsayed Z

    2016-07-26

    Given that recent reports have suggested left atrial disease to be an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke, we sought to examine if advanced interatrial block (aIAB) is an independent stroke risk factor. We examined the association between aIAB and incident ischemic stroke in 14,716 participants (mean age 54 ± 5.8 years; 55% female; 26% black) from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC). Cases of aIAB were identified from digital ECGs recorded during the baseline ARIC visit (1987-1989) and the first 3 follow-up study visits (1990-1992, 1993-1995, and 1996-1998). Adjudicated ischemic stroke events were ascertained through December 31, 2010. There were 266 (1.8%) participants who had evidence of aIAB. Over a median follow-up of 22 years, 916 (6.2%) ischemic stroke events were detected. The incidence rate (per 1,000 person-years) of ischemic stroke among those with aIAB (incidence rate 8.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.7, 11.4) was more than twice the rate in those without aIAB (incidence rate 3.14, 95% CI 2.94, 3.35). In a multivariable Cox regression analysis adjusted for stroke risk factors and potential confounders, aIAB was associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke (hazard ratio 1.63, 95% CI 1.13, 2.34). The results were consistent across subgroups of participants stratified by age, sex, and race. In the ARIC, aIAB was associated with incident ischemic stroke, which strengthens the hypothesis that left atrial disease should be considered an independent stroke risk factor. © 2016 American Academy of Neurology.

  9. Mobilization of Iron by Plant-Borne Coumarins.

    PubMed

    Tsai, Huei Hsuan; Schmidt, Wolfgang

    2017-06-01

    Iron is one of the most abundant elements in soils, but its low phytoavailability at high pH restricts plant communities on alkaline soils to taxa that have evolved efficient strategies to increase iron solubility. Recent evidence provides support for a previously underestimated role of root-secreted coumarins in mobilizing iron through reduction and chelation as part of an orchestrated strategy evolved to improve the acquisition of iron from recalcitrant pools. Understanding the mechanisms that tune the production of iron-mobilizing coumarins and their intricate interplay with other biosynthesis pathways could yield clues for deciphering the molecular basis of 'iron efficiency' - the ability of plants to thrive on soils with limited iron availability - and may open avenues for generating iron-fortified crops. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Molecular Mediators Governing Iron-Copper Interactions

    PubMed Central

    Gulec, Sukru; Collins, James F.

    2015-01-01

    Given their similar physiochemical properties, it is a logical postulate that iron and copper metabolism are intertwined. Indeed, iron-copper interactions were first documented over a century ago, but the homeostatic effects of one on the other has not been elucidated at a molecular level to date. Recent experimental work has, however, begun to provide mechanistic insight into how copper influences iron metabolism. During iron deficiency, elevated copper levels are observed in the intestinal mucosa, liver, and blood. Copper accumulation and/or redistribution within enterocytes may influence iron transport, and high hepatic copper may enhance biosynthesis of a circulating ferroxidase, which potentiates iron release from stores. Moreover, emerging evidence has documented direct effects of copper on the expression and activity of the iron-regulatory hormone hepcidin. This review summarizes current experimental work in this field, with a focus on molecular aspects of iron-copper interplay and how these interactions relate to various disease states. PMID:24995690

  11. Dietary strategies for improving iron status: balancing safety and efficacy

    PubMed Central

    Mendoza, Yery A.; Pereira, Dora; Cerami, Carla; Wegmuller, Rita; Constable, Anne; Spieldenner, Jörg

    2017-01-01

    In light of evidence that high-dose iron supplements lead to a range of adverse events in low-income settings, the safety and efficacy of lower doses of iron provided through biological or industrial fortification of foodstuffs is reviewed. First, strategies for point-of-manufacture chemical fortification are compared with biofortification achieved through plant breeding. Recent insights into the mechanisms of human iron absorption and regulation, the mechanisms by which iron can promote malaria and bacterial infections, and the role of iron in modifying the gut microbiota are summarized. There is strong evidence that supplemental iron given in nonphysiological amounts can increase the risk of bacterial and protozoal infections (especially malaria), but the use of lower quantities of iron provided within a food matrix, ie, fortified food, should be safer in most cases and represents a more logical strategy for a sustained reduction of the risk of deficiency by providing the best balance of risk and benefits. Further research into iron compounds that would minimize the availability of unabsorbed iron to the gut microbiota is warranted. PMID:27974599

  12. Iron deficiency and anemia in heart failure.

    PubMed

    Çavuşoğlu, Yüksel; Altay, Hakan; Çetiner, Mustafa; Güvenç, Tolga Sinan; Temizhan, Ahmet; Ural, Dilek; Yeşilbursa, Dilek; Yıldırım, Nesligül; Yılmaz, Mehmet Birhan

    2017-03-01

    Heart failure is an important community health problem. Prevalence and incidence of heart failure have continued to rise over the years. Despite recent advances in heart failure therapy, prognosis is still poor, rehospitalization rate is very high, and quality of life is worse. Co-morbidities in heart failure have negative impact on clinical course of the disease, further impair prognosis, and add difficulties to treatment of clinical picture. Therefore, successful management of co-morbidities is strongly recommended in addition to conventional therapy for heart failure. One of the most common co-morbidities in heart failure is presence of iron deficiency and anemia. Current evidence suggests that iron deficiency and anemia are more prevalent in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction, as well as those with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction. Moreover, iron deficiency and anemia are referred to as independent predictors for poor prognosis in heart failure. There is strong relationship between iron deficiency or anemia and severity of clinical status of heart failure. Over the last two decades, many clinical investigations have been conducted on clinical effectiveness of treatment of iron deficiency or anemia with oral iron, intravenous iron, and erythropoietin therapies. Studies with oral iron and erythropoietin therapies did not provide any clinical benefit and, in fact, these therapies have been shown to be associated with increase in adverse clinical outcomes. However, clinical trials in patients with iron deficiency in the presence or absence of anemia have demonstrated considerable clinical benefits of intravenous iron therapy, and based on these positive outcomes, iron deficiency has become target of therapy in management of heart failure. The present report assesses current approaches to iron deficiency and anemia in heart failure in light of recent evidence.

  13. Treatment for women with postpartum iron deficiency anaemia.

    PubMed

    Markova, Veronika; Norgaard, Astrid; Jørgensen, Karsten Juhl; Langhoff-Roos, Jens

    2015-08-13

    studies with small sample sizes. No analysis of our primary outcomes contained more than two studies.Intravenous iron was compared to oral iron in 10 studies (1553 women). Fatigue was reported in two studies and improved significantly favouring the intravenously treated group in one of the studies. Other anaemia symptoms were not reported. One woman died from cardiomyopathy (risk ratio (RR) 2.95; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.12 to 71.96; two studies; one event; 374 women; low quality evidence). One woman developed arrhythmia. Both cardiac complications occurred in the intravenously treated group. Allergic reactions occurred in three women treated with intravenous iron, not statistically significant (average RR 2.78; 95% CI 0.31 to 24.92; eight studies; 1454 women; I² = 0%; low quality evidence). Gastrointestinal events were less frequent in the intravenously treated group (average RR 0.31; 95% CI 0.20 to 0.47; eight studies; 169 events; 1307 women; I² = 0%; very low quality evidence).One study evaluated red blood cell transfusion versus non-intervention. General fatigue improved significantly more in the transfusion group at three days (MD -0.80; 95% CI -1.53 to -0.07; women 388; low quality evidence), but no difference between groups was seen at six weeks. Maternal mortality was not reported.The remaining comparisons evaluated oral iron (with or without other food substances) versus placebo (three studies), intravenous iron with oral iron versus oral iron (two studies) and erythropoietin (alone or combined with iron) versus placebo or iron (seven studies). These studies did not investigate fatigue. Maternal mortality was rarely reported. The body of evidence did not allow us to reach a clear conclusion regarding the efficacy of the interventions on postpartum iron deficiency anaemia. The quality of evidence was low.Clinical outcomes were rarely reported. Laboratory values may not be reliable indicators for efficacy, as they do not always correlate with clinical

  14. The Aging of Iron Man

    PubMed Central

    Ashraf, Azhaar; Clark, Maryam; So, Po-Wah

    2018-01-01

    Brain iron is tightly regulated by a multitude of proteins to ensure homeostasis. Iron dyshomeostasis has become a molecular signature associated with aging which is accompanied by progressive decline in cognitive processes. A common theme in neurodegenerative diseases where age is the major risk factor, iron dyshomeostasis coincides with neuroinflammation, abnormal protein aggregation, neurodegeneration, and neurobehavioral deficits. There is a great need to determine the mechanisms governing perturbations in iron metabolism, in particular to distinguish between physiological and pathological aging to generate fruitful therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of the present review is to focus on the age-related alterations in brain iron metabolism from a cellular and molecular biology perspective, alongside genetics, and neuroimaging aspects in man and rodent models, with respect to normal aging and neurodegeneration. In particular, the relationship between iron dyshomeostasis and neuroinflammation will be evaluated, as well as the effects of systemic iron overload on the brain. Based on the evidence discussed here, we suggest a synergistic use of iron-chelators and anti-inflammatories as putative anti-brain aging therapies to counteract pathological aging in neurodegenerative diseases. PMID:29593525

  15. Angiotensin II inhibits uptake of transferrin-bound iron but not non-transferrin-bound iron by cultured astrocytes.

    PubMed

    Huang, Suna; Du, Fang; Li, Lan; Liu, Yong; Liu, Yuhong; Zhang, Chao; Qian, Zhong Ming

    2014-06-01

    The existence of all components of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and the iron metabolism system, and the recent findings on the functions of angiotensin II (ANGII) in peripheral iron metabolism imply that ANGII might play a role in iron homeostasis by regulating expression of iron transport proteins in the brain. Here, we investigated effects of ANGII on uptake and release of iron as well as expression of cell iron transport proteins in cultured astrocytes. We demonstrated that ANGII could significantly inhibit transferrin-bound iron (Tf-Fe) uptake and iron release as well as the expression of transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1) and the iron exporter ferroportin 1 (Fpn1) in cultured astrocytes. This indicated that the inhibitory role of ANGII on Tf-Fe uptake and iron release is mediated by its negative effect on the expression of TfR1 and Fpn1. We also provided evidence that ANGII had no effect on divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) expression as well as non-transferrin-bound iron (NTBI) uptake in the cells. Our findings showed that ANGII has a role to affect expression of iron transport proteins in astrocytes in vitro and also suggested that ANGII might have a physiological function in brain iron homeostasis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Iron deficiency: new insights into diagnosis and treatment.

    PubMed

    Camaschella, Clara

    2015-01-01

    Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia are common conditions worldwide affecting especially children and young women. In developing countries, iron deficiency is caused by poor iron intake and/or parasitic infection, whereas vegetarian dietary choices, poor iron absorption, and chronic blood loss are common causes in high-income countries. Erythropoiesis stimulating agents can result in functional iron deficiency for erythropoiesis even when stores are iron-replete. Diagnosis of iron deficiency is straightforward, except when it occurs in the context of inflammatory disorders. Oral iron salts correct absolute iron deficiency in most patients, because low hepcidin levels facilitate iron absorption. Unfortunately frequent side effects limit oral iron efficacy. Intravenous iron is increasingly utilized, because currently available preparations allow rapid normalization of total body iron even with a single infusion and are effective also in functional iron deficiency and in iron deficiency associated with inflammatory disorders. The evidence is accumulating that these preparations are safe and effective. However, long-term safety issues of high doses of iron need to be further explored. © 2015 by The American Society of Hematology. All rights reserved.

  17. Hepatic Iron Overload and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Kew, Michael C.

    2014-01-01

    In recent years it has become increasingly evident that excess body iron may be complicated by the supervention of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) was the first condition in which hepatic iron overload was shown to predispose to the development of HCC. The inherited predisposition to excessive absorption of dietary iron in HH is almost always the result of homozygosity of the C282Y mutation of the HFE gene, which causes inappropriately low secretion of hepcidin. HCC develops in 8-10% of patients with HH and is responsible for approximately 45% of deaths in the HCC patients. Cirrhosis is almost always present when HCC is diagnosed. Dietary iron overload is a condition which occurs in rural-dwelling Black Africans in southern Africa as a result of the consumption, over time, of large volumes of alcohol home-brewed in iron containers and having, as a consequence, a high iron content. Iron loading of the liver results and may be complicated by malignant transformation of the liver (relative risk of approximately 10.0). Accompanying cirrhosis does occur but is less common than that in HH. The development of HCC as a consequence of increased dietary iron, and the fact that it may develop in the absence of cirrhosis, has been confirmed in an animal model. Drinking water with a high iron content might contribute to the high incidence of HCC in parts of Taiwan. The metabolic syndrome [obesity, insulin resistance type 2 (or diabetes mellitus type 2), non-alcoholic fatty liver or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis] has in recent years become a major public health problem in some resource-rich countries. A link between excess body iron and insulin resistance or the metabolic syndrome has become apparent. The metabolic syndrome may be complicated by the supervention of HCC, and recent evidence suggests that increased body iron may contribute to this complication. PMID:24804175

  18. Trace element analysis of extraterrestrial metal samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry: the standard solutions and digesting acids.

    PubMed

    Wang, Guiqin; Wu, Yangsiqian; Lin, Yangting

    2016-02-28

    Nearly 99% of the total content of extraterrestrial metals is composed of Fe and Ni, but with greatly variable trace element contents. The accuracy obtained in the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis of solutions of these samples can be significantly influenced by matrix contents, polyatomic ion interference, and the concentrations of external standard solutions. An ICP-MS instrument (X Series 2) was used to determine 30 standard solutions with different concentrations of trace elements, and different matrix contents. Based on these measurements, the matrix effects were determined. Three iron meteorites were dissolved separately in aqua regia and HNO3. Deviations due to variation of matrix contents in the external standard solutions were evaluated and the analysis results of the two digestion methods for iron meteorites were assessed. Our results show obvious deviations due to unmatched matrix contents in the external standard solutions. Furthermore, discrepancy in the measurement of some elements was found between the sample solutions prepared with aqua regia and HNO3, due to loss of chloride during sample preparation and/or incomplete digestion of highly siderophile elements in iron meteorites. An accurate ICP-MS analysis method for extraterrestrial metal samples has been established using external standard solutions with matched matrix contents and digesting the samples with HNO3 and aqua regia. Using the data from this work, the Mundrabilla iron meteorite previously classified as IAB-ung is reclassified as IAB-MG. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. Oncoidal granular iron formation in the Mesoarchaean Pongola Supergroup, southern Africa: Textural and geochemical evidence for biological activity during iron deposition.

    PubMed

    Smith, A J B; Beukes, N J; Gutzmer, J; Czaja, A D; Johnson, C M; Nhleko, N

    2017-11-01

    We document the discovery of the first granular iron formation (GIF) of Archaean age and present textural and geochemical results that suggest these formed through microbial iron oxidation. The GIF occurs in the Nconga Formation of the ca. 3.0-2.8 Ga Pongola Supergroup in South Africa and Swaziland. It is interbedded with oxide and silicate facies micritic iron formation (MIF). There is a strong textural control on iron mineralization in the GIF not observed in the associated MIF. The GIF is marked by oncoids with chert cores surrounded by magnetite and calcite rims. These rims show laminated domal textures, similar in appearance to microstromatolites. The GIF is enriched in silica and depleted in Fe relative to the interbedded MIF. Very low Al and trace element contents in the GIF indicate that chemically precipitated chert was reworked above wave base into granules in an environment devoid of siliciclastic input. Microbially mediated iron precipitation resulted in the formation of irregular, domal rims around the chert granules. During storm surges, oncoids were transported and deposited in deeper water environments. Textural features, along with positive δ 56 Fe values in magnetite, suggest that iron precipitation occurred through incomplete oxidation of hydrothermal Fe 2+ by iron-oxidizing bacteria. The initial Fe 3+ -oxyhydroxide precipitates were then post-depositionally transformed to magnetite. Comparison of the Fe isotope compositions of the oncoidal GIF with those reported for the interbedded deeper water iron formation (IF) illustrates that the Fe 2+ pathways and sources for these units were distinct. It is suggested that the deeper water IF was deposited from the evolved margin of a buoyant Fe 2+ aq -rich hydrothermal plume distal to its source. In contrast, oncolitic magnetite rims of chert granules were sourced from ambient Fe 2+ aq -depleted shallow ocean water beyond the plume. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Iron and malaria: a dangerous liaison?

    PubMed

    Moya-Alvarez, Violeta; Bodeau-Livinec, Florence; Cot, Michel

    2016-10-01

    Malaria increases the burden of anemia in low-income countries, where, according to 2012 data from the World Health Organization, 40% of children are anemic. Moreover, iron is a cofactor for Plasmodium falciparum development, raising fears that iron supplementation might be harmful in patients with P. falciparum infection. The primary objective of this narrative review is to describe current knowledge on the iron-malaria association, including recent findings and substantive qualitative results. Between 2012 and 2016 the MEDLINE database was searched for literature published about malaria and iron levels. Observational studies reported some protection of iron supplementation against malaria among iron-deficient children, while older clinical trials reported increased susceptibility to malaria among iron-supplemented children. However, iron supplements were not significantly associated with increased malaria risk in recent clinical trials or in a 2016 Cochrane review. Evidence of an iron-malaria association is limited by the following factors: the protective effect of control interventions, the limited follow-up of children, and the lack of homogenous iron indicators. The effects of previous health status and possible thresholds in iron levels should be investigated using a gold-standard combination of iron markers. Moreover, the benefits of iron supplementation require further evaluation. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  1. Oral versus intravenous iron therapy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and iron deficiency with and without anemia in Germany - a real-world evidence analysis.

    PubMed

    Stein, Jürgen; Haas, Jennifer Scarlet; Ong, Siew Hwa; Borchert, Kathrin; Hardt, Thomas; Lechat, Elmira; Nip, Kerry; Foerster, Douglas; Braun, Sebastian; Baumgart, Daniel C

    2018-01-01

    Iron-deficiency anemia and iron deficiency are common comorbidities associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) resulting in impaired quality of life and high health care costs. Intravenous iron has shown clinical benefit compared to oral iron therapy. This study aimed to compare health care outcomes and costs after oral vs intravenous iron treatment for IBD patients with iron deficiency or iron deficiency anemia (ID/A) in Germany. IBD patients with ID/A were identified by ICD-10-GM codes and newly commenced iron treatment via ATC codes in 2013 within the InGef (formerly Health Risk Institute) research claims database. Propensity score matching was performed to balance both treatment groups. Non-observable covariates were adjusted by applying the difference-in-differences (DID) approach. In 2013, 589 IBD patients with ID/A began oral and 442 intravenous iron treatment. After matching, 380 patients in each treatment group were analyzed. The intravenous group had fewer all-cause hospitalizations (37% vs 48%) and ID/A-related hospitalizations (5% vs 14%) than the oral iron group. The 1-year preobservation period comparison revealed significant health care cost differences between both groups. After adjusting for cost differences by DID method, total health care cost savings in the intravenous iron group were calculated to be €367. While higher expenditure for medication (€1,876) was observed in the intravenous iron group, the inpatient setting achieved most cost savings (€1,887). IBD patients receiving intravenous iron were less frequently hospitalized and incurred lower total health care costs compared to patients receiving oral iron. Higher expenditures for pharmaceuticals were compensated by cost savings in other domains.

  2. Reactivity of substituted benzotrichlorides toward granular iron, Cr(II), and an iron(II) porphyrin: A correlation analysis.

    PubMed

    Kohn, Tamar; Arnold, William A; Roberts, A Lynn

    2006-07-01

    Cross-correlations of rate constants between a system of interest and a better-defined one have become popular as a tool in studying transformations of organic pollutants. A slope of unity (if the correlation is conducted on a log-log basis) in such plots has been invoked as evidence of a common mechanism. To explore this notion, benzotrichloride and several of its substituted analogues were reacted with Cr(H2O)6(2+), an iron(II) porphyrin (iron meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphine chloride, Fe(II)TCP), and granular iron. The first two reductants react with organohalides by dissociative inner sphere single-electron transfer, while mechanism(s) for organohalide reduction by granular iron are still debated. Apartfrom sterically hindered compounds, good correlations were obtained in comparing any two systems, although slopes (on a log-log basis) deviated from unity. We argue that a slope of unity is neither necessary nor sufficient evidence of a common mechanism. Overall rate constants may be composite entities, consisting in part of rate or equilibrium constants for adsorption onto surfaces or for precursor formation in solution; these components may differ between systems in their susceptibility to substituent effects. Cross-correlations may prove useful in predicting reactivity in the absence of steric effects, but additional evidence is required in deducing reaction mechanisms.

  3. Is There an Ironic Tone of Voice?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bryant, Gregory A.; Fox Tree, Jean E.

    2005-01-01

    Research on nonverbal vocal cues and verbal irony has often relied on the concept of an "ironic tone of voice". Here we provide acoustic analysis and experimental evidence that this notion is oversimplified and misguided. Acoustic analyses of spontaneous ironic speech extracted from talk radio shows, both ambiguous and unambiguous in…

  4. Formation and characterization of iron-binding phosphorylated human-like collagen as a potential iron supplement.

    PubMed

    Deng, Jianjun; Chen, Fei; Fan, Daidi; Zhu, Chenhui; Ma, Xiaoxuan; Xue, Wenjiao

    2013-10-01

    Iron incorporated into food can induce precipitation and unwanted interaction with other components in food. Iron-binding proteins represent a possibility to avoid these problems and other side effects, as the iron is protected. However, there are several technical problems associated with protein-iron complex formation. In this paper, the iron-binding phosphorylated human-like collagen (Fe-G6P-HLC) was prepared under physiological conditions through phosphorylated modification. One molecule of Fe-G6P-HLC possesses about 24 atoms of Fe. Spectroscopy analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and equilibrium dialysis techniques were employed to investigate the characteristics of the Fe-G6P-HLC. The binding sites (nb) and apparent association constant (Kapp) between iron and phosphorylated HLC were measured at nb=23.7 and log Kapp=4.57, respectively. The amount of iron (Fe(2+) sulfate) binding to phosphorylated HLC was found to be a function of pH and phosphate content. In addition, the solubility and thermal stability of HLC were not significantly affected. The results should facilitate the utilization of HLC as a bioactive iron supplement in the food and medical industry and provide an important theoretical evidence for the application of HLC chelates. © 2013.

  5. The pupylation machinery is involved in iron homeostasis by targeting the iron storage protein ferritin.

    PubMed

    Küberl, Andreas; Polen, Tino; Bott, Michael

    2016-04-26

    The balance of sufficient iron supply and avoidance of iron toxicity by iron homeostasis is a prerequisite for cellular metabolism and growth. Here we provide evidence that, in Actinobacteria, pupylation plays a crucial role in this process. Pupylation is a posttranslational modification in which the prokaryotic ubiquitin-like protein Pup is covalently attached to a lysine residue in target proteins, thus resembling ubiquitination in eukaryotes. Pupylated proteins are recognized and unfolded by a dedicated AAA+ ATPase (Mycobacterium proteasomal AAA+ ATPase; ATPase forming ring-shaped complexes). In Mycobacteria, degradation of pupylated proteins by the proteasome serves as a protection mechanism against several stress conditions. Other bacterial genera capable of pupylation such as Corynebacterium lack a proteasome, and the fate of pupylated proteins is unknown. We discovered that Corynebacterium glutamicum mutants lacking components of the pupylation machinery show a strong growth defect under iron limitation, which was caused by the absence of pupylation and unfolding of the iron storage protein ferritin. Genetic and biochemical data support a model in which the pupylation machinery is responsible for iron release from ferritin independent of degradation.

  6. The pupylation machinery is involved in iron homeostasis by targeting the iron storage protein ferritin

    PubMed Central

    Küberl, Andreas; Polen, Tino; Bott, Michael

    2016-01-01

    The balance of sufficient iron supply and avoidance of iron toxicity by iron homeostasis is a prerequisite for cellular metabolism and growth. Here we provide evidence that, in Actinobacteria, pupylation plays a crucial role in this process. Pupylation is a posttranslational modification in which the prokaryotic ubiquitin-like protein Pup is covalently attached to a lysine residue in target proteins, thus resembling ubiquitination in eukaryotes. Pupylated proteins are recognized and unfolded by a dedicated AAA+ ATPase (Mycobacterium proteasomal AAA+ ATPase; ATPase forming ring-shaped complexes). In Mycobacteria, degradation of pupylated proteins by the proteasome serves as a protection mechanism against several stress conditions. Other bacterial genera capable of pupylation such as Corynebacterium lack a proteasome, and the fate of pupylated proteins is unknown. We discovered that Corynebacterium glutamicum mutants lacking components of the pupylation machinery show a strong growth defect under iron limitation, which was caused by the absence of pupylation and unfolding of the iron storage protein ferritin. Genetic and biochemical data support a model in which the pupylation machinery is responsible for iron release from ferritin independent of degradation. PMID:27078093

  7. Nickel-iron spherules from aouelloul glass

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Chao, E.C.T.; Dwornik, E.J.; Merrill, C.W.

    1966-01-01

    Nickel-iron spherules, ranging from less than 0.2 to 50 microns in diameter and containing 1.7 to 9.0 percent Ni by weight, occur in glass associated with the Aouelloul crater. They occur in discrete bands of siliceous glass enriched in dissolved iron. Their discovery is significant tangible evidence that both crater and glass originated from terrestrial impact.

  8. [The efficacy of phlebotomy with a low iron diet in the management of pulmonary iron overload].

    PubMed

    Fukuda, Tomoko; Kimura, Fumiaki; Watanabe, Yoichi; Yoshino, Tadasi; Kimura, Ikuro

    2003-05-01

    Numerous studies have shown that workers in ferriferous industries have an elevated risk of respiratory tract neoplasia and other airway diseases. Evidence is presented that iron is a carcinogenic and tissue toxic hazard as regarding the inhalation of ferriferous substances. Elimination of the inhaled iron and prevention from accumulation of iron in the lung seems to be very important. A 26-year-old man was admitted to our hospital complaining of right chest pain. He had worked as an arc welder for two years without a mask. A chest CT showed diffuse ground glass opacity in the bilateral lung fields. A transbronchial lung biopsy specimen showed numerous alveolar and interstitial iron-laden macrophages. A 200 ml phlebotomy was carried out biweekly in combination with a low iron diet (8 mg/day). When serum ferritin reached 20 ng/ml, phlebotomy was stopped. After that, serum ferritin level was kept at around 20 ng/ml with the low iron diet alone. A transbronchial lung biopsy was carried out again 7 months later and the specimen showed remarkable reduction in the number of iron-laden alveolar and interstitial macrophages. Phlebotomy in combination with a low iron diet might become a useful strategy in the management of pulmonary conditions associated with iron loading.

  9. Functional Significance of Iron Deficiency. Annual Nutrition Workshop Series, Volume III.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Enwonwu, Cyril O., Ed.

    Iron deficiency anemia impairs cognitive performance, physical capacity, and thermoregulation. Recent evidence suggests that these functional impairments are also evident in subclinical nonanemic iron deficiency. Very little is known about the relevance of the latter to the health of blacks, who have been shown to have the highest prevalence of…

  10. EGCG inhibit chemical reactivity of iron through forming an Ngal-EGCG-iron complex.

    PubMed

    Bao, Guan-Hu; Xu, Jie; Hu, Feng-Lin; Wan, Xiao-Chun; Deng, Shi-Xian; Barasch, Jonathan

    2013-12-01

    Accumulated evidence indicates that the interconversion of iron between ferric (Fe(3+)) and ferrous (Fe(2+)) can be realized through interaction with reactive oxygen species in the Fenton and Haber-Weiss reactions and thereby physiologically effects redox cycling. The imbalance of iron and ROS may eventually cause tissue damage such as renal proximal tubule injury and necrosis. Many approaches were exploited to ameliorate the oxidative stress caused by the imbalance. (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate, the most active and most abundant catechin in tea, was found to be involved in the protection of a spectrum of renal injuries caused by oxidative stress. Most of studies suggested that EGCG works as an antioxidant. In this paper, Multivariate analysis of the LC-MS data of tea extracts and binding assays showed that the tea polyphenol EGCG can form stable complex with iron through the protein Ngal, a biomarker of acute kidney injury. UV-Vis and Luminescence spectrum methods showed that Ngal can inhibit the chemical reactivity of iron and EGCG through forming an Ngal-EGCG-iron complex. In thinking of the interaction of iron and ROS, we proposed that EGCG may work as both antioxidant and Ngal binding siderphore in protection of kidney from injuries.

  11. Aceruloplasminaemia with progressive atrophy without brain iron overload: treatment with oral chelation.

    PubMed

    Skidmore, F M; Drago, V; Foster, P; Schmalfuss, I M; Heilman, K M; Streiff, R R

    2008-04-01

    Hereditary aceruloplasminaemia is a disorder of iron metabolism that is characterised by iron accumulation in the brain and other visceral organs. In previously reported cases, individuals with the disorder were noted to have evidence of iron accumulation in the brain. Oral chelating agents have not been used in neurological diseases of iron metabolism. A 54-year-old woman who presented with ataxia, lower extremity spasticity and chorea was evaluated for evidence of the source of neurological dysfunction. Blood studies revealed no detectable ceruloplasmin. Marked iron overload was defined by a liver biopsy, which showed a variegated pattern consistent with a primary cause of iron overload. Review of MRI scans showed progressive brain atrophy without visible iron accumulation occurring over a 5-year period. The history suggested that neurodegeneration was coincident with aggressive oral iron replacement. Oral chelation improved many symptoms. Our findings in this patient suggest that disorders of iron transport such as aceruloplasminaemia can be a cause of neurological symptoms such as chorea and cognitive decline, as well as progressive neurodegeneration in the absence of visible iron on MRI scans. We found that oral iron chelation was effective at improving symptoms.

  12. Rusty Old Stars: A Source of the Missing Interstellar Iron

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-06-18

    et al. 2008). Iron is also de- pleted by >90% in the gas phase of planetary nebulae (Delgado Inglada et al. 2009). Direct evidence for iron...planetary nebulae ; as well as isotopic ratios in FeO grains in meteorites. While iron increases opacity in oxygen-rich winds, it remains unclear

  13. Iron overload in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

    PubMed

    Gattermann, Norbert

    2018-01-01

    Iron overload (IOL) starts to develop in MDS patients before they become transfusion-dependent because ineffective erythropoiesis suppresses hepcidin production in the liver and thus leads to unrestrained intestinal iron uptake. However, the most important cause of iron overload in MDS is chronic transfusion therapy. While transfusion dependency by itself is a negative prognostic factor reflecting poor bone marrow function, the ensuing transfusional iron overload has an additional dose-dependent negative impact on the survival of patients with lower risk MDS. Cardiac dysfunction appears to be important in this context, as a consequence of chronic anemia, age-related cardiac comorbidity, and iron overload. Another potential problem is iron-related endothelial dysfunction. There is some evidence that with increasing age, high circulating iron levels worsen the atherosclerotic phenotype. Transfusional IOL also appears to aggravate bone marrow failure in MDS, through unfavorable effects on mesenchymal stromal cells as well a hematopoietic cells, particularly erythroid precursors. Patient series and clinical trials have shown that the iron chelators deferoxamine and deferasirox can improve hematopoiesis in a minority of transfusion-dependent patients. Analyses of registry data suggest that iron chelation provides a survival benefit for patients with MDS, but data from a prospective randomized clinical trial are still lacking.

  14. Elimination of Iron Deficiency Anemia and Soil Transmitted Helminth Infection: Evidence from a Fifty-four Month Iron-Folic Acid and De-worming Program

    PubMed Central

    Casey, Gerard J.; Montresor, Antonio; Cavalli-Sforza, Luca T.; Thu, Hoang; Phu, Luong B.; Tinh, Ta T.; Tien, Nong T.; Phuc, Tran Q.; Biggs, Beverley-Ann

    2013-01-01

    Background Intermittent iron-folic acid supplementation and regular de-worming are effective initiatives to reduce anemia, iron deficiency, iron deficiency anemia, and soil transmitted helminth infections in women of reproductive age. However, few studies have assessed the long-term effectiveness of population-based interventions delivered in resource-constrained settings. Methodology/Principal Findings The objectives were to evaluate the impact of weekly iron-folic acid supplementation and de-worming on mean hemoglobin and the prevalence of anaemia, iron deficiency, and soil transmitted helminth infection in a rural population of women in northern Vietnam and to identify predictive factors for hematological outcomes. A prospective cohort design was used to evaluate a population-based supplementation and deworming program over 54 months. The 389 participants were enrolled just prior to commencement of the intervention. After 54 months 76% (95% CI [68%, 84%]) were taking the iron-folic acid supplement and 95% (95% CI [93%, 98%]) had taken the most recently distributed deworming treatment. Mean hemoglobin rose from 122 g/L (95% CI [120, 124]) to 131 g/L (95% CI [128, 134]) and anemia prevalence fell from 38% (95% CI [31%, 45%]) to 18% (95% CI [12%, 23%]); however, results differed significantly between ethnic groups. Iron deficiency fell from 23% (95% CI [17%, 29%]) to 8% (95% CI [4%, 12%]), while the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia was reduced to 4% (95% CI [1%, 7%]). The prevalence of hookworm infection was reduced from 76% (95% CI [68%, 83%]) to 11% (95% CI [5%, 18%]). The level of moderate or heavy infestation of any soil-transmitted helminth was reduced to less than 1%. Conclusions/Significance Population-based interventions can efficiently and effectively reduce anemia and practically eliminate iron deficiency anemia and moderate to heavy soil transmitted helminth infections, maintaining them below the level of public health concern. PMID:23593517

  15. Hereditary hemochromatosis, iron, hepcidin, and coronary heart disease.

    PubMed

    Mascitelli, Luca; Goldstein, Mark R

    2014-03-01

    Mounting evidence suggests that a state of sustained iron depletion may exert a primary protective action against coronary heart disease. A persistent criticism of the iron hypothesis has been that atherosclerosis may not be a prominent feature of hereditary hemochromatosis. The essence of this criticism is that iron cannot be a significant factor in atherogenesis in those unaffected by inherited iron overload unless an increase in atherosclerosis is observed in hereditary hemochromatosis. However, the emerging details of the physiology of hepcidin, the key hormone in iron recycling, suggest a resolution of the apparent paradox of an important role for iron in atherogenesis in the possible absence of increased plaque burden in most types of hereditary hemochromatosis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Oral versus intravenous iron therapy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and iron deficiency with and without anemia in Germany – a real-world evidence analysis

    PubMed Central

    Haas, Jennifer Scarlet; Ong, Siew Hwa; Borchert, Kathrin; Hardt, Thomas; Lechat, Elmira; Nip, Kerry; Foerster, Douglas; Braun, Sebastian; Baumgart, Daniel C

    2018-01-01

    Background Iron-deficiency anemia and iron deficiency are common comorbidities associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) resulting in impaired quality of life and high health care costs. Intravenous iron has shown clinical benefit compared to oral iron therapy. Aim This study aimed to compare health care outcomes and costs after oral vs intravenous iron treatment for IBD patients with iron deficiency or iron deficiency anemia (ID/A) in Germany. Methods IBD patients with ID/A were identified by ICD-10-GM codes and newly commenced iron treatment via ATC codes in 2013 within the InGef (formerly Health Risk Institute) research claims database. Propensity score matching was performed to balance both treatment groups. Non-observable covariates were adjusted by applying the difference-in-differences (DID) approach. Results In 2013, 589 IBD patients with ID/A began oral and 442 intravenous iron treatment. After matching, 380 patients in each treatment group were analyzed. The intravenous group had fewer all-cause hospitalizations (37% vs 48%) and ID/A-related hospitalizations (5% vs 14%) than the oral iron group. The 1-year preobservation period comparison revealed significant health care cost differences between both groups. After adjusting for cost differences by DID method, total health care cost savings in the intravenous iron group were calculated to be €367. While higher expenditure for medication (€1,876) was observed in the intravenous iron group, the inpatient setting achieved most cost savings (€1,887). Conclusion IBD patients receiving intravenous iron were less frequently hospitalized and incurred lower total health care costs compared to patients receiving oral iron. Higher expenditures for pharmaceuticals were compensated by cost savings in other domains. PMID:29440920

  17. Immune cell functions in iron overload.

    PubMed Central

    de Sousa, M

    1989-01-01

    A number of studies done in the last 10 years demonstrate the importance of iron in regulating the expression of T lymphoid cell surface markers, in influencing the expansion of different T cell subsets and in affecting different immune cell functions in vitro. It has been argued that some of the results obtained could be explained by the formation of iron polymers in the experimental conditions used in vitro (Soyano Fernandez & Romano, 1985). In this review the results of studies of immunological function in clinical situations of iron overload are analysed. From this analysis, it is concluded that the majority of the observations made in vitro have a counterpart in vivo, thus providing additional compelling evidence for the importance of iron as an immunoregulator. PMID:2649280

  18. Maternal iron – infection interactions and neonatal mortality, with an emphasis on developing countries

    PubMed Central

    Brabin, Loretta; Brabin, Bernard J.; Gies, Sabine

    2013-01-01

    Infection is a major cause of neonatal death in developing countries. We address the question whether host iron status affects maternal and/or neonatal infection risk, potentially contributing to neonatal death. We summarize the iron acquisition mechanisms described for pathogens causing stillbirth, preterm birth, and congenital infection. There is in vitro evidence that iron availability influences severity and chronicity of infections that cause these outcomes. The risk in vivo is unknown as relevant studies of maternal iron supplementation have not assessed infection risk. Reducing iron deficiency anemia among women is beneficial and should improve the iron stores of babies, but there is evidence that iron status in young children predicts malaria risk and possibly invasive bacterial diseases. Caution with maternal iron supplementation is indicated in iron-replete women who have high infection exposure, although distinguishing iron-replete and iron-deficient women is currently difficult. Further research is indicated to investigate infection risk in relation to iron status in mothers and babies in order to avoid iron intervention strategies that result in detrimental birth outcomes for some groups of women. PMID:23865798

  19. Mineral ecophysiological evidence for microbial activity in banded iron formation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Li, Dr. Yi-Liang; Konhauser, Dr, Kurt; Cole, David R

    2011-01-01

    The phosphorus composition of banded-iron formations (BIFs) has been used as a proxy for Precambrian seawater composition and the paleoeredox state of Earth's surface environment. However, it is unclear whether the phosphorus in BIFs originally entered the sediment as a sorbed component of the iron oxyhydroxide particles, or whether it was incorporated into the biomass of marine phytoplankton. We conducted high-resolution mineral analyses and report here the first detection of an Fe(III) acetate salt, as well as nanocrystals of apatite in association with magnetite, in the 2.48 Ga Dales Gorge Member of the Brockman Iron Formation (a BIF), Hamersley, Westernmore » Australia. The clusters of apatite are similar in size and morphology to biogenic apatite crystals resulting from biomass decay in Phanerozoic marine sediments, while the formation of an Fe(III) acetate salt and magnetite not only implies the original presence of biomass in the BIF sediments, but also that organic carbon likely served as an electron donor during bacterial Fe(III) reduction. This study is important because it suggests that phytoplankton may have played a key role in the transfer of phosphorus (and other trace elements) from the photic zone to the seafloor.« less

  20. Dysfunction of Iron Metabolism and Iron-Regulatory Proteins in the Rat Hippocampus After Heat Stroke.

    PubMed

    Liu, Jing; Wan, Shengming; Zhang, Yun; Zhang, Shu; Zhang, Hongying; Wu, Shiwen

    2018-05-11

    Heat stroke, the most serious type of heat illness, refers to the presence of hyperthermia (core temperature >40°C), accompanied by central nervous system dysfunction. The hippocampus is a particularly vulnerable region in the early stage of heat stroke. Increasing evidence suggests that dysregulation of brain iron metabolism is involved in many neurodegenerative diseases. However, whether heat stroke causes dysfunction of iron metabolism, as well as iron-regulatory proteins, in the hippocampus remains unknown. The present study was conducted to explore the effects on spatial learning and memory, as well as iron content, ferroportin 1 (Fpn1), and hepcidin expression in the hippocampus after heat stroke in rats. Compared with the Sham group, learning ability and memory declined in rats after heat stroke. Iron concentration was significantly increased in the hippocampus. Expression of Fpn1 protein significantly decreased in the hippocampus, while expression of hepcidin increased. Interestingly, Fpn1 mRNA expression in the hippocampus increased. Our data thereby indicate that heat stroke can decrease learning ability and memory in rats. The mechanism may be related to changes of iron levels, as well as Fpn1 and hepcidin expression, in the hippocampus. Furthermore, hepcidin may rapidly decrease cellular Fpn1 protein levels, even under conditions of iron loading, indicating that hepcidin is a more dominant regulator of Fpn1 than is iron.

  1. Role of brain iron accumulation in cognitive dysfunction: evidence from animal models and human studies.

    PubMed

    Schröder, Nadja; Figueiredo, Luciana Silva; de Lima, Maria Noêmia Martins

    2013-01-01

    Over the last decades, studies from our laboratory and other groups using animal models have shown that iron overload, resulting in iron accumulation in the brain, produces significant cognitive deficits. Iron accumulation in the hippocampus and the basal ganglia has been related to impairments in spatial memory, aversive memory, and recognition memory in rodents. These results are corroborated by studies showing that the administration of iron chelators attenuates cognitive deficits in a variety of animal models of cognitive dysfunction, including aging and Alzheimer's disease models. Remarkably, recent human studies using magnetic resonance image techniques have also shown a consistent correlation between cognitive dysfunction and iron deposition, mostly in the hippocampus, cortical areas, and basal ganglia. These findings may have relevant implications in the light of the knowledge that iron accumulates in brain regions of patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases. A better understanding of the functional consequences of iron dysregulation in aging and neurological diseases may help to identify novel targets for treating memory problems that afflict a growing aging population.

  2. Antioxidants Mediate Both Iron Homeostasis and Oxidative Stress.

    PubMed

    Imam, Mustapha Umar; Zhang, Shenshen; Ma, Jifei; Wang, Hao; Wang, Fudi

    2017-06-28

    Oxidative stress is a common denominator in the pathogenesis of many chronic diseases. Therefore, antioxidants are often used to protect cells and tissues and reverse oxidative damage. It is well known that iron metabolism underlies the dynamic interplay between oxidative stress and antioxidants in many pathophysiological processes. Both iron deficiency and iron overload can affect redox state, and these conditions can be restored to physiological conditions using iron supplementation and iron chelation, respectively. Similarly, the addition of antioxidants to these treatment regimens has been suggested as a viable therapeutic approach for attenuating tissue damage induced by oxidative stress. Notably, many bioactive plant-derived compounds have been shown to regulate both iron metabolism and redox state, possibly through interactive mechanisms. This review summarizes our current understanding of these mechanisms and discusses compelling preclinical evidence that bioactive plant-derived compounds can be both safe and effective for managing both iron deficiency and iron overload conditions.

  3. Antioxidants Mediate Both Iron Homeostasis and Oxidative Stress

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Shenshen; Ma, Jifei; Wang, Hao; Wang, Fudi

    2017-01-01

    Oxidative stress is a common denominator in the pathogenesis of many chronic diseases. Therefore, antioxidants are often used to protect cells and tissues and reverse oxidative damage. It is well known that iron metabolism underlies the dynamic interplay between oxidative stress and antioxidants in many pathophysiological processes. Both iron deficiency and iron overload can affect redox state, and these conditions can be restored to physiological conditions using iron supplementation and iron chelation, respectively. Similarly, the addition of antioxidants to these treatment regimens has been suggested as a viable therapeutic approach for attenuating tissue damage induced by oxidative stress. Notably, many bioactive plant-derived compounds have been shown to regulate both iron metabolism and redox state, possibly through interactive mechanisms. This review summarizes our current understanding of these mechanisms and discusses compelling preclinical evidence that bioactive plant-derived compounds can be both safe and effective for managing both iron deficiency and iron overload conditions. PMID:28657578

  4. Oral or parenteral iron supplementation to reduce deferral, iron deficiency and/or anaemia in blood donors.

    PubMed

    Smith, Graham A; Fisher, Sheila A; Doree, Carolyn; Di Angelantonio, Emanuele; Roberts, David J

    2014-07-03

    different doses of iron supplementation; one comparison of different treatment durations of iron supplementation; and 12 comparisons of different iron supplementation preparations.Many studies were of low or uncertain methodological quality and therefore at high or uncertain risk of bias. We therefore rated the quality of the evidence for our outcomes as moderate. There was a statistically significant reduction in deferral due to low haemoglobin in donors who received iron supplementation compared with donors who received no iron supplementation, both at the first donation visit after commencement of iron supplementation (risk ratio (RR) 0.34; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.21 to 0.55; four studies; 1194 participants; P value < 0.0001) and at subsequent donations (RR 0.25; 95% CI 0.15 to 0.41; three studies; 793 participants; P value < 0.00001). Supplementation also resulted in significantly higher haemoglobin levels (mean difference (MD) 2.36 g/L; 95% CI 0.06 to 4.66; eight studies; 847 participants, P value =0.04), and iron stores, including serum ferritin (MD 13.98 ng/mL; 95% CI 8.92 to 19.03; five studies; 640 participants; P value < 0.00001) and transferrin saturation (MD 3.91%; 95% CI 2.02 to 5.80; four studies; 344 participants; P value < 0.0001) prior to further donation. The differences were maintained after subsequent donation(s).Adverse effects were widely reported and were more frequent in donors who received iron supplementation (RR 1.60; 95% CI 1.23 to 2.07; four studies; 1748 participants; P value = 0.0005). Adverse effects included constipation, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and taste disturbances, and some participants stopped treatment due to side effects. There is moderate quality evidence that rates of donor deferral due to low haemoglobin are considerably less in those taking iron supplements compared with those without iron supplementation, both at the first donation visit and at subsequent donation. Iron-supplemented donors also show elevated

  5. Neurodegenerative disease and iron storage in the brain.

    PubMed

    Thomas, Madhavi; Jankovic, Joseph

    2004-08-01

    Iron is very important for normal regulation of various metabolic pathways. Neurons store iron in the form of ferrous ion or neuromelanin. In specific disorders the axonal transport of iron is impaired, leading to iron deposition which in the presence of reactive oxygen species results in neurodegeneration. Recent developments in genetics, including the finding of mutations in the pantothenate kinase gene and ferritin light chain gene, have demonstrated a direct relationship between the presence of a mutation in the iron-regulatory pathways and iron deposition in the brain resulting in neurodegeneration. These two disorders now add to our understanding of the mechanism of disease due to dysfunction of iron-regulatory pathways. In addition to these disorders there may be several other mutations of iron-regulatory genes or related genes that are yet to be found. The animal models of disease have also added value to this area. In this review we provide a summary of recent developments in the field of movement disorders with abnormalities in iron transport, and the current evidence in neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease.

  6. The Vimos VLT deep survey. Global properties of 20,000 galaxies in the IAB < 22.5 WIDE survey

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garilli, B.; Le Fèvre, O.; Guzzo, L.; Maccagni, D.; Le Brun, V.; de la Torre, S.; Meneux, B.; Tresse, L.; Franzetti, P.; Zamorani, G.; Zanichelli, A.; Gregorini, L.; Vergani, D.; Bottini, D.; Scaramella, R.; Scodeggio, M.; Vettolani, G.; Adami, C.; Arnouts, S.; Bardelli, S.; Bolzonella, M.; Cappi, A.; Charlot, S.; Ciliegi, P.; Contini, T.; Foucaud, S.; Gavignaud, I.; Ilbert, O.; Iovino, A.; Lamareille, F.; McCracken, H. J.; Marano, B.; Marinoni, C.; Mazure, A.; Merighi, R.; Paltani, S.; Pellò, R.; Pollo, A.; Pozzetti, L.; Radovich, M.; Zucca, E.; Blaizot, J.; Bongiorno, A.; Cucciati, O.; Mellier, Y.; Moreau, C.; Paioro, L.

    2008-08-01

    The VVDS-Wide survey has been designed to trace the large-scale distribution of galaxies at z ~ 1 on comoving scales reaching ~100~h-1 Mpc, while providing a good control of cosmic variance over areas as large as a few square degrees. This is achieved by measuring redshifts with VIMOS at the ESO VLT to a limiting magnitude IAB = 22.5, targeting four independent fields with sizes of up to 4 deg2 each. We discuss the survey strategy which covers 8.6 deg2 and present the general properties of the current redshift sample. This includes 32 734 spectra in the four regions, covering a total area of 6.1 deg2 with a sampling rate of 22 to 24%. This paper accompanies the public release of the first 18 143 redshifts of the VVDS-Wide survey from the 4 deg2 contiguous area of the F22 field at RA = 22^h. We have devised and tested an objective method to assess the quality of each spectrum, providing a compact figure-of-merit. This is particularly effective in the case of long-lasting spectroscopic surveys with varying observing conditions. Our figure of merit is a measure of the robustness of the redshift measurement and, most importantly, can be used to select galaxies with uniform high-quality spectra to carry out reliable measurements of spectral features. We also use the data available over the four independent regions to directly measure the variance in galaxy counts. We compare it with general predictions from the observed galaxy two-point correlation function at different redshifts and with that measured in mock galaxy surveys built from the Millennium simulation. The purely magnitude-limited VVDS Wide sample includes 19 977 galaxies, 304 type I AGNs, and 9913 stars. The redshift success rate is above 90% independent of magnitude. A cone diagram of the galaxy spatial distribution provides us with the current largest overview of large-scale structure up to z ~ 1, showing a rich texture of over- and under-dense regions. We give the mean N(z) distribution averaged over 6

  7. Evidence for mechanical and chemical alteration of iron-nickel meteorites on Mars: Process insights for Meridiani Planum

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ashley, James W.; Golombek, M.P.; Christensen, P.R.; Squyres, S. W.; McCoy, T.J.; Schroder, C.; Fleischer, I.; Johnson, J. R.; Herkenhoff, K. E.; Parker, T.J.

    2011-01-01

    The weathering of meteorites found on Mars involves chemical and physical processes that can provide clues to climate conditions at the location of their discovery. Beginning on sol 1961, the Opportunity rover encountered three large iron meteorites within a few hundred meters of each other. In order of discovery, these rocks have been assigned the unofficial names Block Island, Shelter Island, and Mackinac Island. Each rock presents a unique but complimentary set of features that increase our understanding of weathering processes at Meridiani Planum. Significant morphologic characteristics interpretable as weathering features include (1) a large pit in Block Island, lined with delicate iron protrusions suggestive of inclusion removal by corrosive interaction; (2) differentially eroded kamacite and taenite lamellae in Block Island and Shelter Island, providing relative timing through crosscutting relationships with deposition of (3) an iron oxide-rich dark coating; (4) regmaglypted surfaces testifying to regions of minimal surface modification, with other regions in the same meteorites exhibiting (5) large-scale, cavernous weathering (in Shelter Island and Mackinac Island). We conclude that the current size of the rocks is approximate to their original postfall contours. Their morphology thus likely results from a combination of atmospheric interaction and postfall weathering effects. Among our specific findings is evidence supporting (1) at least one possible episode of aqueous acidic exposure for Block Island; (2) ripple migration over portions of the meteorites; (3) a minimum of two separate episodes of wind abrasion; alternating with (4) at least one episode of coating-forming chemical alteration, most likely at subzero temperatures. Copyright 2011 by the American Geophysical Union.

  8. Iron homeostasis and toxicity in retinal degeneration.

    PubMed

    He, Xining; Hahn, Paul; Iacovelli, Jared; Wong, Robert; King, Chih; Bhisitkul, Robert; Massaro-Giordano, Mina; Dunaief, Joshua L

    2007-11-01

    Iron is essential for many metabolic processes but can also cause damage. As a potent generator of hydroxyl radical, the most reactive of the free radicals, iron can cause considerable oxidative stress. Since iron is absorbed through diet but not excreted except through menstruation, total body iron levels buildup with age. Macular iron levels increase with age, in both men and women. This iron has the potential to contribute to retinal degeneration. Here we present an overview of the evidence suggesting that iron may contribute to retinal degenerations. Intraocular iron foreign bodies cause retinal degeneration. Retinal iron buildup resulting from hereditary iron homeostasis disorders aceruloplasminemia, Friedreich's ataxia, and panthothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration cause retinal degeneration. Mice with targeted mutation of the iron exporter ceruloplasmin have age-dependent retinal iron overload and a resulting retinal degeneration with features of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Post mortem retinas from patients with AMD have more iron and the iron carrier transferrin than age-matched controls. Over the past 10 years much has been learned about the intricate network of proteins involved in iron handling. Many of these, including transferrin, transferrin receptor, divalent metal transporter-1, ferritin, ferroportin, ceruloplasmin, hephaestin, iron-regulatory protein, and histocompatibility leukocyte antigen class I-like protein involved in iron homeostasis (HFE) have been found in the retina. Some of these proteins have been found in the cornea and lens as well. Levels of the iron carrier transferrin are high in the aqueous and vitreous humors. The functions of these proteins in other tissues, combined with studies on cultured ocular tissues, genetically engineered mice, and eye exams on patients with hereditary iron diseases provide clues regarding their ocular functions. Iron may play a role in a broad range of ocular diseases, including

  9. Iron homeostasis and toxicity in retinal degeneration

    PubMed Central

    He, Xining; Hahn, Paul; Iacovelli, Jared; Wong, Robert; King, Chih; Bhisitkul, Robert; Massaro-Giordano, Mina; Dunaief, Joshua L.

    2007-01-01

    Iron is essential for many metabolic processes but can also cause damage. As a potent generator of hydroxyl radical, the most reactive of the free radicals, iron can cause considerable oxidative stress. Since iron is absorbed through diet but not excreted except through menstruation, total body iron levels build up with age. Macular iron levels increase with age, in both men and women. This iron has the potential to contribute to retinal degeneration. Here we present an overview of the evidence suggesting that iron may contribute to retinal degenerations. Intraocular iron foreign bodies cause retinal degeneration. Retinal iron buildup resulting from hereditary iron homeostasis disorders aceruloplasminemia, Friedreich’s Ataxia, and panthothenate kinase associated neurodegeneration cause retinal degeneration. Mice with targeted mutation of the iron exporter ceruloplasmin have age-dependent retinal iron overload and a resulting retinal degeneration with features of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Post mortem retinas from patients with AMD have more iron and the iron carrier transferrin than age- matched controls. Over the past ten years much has been learned about the intricate network of proteins involved in iron handling. Many of these, including transferrin, transferrin receptor, divalent metal transporter 1, ferritin, ferroportin, ceruloplasmin, hephaestin, iron regulatory protein, and histocompatibility leukocyte antigen class I-like protein involved in iron homeostasis (HFE) have been found in the retina. Some of these proteins have been found in the cornea and lens as well. Levels of the iron carrier transferrin are high in the aqueous and vitreous humors. The functions of these proteins in other tissues, combined with studies on cultured ocular tissues, genetically engineered mice, and eye exams on patients with hereditary iron diseases provide clues regarding their ocular functions. Iron may play a role in a broad range of ocular diseases, including

  10. Oxygen Activation at Mononuclear Nonheme Iron Centers: A Superoxo Perspective

    PubMed Central

    Mukherjee, Anusree; Cranswick, Matthew A.; Chakraborti, Mrinmoy; Paine, Tapan K.; Fujisawa, Kiyoshi; Münck, Eckard; Que, Lawrence

    2010-01-01

    Dioxygen activation by iron enzymes is responsible for many metabolically important transformations in biology. Often a high-valent iron-oxo oxidant is proposed to form upon dioxygen activation at a mononuclear nonheme iron center, presumably via intervening iron-superoxo and iron-peroxo species. While iron(IV)-oxo intermediates have been trapped and characterized in enzymes and models, less is known of the putative iron(III)-superoxo species. Utilizing a synthetic model for the 2-oxoglutarate-dependent monoiron enzymes, [(TpiPr2)FeII(O2CC(O)CH3)], we have obtained indirect evidence for the formation of the putative iron(III)-superoxo species, which can undergo one-electron reduction, hydrogen-atom transfer, or conversion to an iron(IV)-oxo species, depending on the reaction conditions. These results demonstrate the various roles the iron(III)-superoxo species can play in the course of dioxygen activation at a nonheme iron center. PMID:20380464

  11. Oxygen activation at mononuclear nonheme iron centers: a superoxo perspective.

    PubMed

    Mukherjee, Anusree; Cranswick, Matthew A; Chakrabarti, Mrinmoy; Paine, Tapan K; Fujisawa, Kiyoshi; Münck, Eckard; Que, Lawrence

    2010-04-19

    Dioxygen (O(2)) activation by iron enzymes is responsible for many metabolically important transformations in biology. Often a high-valent iron oxo oxidant is proposed to form upon O(2) activation at a mononuclear nonheme iron center, presumably via intervening iron superoxo and iron peroxo species. While iron(IV) oxo intermediates have been trapped and characterized in enzymes and models, less is known of the putative iron(III) superoxo species. Utilizing a synthetic model for the 2-oxoglutarate-dependent monoiron enzymes, [(Tp(iPr2))Fe(II)(O(2)CC(O)CH(3))], we have obtained indirect evidence for the formation of the putative iron(III) superoxo species, which can undergo one-electron reduction, hydrogen-atom transfer, or conversion to an iron(IV) oxo species, depending on the reaction conditions. These results demonstrate the various roles that the iron(III) superoxo species can play in the course of O(2) activation at a nonheme iron center.

  12. Towards Holistic Heart Failure Management-How to Tackle the Iron Deficiency Epidemic?

    PubMed

    Van Aelst, Lucas N L; Mazure, Dominiek; Cohen-Solal, Alain

    2017-08-01

    Heart failure (HF) is a common, costly, disabling, and deadly clinical syndrome and often associated with one or several co-morbidities complicating its treatment or worsening its symptoms. During the last decade, iron deficiency (ID) got recognized as a frequent, debilitating yet easily treatable co-morbidity in HF. In this review, we focus on new evidence that emerged during the last 5 years and discuss the epidemiology, the causes, and the clinical consequences of ID in HF. Apart from replenishing iron stores, intravenous iron improves patients' symptoms, perceived quality of life (QoL), exercise capacity, and hospitalization rates. These beneficial effects cannot be attributed to oral iron, as increased hepcidin levels, typical in inflammatory states such as HF, preclude resorption of iron from the gut. Intravenous iron is the only valid treatment option for ID in HF. However, there are several burning research questions and gaps in evidence remaining in this research field.

  13. Deficient dietary iron intakes among women and children in Russia: evidence from the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey.

    PubMed Central

    Kohlmeier, L; Mendez, M; Shalnova, S; Martinchik, A; Chakraborty, H; Kohlmeier, M

    1998-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the iron sufficiency of the Russian diet. METHODS: Data were obtained from 24-hour dietary recalls conducted in 4 rounds (1992 through 1994) of a nationally representative longitudinal survey of 10,548 women and children. Iron bioavailability was estimated via algorithms adjusting for enhancers (heme, vitamin C) and inhibitors (tannins in tea, phytates in grains) consumed at the same meal. RESULTS: Dietary iron intakes were deficient in the most vulnerable groups: young children and women of reproductive age. Poverty status was strongly associated with deficiency. After adjustment for enhancers and inhibitors, estimated bioavailable iron intakes at 3% to 4% of total iron were inadequate in all women and children. CONCLUSIONS: These dietary data suggest that Russian women and children are at high risk of iron deficiency. Grain products rich in phytates, which inhibit absorption, were the major food source of iron in Russia. High intakes of tea and low consumption of vitamin C also inhibited iron bioavailability. Since changes in eating behavior could potentially double iron bioavailability, educational programs should be explored as a strategy for improving iron nutriture. PMID:9550997

  14. Iron deficiency and heart failure: diagnostic dilemmas and therapeutic perspectives

    PubMed Central

    Jankowska, Ewa A.; von Haehling, Stephan; Anker, Stefan D.; Macdougall, Iain C.; Ponikowski, Piotr

    2013-01-01

    Iron is a micronutrient essential for cellular energy and metabolism, necessary for maintaining body homoeostasis. Iron deficiency is an important co-morbidity in patients with heart failure (HF). A major factor in the pathogenesis of anaemia, it is also a separate condition with serious clinical consequences (e.g. impaired exercise capacity) and poor prognosis in HF patients. Experimental evidence suggests that iron therapy in iron-deficient animals may activate molecular pathways that can be cardio-protective. Clinical studies have demonstrated favourable effects of i.v. iron on the functional status, quality of life, and exercise capacity in HF patients. It is hypothesized that i.v. iron supplementation may become a novel therapy in HF patients with iron deficiency. PMID:23100285

  15. Sedimentary particulate iron: the missing micronutrients ?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beghoura, Houda; Gorgues, Thomas; Aumont, Olivier; Planquette, Hélène

    2017-04-01

    Iron is known to regulate the marine primary production and to impact the structure of ecosystems. Indeed, iron is the limiting nutrient for the phytoplankton growth over about 30% of the global ocean. However, the nature of the external sources of iron to the ocean and their quantification remain uncertain. Among these external sources, the sediment sources have been recently shown to be underestimated. Besides, since the operationally defined dissolved iron (which is the sum of truly dissolved and colloidal iron) was traditionally assumed to be the only form available to phytoplankton and bacteria, most studies have focused on the supply of dissolved iron to the ocean, the role of the particulate fraction of iron being largely ignored. This traditional view has been recently challenged, noticeably, by observational evidences. Indeed, in situ observations have shown that large amounts of particulate iron are being resuspended from continental margins to the open ocean thanks to fine grained particles' transport over long distances. A fraction of this particulate iron may dissolve and thereby fuel the phytoplankton growth. The magnitude of the sedimentary sources of particulate iron and the releasing processes affecting this iron phase are not yet well constrained or quantified. As a consequence, the role of sedimentary particulate iron in the biogeochemical cycles is still unclear despite its potentially major widespread importance. Here, we propose a modeling exercise to assess the first order impacts of this newly considered particulate sedimentary iron on global ocean biogeochemistry. We designed global experiments with a coupled dynamical-biogeochemical model (NEMO-PISCES). First, a control simulation that includes only a sediment source of iron in the dissolved phase has been run. Then, this control simulation is being compared with simulations, in which we include a sediment source of iron in both phases (dissolved as well as particulate). Those latter

  16. Reduced risk for placental malaria in iron deficient women

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Nutritional iron deficiency may limit iron availability to the malaria parasite reducing infection risk, and/or impair host immunity thereby increasing this risk. In pregnant women, there is evidence of an adverse effect with iron supplementation, but the few reported studies are strongly confounded. Methods A case control study in pregnant Malawian women was undertaken in Chikhwawa southern Malawi in order to describe iron status in relation to placental malaria controlling for several confounding factors. Pregnancy characteristics were obtained and a blood sample at delivery. A full blood count was performed and serum ferritin and transferrin receptor quantified by enzyme-linked immunoassay. DNA analysis was used to identify genetic polymorphisms for ABO phenotype, hemoglobin HbS, and glucose -6 phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. Placental tissue was obtained and malaria histology classified as active, past or no malaria infection. Results 112 cases with placental malaria were identified and 110 women with no evidence of placental infection. Iron deficiency was less frequent in women with placental Plasmodium falciparum infection. In those with acute, chronic or past placental infections the odds ratio for iron deficiency was 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.8, p = 0.01; for acute and chronic infections 0.4, 0.2-0.8, p = 0.006; for acute infection 0.3, 0.1-0.7, p = 0.001. The association was greater in multigravidae. Conclusion Women with either acute, or acute and chronic placental malaria were less likely to have iron deficiency than women without placental malaria infection There is a priority to establish if reversing iron deficiency through iron supplementation programs either prior to or during pregnancy enhances malaria risk. PMID:21345193

  17. A Nitrogen-concentrated Phase in IA Iron Meteorite Acid Residue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hashizume, K.; Sugiura, N.

    1993-07-01

    Introduction: Iron meteorites are considered to have experienced a complex history, which is indicated by the variations in trace element chemistry (e.g., [1]). Among iron meteorite groups, the so called nonmagmatic groups, such as IAB, IIE, and IIICD, may have passed through different formation paths compared to others. Nitrogen isotopes can be a useful tool to understand the origin and formation processes of iron meteorites. Nikogen isotopes in a number of iron meteorites are measured [2,3], although trapping sites of nitrogen in iron meteorites are not yet clear. This is an important issue because nitrogen, a typical mobile element, may well reflect thermal history of their parent bodies (c.f., [4]). Generally, a major portion of nitrogen in iron meteorites is expected to be in a solid solution in Fe-Ni, especially in f.c.c. Fe-Ni (taenite). Franchi et al. [3] report that at least 25 to 35% of nitrogen in magmatic iron meteorites is in acid insoluble phases, however, not in those of non-magmatic meteorites. This result contradicts with the result [5] who report that a significant portion of nitrogen seems to be trapped in acid residues not only of magmatic meteorites but also of non- magmatic meteorites. To resolve the contradiction described above, and to identify the trapping site, we started measuring nitrogen isotopes in acid residues of iron metcorites. We report here preliminary results on acid residues of Canyon Diablo (IA). Procedures: Acid residues were prepared by Dr. J.-I. Matsuda and his colleagues. Different blocks of Canyon Diablo, "Can-1" and "Can-2" were treated by 14M HCl, 10M-HF + 1M-HCl, 1M-HCl, and by aqua regia, which destroyed Fe-Ni, sulfides, silicates, and shreibersite. Acid residues of these two blocks, "Can-1bn" and "Can-2b," yielded 0.102 wt% and 0.299 wt% of their original masses, respectively These residues seem to consist mostly of graphite No diamond was detected by powder X-ray analysis [6]. Preliminary Results: A predominant

  18. Ocean iron-fertilisation by volcanic ash

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Langmann, B.; Zaksek, K.; Hort, M. K.; Duggen, S.

    2009-12-01

    Marine primary productivity (MPP) can be limited by the availability of macro-nutrients like nitrate and phosphate. In so-called ‘High-Nutrient-Low-Chlorophyll’ (HNLC) areas, macro-nutrient concentrations are high, but iron is the key biologically limiting micro-nutrient for primary production. Three major sources for iron supply into the ocean have been considered so far: upwelling of deep ocean water, advection from the continental margins and atmospheric deposition with aeolian dust deposition commonly assumed to dominate external iron supply to the open ocean. Iron supply to HNLC regions can affect climate relevant ocean-atmosphere exchanges of chemical trace species, e.g. organic carbon aerosols, DMS and CO2. Marine aerosols can act as efficient cloud condensation nuclei and significantly influence cloud properties and thus the Earth’s radiative budget via the indirect aerosol effects whereas a drawdown of atmospheric CO2 due to ocean fertilisation can have important implications for the global CO2 budget. Recent laboratory experiments suggest that material from volcanic eruptions such as ash may also affect the MPP through rapid iron-release on contact with seawater. Direct evidence, however, that volcanic activity can cause natural iron-fertilisation and MPP increase has been lacking so far. Here first evidence for a large-scale phytoplankton bloom in the NE Pacific resulting from volcanic ash fall after the eruption of Kasatochi volcano in August 2008 is presented. Atmospheric and oceanic conditions were favourable to generate this phytoplankton bloom. We present satellite observations to show the connection between volcanic ash fall and oceanic MPP. In addition, three-dimensional atmosphere/chemistry-aerosol model results are presented showing the atmospheric distribution of volcanic ash and its fall-out after the eruption of Kasatochi volcano. The amount of ash and that of iron attached to it is sufficient to explain measured seawater CO2 decrease

  19. Iron Homeostasis and Nutritional Iron Deficiency123

    PubMed Central

    Theil, Elizabeth C.

    2011-01-01

    Nonheme food ferritin (FTN) iron minerals, nonheme iron complexes, and heme iron contribute to the balance between food iron absorption and body iron homeostasis. Iron absorption depends on membrane transporter proteins DMT1, PCP/HCP1, ferroportin (FPN), TRF2, and matriptase 2. Mutations in DMT1 and matriptase-2 cause iron deficiency; mutations in FPN, HFE, and TRF2 cause iron excess. Intracellular iron homeostasis depends on coordinated regulation of iron trafficking and storage proteins encoded in iron responsive element (IRE)-mRNA. The noncoding IRE-mRNA structures bind protein repressors, IRP1 or 2, during iron deficiency. Integration of the IRE-RNA in translation regulators (near the cap) or turnover elements (after the coding region) increases iron uptake (DMT1/TRF1) or decreases iron storage/efflux (FTN/FPN) when IRP binds. An antioxidant response element in FTN DNA binds Bach1, a heme-sensitive transcription factor that coordinates expression among antioxidant response proteins like FTN, thioredoxin reductase, and quinone reductase. FTN, an antioxidant because Fe2+ and O2 (reactive oxygen species generators) are consumed to make iron mineral, is also a nutritional iron concentrate that is an efficiently absorbed, nonheme source of iron from whole legumes. FTN protein cages contain thousands of mineralized iron atoms and enter cells by receptor-mediated endocytosis, an absorption mechanism distinct from transport of nonheme iron salts (ferrous sulfate), iron chelators (ferric-EDTA), or heme. Recognition of 2 nutritional nonheme iron sources, small and large (FTN), will aid the solution of iron deficiency, a major public health problem, and the development of new policies on iron nutrition. PMID:21346101

  20. Long-Lasting Neural and Behavioral Effects of Iron Deficiency in Infancy

    PubMed Central

    Lozoff, Betsy; Beard, John; Connor, James; Felt, Barbara; Georgieff, Michael; Schallert, Timothy

    2006-01-01

    Infants are at high risk for iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia. This review summarizes evidence of long-term effects of iron deficiency in infancy. Follow-up studies from preschool age to adolescence report poorer cognitive, motor, and social-emotional function, as well as persisting neurophysiologic differences. Research in animal models points to mechanisms for such long-lasting effects. Potential mechanisms relate to effects of iron deficiency during brain development on neurometabolism, myelination, and neurotransmitter function. PMID:16770951

  1. Phase Relations of Iron and Iron-Nickel Alloys up to 3 Mbars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuwayama, Y.; Hirose, K.; Sata, N.; Ohishi, Y.

    2007-12-01

    Iron is believed to be the major component of the Earth's core because it is the most abundant element that satisfies the observed seismic densities. Based on cosmochemical models and the studies of iron meteorites, it is generally accepted that the Earth's core also contains substantial amounts of nickel. Therefore, the high pressure behaviour of iron-nickel alloys is crucially important for interpreting and constraining geophysical and geochemical models of the Earth's core. The phase relation of iron at relatively low pressure has been well established. α-Fe with bcc structure at ambient condition transforms to γ-Fe at high temperature and to ɛ-Fe with hcp structure at above ~ 10 GPa. In contrast, the phase relation and the crystal structure at high pressure and temperature are still highly controversial. The phase relations of iron-nickel alloys were also studied in an externally-heated diamond-anvil cell (Huang et al. 1988, 1992) and in a laser-heated diamond-anvil cell (Lin et al. 2002, Mao et al. 2005, Dubrovinsky et al. 2007), but these experiments were limited to the pressure of 225 GPa. Applications of the previous results to the Earth's inner core conditions required significant extrapolations. In this study, we have investigated the phase relations of iron and a number of iron-nickel alloys in a wide range of pressures (>300 GPa), temperatures (>2000 K) and compositions (0-80 wt% Ni) using a laser-heated diamond-anvil cell with synchrotron x-ray diffraction. For iron, in-situ x-ray diffraction studies showed a wide range of stability of ɛ-Fe with an hcp structure up to 300 GPa and 2000 K and up to 343 GPa at room temperature. No evidence for the existence of phases other than ɛ-Fe, such as β-Fe with a dhcp structure (suggested by Dubrovinsky et al. 2000) or orthorhombic structure (suggested by Andrault et al. 1997), was observed. For iron-nickel alloys, high pressure and temperature experiments were conducted on Fe-18.4 wt% Ni, Fe-24.9 wt% Ni, Fe

  2. Optical and chemical analysis of iron in Luna 20 plagioclase.

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bell, P. M.; Mao, H. K.

    1973-01-01

    Review of analytical data on the iron content of Luna 20 anorthitic plagioclase, obtained by a highly sensitive technique for measuring polarized absorption related to crystal-field splittings and by automated electron microprobe analysis of oriented single crystals. The iron content is found to range from a few hundredths to a few tenths of a weight per cent from crystal to crystal. The optical and chemical properties of the iron appear to be caused by postcrystallization migration and exsolution. Postcrystallization effects may obscure evidence of the original oxidation state and iron concentration of these crystals.

  3. Severe iron deficiency anemia and lice infestation.

    PubMed

    Guss, David A; Koenig, Mark; Castillo, Edward M

    2011-10-01

    Lice infestation is a commonly encountered disorder in emergency medicine. The louse survives from a blood meal from its host; hence, iron deficiency anemia is a theoretic possibility. A limited number of reports of severe iron deficiency anemia have appeared in the veterinary literature, but a thorough review of the medical literature did not reveal a single instance in human beings. We report a small case series of patients with heavy louse infestation and profound iron deficiency anemia. The index case along with two other cases discovered from an exhaustive search of 4 years of the institution's Emergency Department records all had heavy infestation with head and body lice. Laboratory evaluation revealed serum hemoglobin levels under 6 gm/dL, low serum ferritin levels, and microcytic red blood cell indices. All patients were admitted to the hospital, received transfusions, and had evaluation of their anemia. No patient had evidence of gastrointestinal blood loss or alternative explanation for their anemia. Although cause and effect cannot be established from this case series, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first published evidence of a provocative association of louse infestation and severe iron deficiency anemia in humans. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Dysregulation of iron and copper homeostasis in nonalcoholic fatty liver

    PubMed Central

    Aigner, Elmar; Weiss, Günter; Datz, Christian

    2015-01-01

    Elevated iron stores as indicated by hyperferritinemia with normal or mildly elevated transferrin saturation and mostly mild hepatic iron deposition are a characteristic finding in subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Excess iron is observed in approximately one third of NAFLD patients and is commonly referred to as the “dysmetabolic iron overload syndrome”. Clinical evidence suggests that elevated body iron stores aggravate the clinical course of NAFLD with regard to liver-related and extrahepatic disease complications which relates to the fact that excess iron catalyses the formation of toxic hydroxyl-radicals subsequently resulting in cellular damage. Iron removal improves insulin sensitivity, delays the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus, improves pathologic liver function tests and likewise ameliorates NAFLD histology. Several mechanisms contribute to pathologic iron accumulation in NAFLD. These include impaired iron export from hepatocytes and mesenchymal Kupffer cells as a consequence of imbalances in the concentrations of iron regulatory factors, such as hepcidin, cytokines, copper or other dietary factors. This review summarizes the knowledge about iron homeostasis in NAFLD and the rationale for its therapeutic implications. PMID:25729473

  5. Oral deferiprone for iron chelation in people with thalassaemia.

    PubMed

    Fisher, Sheila A; Brunskill, Susan J; Doree, Carolyn; Chowdhury, Onima; Gooding, Sarah; Roberts, David J

    2013-08-21

    Thalassaemia major is a genetic disease characterised by a reduced ability to produce haemoglobin. Management of the resulting anaemia is through red blood cell transfusions.Repeated transfusions result in an excessive accumulation of iron in the body (iron overload), removal of which is achieved through iron chelation therapy. A commonly used iron chelator, deferiprone, has been found to be pharmacologically efficacious. However, important questions exist about the efficacy and safety of deferiprone compared to another iron chelator, desferrioxamine. To summarise data from trials on the clinical efficacy and safety of deferiprone and to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of deferiprone with desferrioxamine for thalassaemia. We searched the Cochrane Cystic fibrosis and Genetic Disorders Group's Haemoglobinopathies trials Register and MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library), LILACS and other international medical databases, plus registers of ongoing trials and the Transfusion Evidence Library (www.transfusionevidencelibrary.com). We also contacted the manufacturers of deferiprone and desferrioxamine.All searches were updated to 05 March 2013. Randomised controlled trials comparing deferiprone with another iron chelator; or comparing two schedules or doses of deferiprone, in people with transfusion-dependent thalassaemia. Two authors independently assessed trials for risk of bias and extracted data. Missing data were requested from the original investigators. A total of 17 trials involving 1061 participants (range 13 to 213 participants per trial) were included. Of these, 16 trials compared either deferiprone alone with desferrioxamine alone, or a combined therapy of deferiprone and desferrioxamine with either deferiprone alone or desferrioxamine alone; one compared different schedules of deferiprone. There was little consistency between outcomes and limited information to fully assess the risk of bias of most of the included trials.Four trials reported

  6. Evidence for the equality of the solar photospheric and coronal abundance of iron

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Phillips, K. J. H.; Pike, C. D.; Lang, J.; Zarro, D. M.; Fludra, A.; Watanabe, T.; Takahashi, M.

    1995-01-01

    The Fe K-alpha and K-beta X-ray lines (wavelengths 1.94 and 1.76 A) in the solar X-ray spectrum are formed by fluoroescence of photospheric iron atoms, and the ratio of the intensity of either to the He-like iron (Fe XXV) resonance line at 1.85 A is a function of the photospheric-to-coronal abundance of iron. The temperature dependence of this ratio is weak as long as the flare temperature T(sub e) greater than or approximately equal to 15 x 10(exp 6)K. Comparison of the theoretical value of this intensity ratio with observations from crystal spectrometers on Yohkoh, Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) and P78-1 are consistent with the photospheric abundance of Fe being equal to the coronal.

  7. New insights into iron acquisition by cyanobacteria: an essential role for ExbB-ExbD complex in inorganic iron uptake

    PubMed Central

    Jiang, Hai-Bo; Lou, Wen-Jing; Ke, Wen-Ting; Song, Wei-Yu; Price, Neil M; Qiu, Bao-Sheng

    2015-01-01

    Cyanobacteria are globally important primary producers that have an exceptionally large iron requirement for photosynthesis. In many aquatic ecosystems, the levels of dissolved iron are so low and some of the chemical species so unreactive that growth of cyanobacteria is impaired. Pathways of iron uptake through cyanobacterial membranes are now being elucidated, but the molecular details are still largely unknown. Here we report that the non-siderophore-producing cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 contains three exbB-exbD gene clusters that are obligatorily required for growth and are involved in iron acquisition. The three exbB-exbDs are redundant, but single and double mutants have reduced rates of iron uptake compared with wild-type cells, and the triple mutant appeared to be lethal. Short-term measurements in chemically well-defined medium show that iron uptake by Synechocystis depends on inorganic iron (Fe′) concentration and ExbB-ExbD complexes are essentially required for the Fe′ transport process. Although transport of iron bound to a model siderophore, ferrioxamine B, is also reduced in the exbB-exbD mutants, the rate of uptake at similar total [Fe] is about 800-fold slower than Fe′, suggesting that hydroxamate siderophore iron uptake may be less ecologically relevant than free iron. These results provide the first evidence that ExbB-ExbD is involved in inorganic iron uptake and is an essential part of the iron acquisition pathway in cyanobacteria. The involvement of an ExbB-ExbD system for inorganic iron uptake may allow cyanobacteria to more tightly maintain iron homeostasis, particularly in variable environments where iron concentrations range from limiting to sufficient. PMID:25012898

  8. Intermittent oral iron supplementation during pregnancy (Review)

    PubMed Central

    Peña-Rosas, Juan Pablo; De-Regil, Luz Maria; Dowswell, Therese; Viteri, Fernando E

    2014-01-01

    and most had high levels of attrition. Overall, there was no clear evidence of differences between groups for infant primary outcomes: low birthweight (average risk ratio (RR) 0.96; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.61 to 1.52, seven studies), infant birthweight (mean difference MD −8.62 g; 95% CI −52.76 g to 35.52 g, eight studies), premature birth (average RR 1.82; 95% CI 0.75 to 4.40, four studies). None of the studies reported neonatal deaths or congenital anomalies. For maternal outcomes, there was no clear evidence of differences between groups for anaemia at term (average RR 1.22; 95% CI 0.84 to 1.80, four studies) and women receiving intermittent supplementation had less side effects (average RR 0.56; 95% CI 0.37 to 0.84, 11 studies) than those receiving daily supplements. Women receiving intermittent supplements were also at lower risk of having high haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations (greater than 130 g/L) during the second or third trimester of pregnancy (average RR 0.48; 95% CI 0.35 to 0.67, 13 studies). There were no significant differences in iron-deficiency anaemia between women receiving intermittent or daily iron+folic acid supplementation (average RR 0.71; 95% CI 0.08 to 6.63, 1 study). There were no maternal deaths (six studies) or women with severe anaemia in pregnancy (six studies). None of the studies reported on iron deficiency at term or infections during pregnancy. Where sufficient data were available for primary outcomes, we set up subgroups to look for possible differences between studies in terms of earlier or later supplementation; women’s anaemia status at the start of supplementation; higher and lower weekly doses of iron; and the malarial status of the region in which the trials were conducted. There was no clear effect of these variables on the results of the review. Authors’ conclusions The present systematic review is the most comprehensive summary of the evidence assessing the benefits and harms of intermittent iron

  9. HFE gene in primary and secondary hepatic iron overload

    PubMed Central

    Sebastiani, Giada; Walker, Ann P

    2007-01-01

    Distinct from hereditary haemochromatosis, hepatic iron overload is a common finding in several chronic liver diseases. Many studies have investigated the prevalence, distribution and possible contributory role of excess hepatic iron in non-haemochromatotic chronic liver diseases. Indeed, some authors have proposed iron removal in liver diseases other than hereditary haemochromatosis. However, the pathogenesis of secondary iron overload remains unclear. The High Fe (HFE) gene has been implicated, but the reported data are controversial. In this article, we summarise current concepts regarding the cellular role of the HFE protein in iron homeostasis. We review the current status of the literature regarding the prevalence, hepatic distribution and possible therapeutic implications of iron overload in chronic hepatitis C, hepatitis B, alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases and porphyria cutanea tarda. We discuss the evidence regarding the role of HFE gene mutations in these liver diseases. Finally, we summarize the common and specific features of iron overload in liver diseases other than haemochromatosis. PMID:17729389

  10. Evidence of Mott physics in iron pnictides from x-ray spectroscopy

    DOE PAGES

    Lafuerza, S.; Gretarsson, H.; Hardy, F.; ...

    2017-07-24

    The existence of large instantaneous local magnetic moments in paramagnetic phases is a direct signature of Mott localization. In order to track the doping evolution of fluctuating local moments in iron-based superconductors, we jointly use two fast probes, x-ray emission and absorption spectroscopies. Exploring K- and Cr-hole-doped BaF e 2 A s 2 , we also find a systematic increase in the local moment with hole-doping, in contrast with inelastic neutron scattering measurements, which suggest an opposite trend. The results support the theoretical scenario in which a Mott insulating state that would be realized for half-filled conduction bands has anmore » influence throughout the phase diagram of these iron pnictides.« less

  11. Botulinum toxin therapy for treatment of spasticity in multiple sclerosis: review and recommendations of the IAB-Interdisciplinary Working Group for Movement Disorders task force.

    PubMed

    Dressler, Dirk; Bhidayasiri, Roongroj; Bohlega, Saeed; Chahidi, Abderrahmane; Chung, Tae Mo; Ebke, Markus; Jacinto, L Jorge; Kaji, Ryuji; Koçer, Serdar; Kanovsky, Petr; Micheli, Federico; Orlova, Olga; Paus, Sebastian; Pirtosek, Zvezdan; Relja, Maja; Rosales, Raymond L; Sagástegui-Rodríguez, José Alberto; Schoenle, Paul W; Shahidi, Gholam Ali; Timerbaeva, Sofia; Walter, Uwe; Saberi, Fereshte Adib

    2017-01-01

    Botulinum toxin (BT) therapy is an established treatment of spasticity due to stroke. For multiple sclerosis (MS) spasticity this is not the case. IAB-Interdisciplinary Working Group for Movement Disorders formed a task force to explore the use of BT therapy for treatment of MS spasticity. A formalised PubMed literature search produced 55 publications (3 randomised controlled trials, 3 interventional studies, 11 observational studies, 2 case studies, 35 reviews, 1 guideline) all unanimously favouring the use of BT therapy for MS spasticity. There is no reason to believe that BT should be less effective and safe in MS spasticity than it is in stroke spasticity. Recommendations include an update of the current prevalence of MS spasticity and its clinical features according to classifications used in movement disorders. Immunological data on MS patients already treated should be analysed with respect to frequencies of MS relapses and BT antibody formation. Registration authorities should expand registration of BT therapy for spasticity regardless of its aetiology. MS specialists should consider BT therapy for symptomatic treatment of spasticity.

  12. Genetic and Biochemical Analysis of High Iron Toxicity in Yeast

    PubMed Central

    Lin, Huilan; Li, Liangtao; Jia, Xuan; Ward, Diane McVey; Kaplan, Jerry

    2011-01-01

    Iron storage in yeast requires the activity of the vacuolar iron transporter Ccc1. Yeast with an intact CCC1 are resistant to iron toxicity, but deletion of CCC1 renders yeast susceptible to iron toxicity. We used genetic and biochemical analysis to identify suppressors of high iron toxicity in Δccc1 cells to probe the mechanism of high iron toxicity. All genes identified as suppressors of high iron toxicity in aerobically grown Δccc1 cells encode organelle iron transporters including mitochondrial iron transporters MRS3, MRS4, and RIM2. Overexpression of MRS3 suppressed high iron toxicity by decreasing cytosolic iron through mitochondrial iron accumulation. Under anaerobic conditions, Δccc1 cells were still sensitive to high iron toxicity, but overexpression of MRS3 did not suppress iron toxicity and did not result in mitochondrial iron accumulation. We conclude that Mrs3/Mrs4 can sequester iron within mitochondria under aerobic conditions but not anaerobic conditions. We show that iron toxicity in Δccc1 cells occurred under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Microarray analysis showed no evidence of oxidative damage under anaerobic conditions, suggesting that iron toxicity may not be solely due to oxidative damage. Deletion of TSA1, which encodes a peroxiredoxin, exacerbated iron toxicity in Δccc1 cells under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, suggesting a unique role for Tsa1 in iron toxicity. PMID:21115478

  13. Distinct iron isotopic signatures and supply from marine sediment dissolution.

    PubMed

    Homoky, William B; John, Seth G; Conway, Tim M; Mills, Rachel A

    2013-01-01

    Oceanic iron inputs must be traced and quantified to learn how they affect primary productivity and climate. Chemical reduction of iron in continental margin sediments provides a substantial dissolved flux to the oceans, which is isotopically lighter than the crust, and so may be distinguished in seawater from other sources, such as wind-blown dust. However, heavy iron isotopes measured in seawater have recently led to the proposition of another source of dissolved iron from 'non-reductive' dissolution of continental margins. Here we present the first pore water iron isotope data from a passive-tectonic and semi-arid ocean margin (South Africa), which reveals a smaller and isotopically heavier flux of dissolved iron to seawater than active-tectonic and dysoxic continental margins. These data provide in situ evidence of non-reductive iron dissolution from a continental margin, and further show that geological and hydro-climatic factors may affect the amount and isotopic composition of iron entering the ocean.

  14. Distinct iron isotopic signatures and supply from marine sediment dissolution

    PubMed Central

    Homoky, William B.; John, Seth G.; Conway, Tim M.; Mills, Rachel A.

    2013-01-01

    Oceanic iron inputs must be traced and quantified to learn how they affect primary productivity and climate. Chemical reduction of iron in continental margin sediments provides a substantial dissolved flux to the oceans, which is isotopically lighter than the crust, and so may be distinguished in seawater from other sources, such as wind-blown dust. However, heavy iron isotopes measured in seawater have recently led to the proposition of another source of dissolved iron from ‘non-reductive’ dissolution of continental margins. Here we present the first pore water iron isotope data from a passive-tectonic and semi-arid ocean margin (South Africa), which reveals a smaller and isotopically heavier flux of dissolved iron to seawater than active-tectonic and dysoxic continental margins. These data provide in situ evidence of non-reductive iron dissolution from a continental margin, and further show that geological and hydro-climatic factors may affect the amount and isotopic composition of iron entering the ocean. PMID:23868399

  15. Complex regulation of AprA metalloprotease in Pseudomonas fluorescens M114: evidence for the involvement of iron, the ECF sigma factor, PbrA and pseudobactin M114 siderophore.

    PubMed

    Maunsell, Bláithín; Adams, Claire; O'Gara, Fergal

    2006-01-01

    In the soil bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens M114, extracellular proteolytic activity and fluorescent siderophore (pseudobactin M114) production were previously shown to be co-ordinately negatively regulated in response to environmental iron levels. An iron-starvation extracytoplasmic function sigma factor, PbrA, required for the transcription of siderophore biosynthetic genes, was also implicated in M114 protease regulation. The current study centred on the characterization and genetic regulation of the gene(s) responsible for protease production in M114. A serralysin-type metalloprotease gene, aprA, was identified and found to encode the major, if not only, extracellular protease produced by this strain. The expression of aprA and its protein product were found to be subject to complex regulation. Transcription analysis confirmed that PbrA was required for full aprA transcription under low iron conditions, while the ferric uptake regulator, Fur, was implicated in aprA repression under high iron conditions. Interestingly, the iron regulation of AprA was dependent on culture conditions, with PbrA-independent AprA-mediated proteolytic activity observed on skim milk agar supplemented with yeast extract, when supplied with iron or purified pseudobactin M114. These effects were not observed on skim milk agar without yeast extract. PbrA-independent aprA expression was also observed from a truncated transcriptional fusion when grown in sucrose asparagine tryptone broth supplied with iron or purified pseudobactin M114. Thus, experimental evidence suggested that iron mediated its effects via transcriptional activation by PbrA under low iron conditions, while an as-yet-unidentified sigma factor(s) may be required for the PbrA-independent aprA expression and AprA proteolytic activity induced by siderophore and iron.

  16. Iron

    MedlinePlus

    ... too little iron, you may develop iron deficiency anemia. Causes of low iron levels include blood loss, poor diet, or an inability to absorb enough iron from foods. People at higher risk of having too little iron are young children and women who are pregnant or have periods. ...

  17. The prion-ZIP connection: From cousins to partners in iron uptake

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Neena; Asthana, Abhishek; Baksi, Shounak; Desai, Vilok; Haldar, Swati; Hari, Sahi; Tripathi, Ajai K

    2015-01-01

    ABSTRACT Converging observations from disparate lines of inquiry are beginning to clarify the cause of brain iron dyshomeostasis in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), a neurodegenerative condition associated with the conversion of prion protein (PrPC), a plasma membrane glycoprotein, from α-helical to a β-sheet rich PrP-scrapie (PrPSc) isoform. Biochemical evidence indicates that PrPC facilitates cellular iron uptake by functioning as a membrane-bound ferrireductase (FR), an activity necessary for the transport of iron across biological membranes through metal transporters. An entirely different experimental approach reveals an evolutionary link between PrPC and the Zrt, Irt-like protein (ZIP) family, a group of proteins involved in the transport of zinc, iron, and manganese across the plasma membrane. Close physical proximity of PrPC with certain members of the ZIP family on the plasma membrane and increased uptake of extracellular iron by cells that co-express PrPC and ZIP14 suggest that PrPC functions as a FR partner for certain members of this family. The connection between PrPC and ZIP proteins therefore extends beyond common ancestry to that of functional cooperation. Here, we summarize evidence supporting the facilitative role of PrPC in cellular iron uptake, and implications of this activity on iron metabolism in sCJD brains. PMID:26689487

  18. Iron and alloys of iron. [lunar resources

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sastri, Sankar

    1992-01-01

    All lunar soil contains iron in the metallic form, mostly as an iron-nickel alloy in concentrations of a few tenths of 1 percent. Some of this free iron can be easily separated by magnetic means. It is estimated that the magnetic separation of 100,000 tons of lunar soil would yield 150-200 tons of iron. Agglutinates contain metallic iron which could be extracted by melting and made into powder metallurgy products. The characteristics and potential uses of the pure-iron and iron-alloy lunar products are discussed. Processes for working iron that might be used in a nonterrestrial facility are also addressed.

  19. Iron Binding at Specific Sites within the Octameric HbpS Protects Streptomycetes from Iron-Mediated Oxidative Stress

    PubMed Central

    Wedderhoff, Ina; Kursula, Inari; Groves, Matthew R.; Ortiz de Orué Lucana, Darío

    2013-01-01

    The soil bacterium Streptomyces reticuli secretes the octameric protein HbpS that acts as a sensory component of the redox-signalling pathway HbpS-SenS-SenR. This system modulates a genetic response on iron- and haem-mediated oxidative stress. Moreover, HbpS alone provides this bacterium with a defence mechanism to the presence of high concentrations of iron ions and haem. While the protection against haem has been related to its haem-binding and haem-degrading activity, the interaction with iron has not been studied in detail. In this work, we biochemically analyzed the iron-binding activity of a set of generated HbpS mutant proteins and present evidence showing the involvement of one internal and two exposed D/EXXE motifs in binding of high quantities of ferrous iron, with the internal E78XXE81 displaying the tightest binding. We additionally show that HbpS is able to oxidize ferrous to ferric iron ions. Based on the crystal structure of both the wild-type and the mutant HbpS-D78XXD81, we conclude that the local arrangement of the side chains from the glutamates in E78XXE81 within the octameric assembly is a pre-requisite for interaction with iron. The data obtained led us to propose that the exposed and the internal motif build a highly specific route that is involved in the transport of high quantities of iron ions into the core of the HbpS octamer. Furthermore, physiological studies using Streptomyces transformants secreting either wild-type or HbpS mutant proteins and different redox-cycling compounds led us to conclude that the iron-sequestering activity of HbpS protects these soil bacteria from the hazardous side effects of peroxide- and iron-based oxidative stress. PMID:24013686

  20. Iron Homeostasis in Peripheral Nervous System, Still a Black Box?

    PubMed Central

    Taveggia, Carla

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Significance: Iron is the most abundant transition metal in biology and an essential cofactor for many cellular enzymes. Iron homeostasis impairment is also a component of peripheral neuropathies. Recent Advances: During the past years, much effort has been paid to understand the molecular mechanism involved in maintaining systemic iron homeostasis in mammals. This has been stimulated by the evidence that iron dyshomeostasis is an initial cause of several disorders, including genetic and sporadic neurodegenerative disorders. Critical Issues: However, very little has been done to investigate the physiological role of iron in peripheral nervous system (PNS), despite the development of suitable cellular and animal models. Future Directions: To stimulate research on iron metabolism and peripheral neuropathy, we provide a summary of the knowledge on iron homeostasis in the PNS, on its transport across the blood–nerve barrier, its involvement in myelination, and we identify unresolved questions. Furthermore, we comment on the role of iron in iron-related disorder with peripheral component, in demyelinating and metabolic peripheral neuropathies. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 21, 634–648. PMID:24409826

  1. Reduction of ferric iron by acidophilic heterotrophic bacteria: evidence for constitutive and inducible enzyme systems in Acidiphilium spp.

    PubMed

    Johnson, D B; Bridge, T A M

    2002-01-01

    To compare the abilities of two obligately acidophilic heterotrophic bacteria, Acidiphilium acidophilum and Acidiphilium SJH, to reduce ferric iron to ferrous when grown under different culture conditions. Bacteria were grown in batch culture, under different aeration status, and in the presence of either ferrous or ferric iron. The specific rates of ferric iron reduction by fermenter-grown Acidiphilium SJH were unaffected by dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations, while iron reduction by A. acidophilum was highly dependent on DO concentrations in the growth media. The ionic form of iron present (ferrous or ferric) had a minimal effect on the abilities of harvested cells to reduce ferric iron. Whole cell protein profiles of Acidiphilium SJH were very similar, regardless of the DO status of the growth medium, while additional proteins were present in A. acidophilum grown microaerobically compared with aerobically-grown cells. The dissimilatory reduction of ferric iron is constitutive in Acidiphilium SJH while it is inducible in A. acidophilum. Ferric iron reduction by Acidiphilium spp. may occur in oxygen-containing as well as anoxic acidic environments. This will detract from the effectiveness of bioremediation systems where removal of iron from polluted waters is mediated via oxidation and precipitation of the metal.

  2. Iron deficiency beyond erythropoiesis: should we be concerned?

    PubMed

    Musallam, Khaled M; Taher, Ali T

    2018-01-01

    To consider the key implications of iron deficiency for biochemical and physiological functions beyond erythropoiesis. PubMed was searched for relevant journal articles published up to August 2017. Anemia is the most well-recognized consequence of persisting iron deficiency, but various other unfavorable consequences can develop either before or concurrently with anemia. Mitochondrial function can be profoundly disturbed since iron is a cofactor for heme-containing enzymes and non-heme iron-containing enzymes in the mitochondrial electron transport chain. Biosynthesis of heme and iron-sulfur clusters in the mitochondria is inhibited, disrupting synthesis of compounds such as hemoglobin, myoglobin, cytochromes and nitric oxide synthase. The physiological consequences include fatigue, lethargy, and dyspnea; conversely, iron repletion in iron-deficient individuals has been shown to improve exercise capacity. The myocardium, with its high energy demands, is particularly at risk from the effects of iron deficiency. Randomized trials have found striking improvements in disease severity in anemic but also non-anemic chronic heart failure patients with iron deficiency after iron therapy. In vitro and pre-clinical studies have demonstrated that iron is required by numerous enzymes involved in DNA replication and repair, and for normal cell cycle regulation. Iron is also critical for immune cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation, and for specific cell-mediated effector pathways. Observational studies have shown that iron-deficient individuals have defective immune function, particularly T-cell immunity, but more evidence is required. Pre-clinical models have demonstrated abnormal myelogenesis, brain cell metabolism, neurotransmission, and hippocampal formation in iron-deficient neonates and young animals. In humans, iron deficiency anemia is associated with poorer cognitive and motor skills. However, the impact of iron deficiency without anemia is less clear. The

  3. Immunohistochemical evidence of rapid extracellular matrix remodeling after iron-particle irradiation of mouse mammary gland

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ehrhart, E. J.; Gillette, E. L.; Barcellos-Hoff, M. H.; Chaterjee, A. (Principal Investigator)

    1996-01-01

    High-LET radiation has unique physical and biological properties compared to sparsely ionizing radiation. Recent studies demonstrate that sparsely ionizing radiation rapidly alters the pattern of extracellular matrix expression in several tissues, but little is known about the effect of heavy-ion radiation. This study investigates densely ionizing radiation-induced changes in extracellular matrix localization in the mammary glands of adult female BALB/c mice after whole-body irradiation with 0.8 Gy 600 MeV iron particles. The basement membrane and interstitial extracellular matrix proteins of the mammary gland stroma were mapped with respect to time postirradiation using immunofluorescence. Collagen III was induced in the adipose stroma within 1 day, continued to increase through day 9 and was resolved by day 14. Immunoreactive tenascin was induced in the epithelium by day 1, was evident at the epithelial-stromal interface by day 5-9 and persisted as a condensed layer beneath the basement membrane through day 14. These findings parallel similar changes induced by gamma irradiation but demonstrate different onset and chronicity. In contrast, the integrity of epithelial basement membrane, which was unaffected by sparsely ionizing radiation, was disrupted by iron-particle irradiation. Laminin immunoreactivity was mildly irregular at 1 h postirradiation and showed discontinuities and thickening from days 1 to 9. Continuity was restored by day 14. Thus high-LET radiation, like sparsely ionizing radiation, induces rapid-remodeling of the stromal extracellular matrix but also appears to alter the integrity of the epithelial basement membrane, which is an important regulator of epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation.

  4. Iron excretion in iron dextran-overloaded mice

    PubMed Central

    Musumeci, Marco; Maccari, Sonia; Massimi, Alessia; Stati, Tonino; Sestili, Paola; Corritore, Elisa; Pastorelli, Augusto; Stacchini, Paolo; Marano, Giuseppe; Catalano, Liviana

    2014-01-01

    Background Iron homeostasis in humans is tightly regulated by mechanisms aimed to conserve iron for reutilisation, with a negligible role played by excretory mechanisms. In a previous study we found that mice have an astonishing ability to tolerate very high doses of parenterally administered iron dextran. Whether this ability is linked to the existence of an excretory pathway remains to be ascertained. Materials and methods Iron overload was generated by intraperitoneal injections of iron dextran (1 g/kg) administered once a week for 8 weeks in two different mouse strains (C57bl/6 and B6D2F1). Urinary and faecal iron excretion was assessed by inductively coupling plasma-mass spectrometry, whereas cardiac and liver architecture was evaluated by echocardiography and histological methods. For both strains, 24-hour faeces and urine samples were collected and iron concentration was determined on days 0, 1 and 2 after iron administration. Results In iron-overloaded C57bl/6 mice, the faecal iron concentration increased by 218% and 157% on days 1 and 2, respectively (p<0.01). The iron excreted represented a loss of 14% of total iron administered. Similar but smaller changes was also found in B6D2F1 mice. Conversely, we found no significant changes in the concentration of iron in the urine in either of the strains of mice. In both strains, histological examination showed accumulation of iron in the liver and heart which tended to decrease over time. Conclusions This study indicates that mice have a mechanism for removal of excess body iron and provides insights into the possible mechanisms of excretion. PMID:24960657

  5. Non-transferrin bound iron: a key role in iron overload and iron toxicity.

    PubMed

    Brissot, Pierre; Ropert, Martine; Le Lan, Caroline; Loréal, Olivier

    2012-03-01

    Besides transferrin iron, which represents the normal form of circulating iron, non-transferrin bound iron (NTBI) has been identified in the plasma of patients with various pathological conditions in which transferrin saturation is significantly elevated. To show that: i) NTBI is present not only during chronic iron overload disorders (hemochromatosis, transfusional iron overload) but also in miscellaneous diseases which are not primarily iron overloaded conditions; ii) this iron species represents a potentially toxic iron form due to its high propensity to induce reactive oxygen species and is responsible for cellular damage not only at the plasma membrane level but also towards different intracellular organelles; iii) the NTBI concept may be expanded to include intracytosolic iron forms which are not linked to ferritin, the major storage protein which exerts, at the cellular level, the same type of protective effect towards the intracellular environment as transferrin in the plasma. Plasma NTBI and especially labile plasma iron determinations represent a new important biological tool since elimination of this toxic iron species is a major therapeutic goal. The NTBI approach represents an important mechanistic concept for explaining cellular iron excess and toxicity and provides new important biochemical diagnostic tools. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Transferrins: Molecular mechanisms of iron transport and disorders. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Iron-mediated anaerobic oxidation of methane in brackish coastal sediments.

    PubMed

    Egger, Matthias; Rasigraf, Olivia; Sapart, Célia J; Jilbert, Tom; Jetten, Mike S M; Röckmann, Thomas; van der Veen, Carina; Bândă, Narcisa; Kartal, Boran; Ettwig, Katharina F; Slomp, Caroline P

    2015-01-06

    Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas and its biological conversion in marine sediments, largely controlled by anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM), is a crucial part of the global carbon cycle. However, little is known about the role of iron oxides as an oxidant for AOM. Here we provide the first field evidence for iron-dependent AOM in brackish coastal surface sediments and show that methane produced in Bothnian Sea sediments is oxidized in distinct zones of iron- and sulfate-dependent AOM. At our study site, anthropogenic eutrophication over recent decades has led to an upward migration of the sulfate/methane transition zone in the sediment. Abundant iron oxides and high dissolved ferrous iron indicate iron reduction in the methanogenic sediments below the newly established sulfate/methane transition. Laboratory incubation studies of these sediments strongly suggest that the in situ microbial community is capable of linking methane oxidation to iron oxide reduction. Eutrophication of coastal environments may therefore create geochemical conditions favorable for iron-mediated AOM and thus increase the relevance of iron-dependent methane oxidation in the future. Besides its role in mitigating methane emissions, iron-dependent AOM strongly impacts sedimentary iron cycling and related biogeochemical processes through the reduction of large quantities of iron oxides.

  7. Iron overload and chelation therapy in myelodysplastic syndromes.

    PubMed

    Temraz, Sally; Santini, Valeria; Musallam, Khaled; Taher, Ali

    2014-07-01

    Iron overload remains a concern in MDS patients especially those requiring recurrent blood transfusions. The consequence of iron overload may be more relevant in patients with low and intermediate-1 risk MDS who may survive long enough to experience such manifestations. It is a matter of debate whether this overload has time to yield organ damage, but it is quite evident that cellular damage and DNA genotoxic effect are induced. Iron overload may play a critical role in exacerbating pre-existing morbidity or even unmask silent ones. Under these circumstances, iron chelation therapy could play an integral role in the management of these patients. This review entails an in depth analysis of iron overload in MDS patients; its pathophysiology, effect on survival, associated risks and diagnostic options. It also discusses management options in relation to chelation therapy used in MDS patients and the impact it has on survival, hematologic response and organ function. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Divergence of iron metabolism in wild Malaysian yeast.

    PubMed

    Lee, Hana N; Mostovoy, Yulia; Hsu, Tiffany Y; Chang, Amanda H; Brem, Rachel B

    2013-12-09

    Comparative genomic studies have reported widespread variation in levels of gene expression within and between species. Using these data to infer organism-level trait divergence has proven to be a key challenge in the field. We have used a wild Malaysian population of S. cerevisiae as a test bed in the search to predict and validate trait differences based on observations of regulatory variation. Malaysian yeast, when cultured in standard medium, activated regulatory programs that protect cells from the toxic effects of high iron. Malaysian yeast also showed a hyperactive regulatory response during culture in the presence of excess iron and had a unique growth defect in conditions of high iron. Molecular validation experiments pinpointed the iron metabolism factors AFT1, CCC1, and YAP5 as contributors to these molecular and cellular phenotypes; in genome-scale sequence analyses, a suite of iron toxicity response genes showed evidence for rapid protein evolution in Malaysian yeast. Our findings support a model in which iron metabolism has diverged in Malaysian yeast as a consequence of a change in selective pressure, with Malaysian alleles shifting the dynamic range of iron response to low-iron concentrations and weakening resistance to extreme iron toxicity. By dissecting the iron scarcity specialist behavior of Malaysian yeast, our work highlights the power of expression divergence as a signpost for biologically and evolutionarily relevant variation at the organismal level. Interpreting the phenotypic relevance of gene expression variation is one of the primary challenges of modern genomics.

  9. Salinomycin kills cancer stem cells by sequestering iron in lysosomes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mai, Trang Thi; Hamaï, Ahmed; Hienzsch, Antje; Cañeque, Tatiana; Müller, Sebastian; Wicinski, Julien; Cabaud, Olivier; Leroy, Christine; David, Amandine; Acevedo, Verónica; Ryo, Akihide; Ginestier, Christophe; Birnbaum, Daniel; Charafe-Jauffret, Emmanuelle; Codogno, Patrice; Mehrpour, Maryam; Rodriguez, Raphaël

    2017-10-01

    Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a subset of cells within tumours that exhibit self-renewal properties and the capacity to seed tumours. CSCs are typically refractory to conventional treatments and have been associated to metastasis and relapse. Salinomycin operates as a selective agent against CSCs through mechanisms that remain elusive. Here, we provide evidence that a synthetic derivative of salinomycin, which we named ironomycin (AM5), exhibits a more potent and selective activity against breast CSCs in vitro and in vivo, by accumulating and sequestering iron in lysosomes. In response to the ensuing cytoplasmic depletion of iron, cells triggered the degradation of ferritin in lysosomes, leading to further iron loading in this organelle. Iron-mediated production of reactive oxygen species promoted lysosomal membrane permeabilization, activating a cell death pathway consistent with ferroptosis. These findings reveal the prevalence of iron homeostasis in breast CSCs, pointing towards iron and iron-mediated processes as potential targets against these cells.

  10. Interatrial block and interatrial septal thickness in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation undergoing catheter ablation: Long-term follow-up study.

    PubMed

    Gul, Enes E; Pal, Raveen; Caldwell, Jane; Boles, Usama; Hopman, Wilma; Glover, Benedict; Michael, Kevin A; Redfearn, Damian; Simpson, Chris; Abdollah, Hoshiar; Baranchuk, Adrian

    2017-07-01

    Interatrial block (IAB) is a strong predictor of recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF). IAB is a conduction delay through the Bachman region, which is located in the upper region of the interatrial space. During IAB, the impulse travels from the right atrium to the interatrial septum (IAS) and coronary sinus to finally reach the left atrium in a caudocranial direction. No relation between the presence of IAB and IAS thickness has been established yet. To determine whether a correlation exists between the degree of IAB and the thickness of the IAS and to determine whether IAS thickness predicts AF recurrence. Sixty-two patients with diagnosis of paroxysmal AF undergoing catheter ablation were enrolled. IAB was defined as P-wave duration ≥120 ms. IAS thickness was measured by cardiac computed tomography. Among 62 patients with paroxysmal AF, 45 patients (72%) were diagnosed with IAB. Advanced IAB was diagnosed in 24 patients (39%). Forty-seven patients were male. During a mean follow-up period of 49.8 ± 22 months (range 12-60 months), 32 patients (51%) developed AF recurrence. IAS thickness was similar in patients with and without IAB (4.5 ± 2.0 mm vs. 4.0 ± 1.4 mm; p = .45) and did not predict AF. Left atrial size was significantly enlarged in patients with IAB (40.9 ± 5.7 mm vs. 37.2 ± 4.0 mm; p = .03). Advanced IAB predicted AF recurrence after the ablation (OR: 3.34, CI: 1.12-9.93; p = .03). IAS thickness was not significantly correlated to IAB and did not predict AF recurrence. IAB as previously demonstrated was an independent predictor of AF recurrence. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. A specific role of the yeast mitochondrial carriers MRS3/4p in mitochondrial iron acquisition under iron-limiting conditions.

    PubMed

    Mühlenhoff, Ulrich; Stadler, Jochen A; Richhardt, Nadine; Seubert, Andreas; Eickhorst, Thomas; Schweyen, Rudolf J; Lill, Roland; Wiesenberger, Gerlinde

    2003-10-17

    The yeast genes MRS3 and MRS4 encode two members of the mitochondrial carrier family with high sequence similarity. To elucidate their function we utilized genome-wide expression profiling and found that both deletion and overexpression of MRS3/4 lead to up-regulation of several genes of the "iron regulon." We therefore analyzed the two major iron-utilizing processes, heme formation and Fe/S protein biosynthesis in vivo, in organello (intact mitochondria), and in vitro (mitochondrial extracts). Radiolabeling of yeast cells with 55Fe revealed a clear correlation between MRS3/4 expression levels and the efficiency of these biosynthetic reactions indicating a role of the carriers in utilization and/or transport of iron in vivo. Similar effects on both heme formation and Fe/S protein biosynthesis were seen in organello using mitochondria isolated from cells grown under iron-limiting conditions. The correlation between MRS3/4 expression levels and the efficiency of the two iron-utilizing processes was lost upon detergent lysis of mitochondria. As no significant changes in the mitochondrial membrane potential were observed upon overexpression or deletion of MRS3/4, our results suggest that Mrs3/4p carriers are directly involved in mitochondrial iron uptake. Mrs3/4p function in mitochondrial iron transport becomes evident under iron-limiting conditions only, indicating that the two carriers do not represent the sole system for mitochondrial iron acquisition.

  12. Considerations and challenges in defining optimal iron utilization in hemodialysis.

    PubMed

    Charytan, David M; Pai, Amy Barton; Chan, Christopher T; Coyne, Daniel W; Hung, Adriana M; Kovesdy, Csaba P; Fishbane, Steven

    2015-06-01

    Trials raising concerns about erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, revisions to their labeling, and changes to practice guidelines and dialysis payment systems have provided strong stimuli to decrease erythropoiesis-stimulating agent use and increase intravenous iron administration in recent years. These factors have been associated with a rise in iron utilization, particularly among hemodialysis patients, and an unprecedented increase in serum ferritin concentrations. The mean serum ferritin concentration among United States dialysis patients in 2013 exceeded 800 ng/ml, with 18% of patients exceeding 1200 ng/ml. Although these changes are broad based, the wisdom of these practices is uncertain. Herein, we examine influences on and trends in intravenous iron utilization and assess the clinical trial, epidemiologic, and experimental evidence relevant to its safety and efficacy in the setting of maintenance dialysis. These data suggest a potential for harm from increasing use of parenteral iron in dialysis-dependent patients. In the absence of well powered, randomized clinical trials, available evidence will remain inadequate for making reliable conclusions about the effect of a ubiquitous therapy on mortality or other outcomes of importance to dialysis patients. Nephrology stakeholders have an urgent obligation to initiate well designed investigations of intravenous iron in order to ensure the safety of the dialysis population. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Nephrology.

  13. The Chemical Form of Mitochondrial Iron in Friedreich's Ataxia

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Popescu, B.F.Gh.; Pickering, I.J.; George, G.N.

    2007-07-12

    Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) results from cellular damage caused by a deficiency in the mitochondrial matrix protein frataxin. To address the effect of frataxin deficiency on mitochondrial iron chemistry, the heavy mitochondrial fraction (HMF) was isolated from primary fibroblasts from FRDA affected and unaffected individuals. X-ray absorption spectroscopy was used to characterize the chemical form of iron. Near K-edge spectra were fitted with a series of model iron compounds to determine the proportion of each iron species. Most of the iron in both affected and unaffected fibroblasts was ferrihydrite. The iron K-edge from unaffected HMFs were best fitted with poorly organizedmore » ferrihydrite modeled by frataxin whereas HMFs from affected cells were best fitted with highly organized ferrihydrite modeled by ferritin. Both had several minor iron species but these did not differ consistently with disease. Since the iron K-edge spectra of ferritin and frataxin are very similar, we present additional evidence for the presence of ferritin-bound iron in HMF. The predominant ferritin subunit in HMFs from affected cells resembled mitochondrial ferritin (MtFt) in size and antigenicity. Western blotting of native gels showed that HMF from affected cells had 3-fold more holoferritin containing stainable iron. We conclude that most of the iron in fibroblast HMF from both affected and unaffected cells is ferrihydrite but only FRDA affected cells mineralize significant iron in mitochondrial ferritin.« less

  14. Usefulness of Iron Deficiency Correction in Management of Patients With Heart Failure [from the Registry Analysis of Iron Deficiency-Heart Failure (RAID-HF) Registry].

    PubMed

    Wienbergen, Harm; Pfister, Otmar; Hochadel, Matthias; Michel, Stephan; Bruder, Oliver; Remppis, Björn Andrew; Maeder, Micha Tobias; Strasser, Ruth; von Scheidt, Wolfgang; Pauschinger, Matthias; Senges, Jochen; Hambrecht, Rainer

    2016-12-15

    Iron deficiency (ID) has been identified as an important co-morbidity in patients with heart failure (HF). Intravenous iron therapy reduced symptoms and rehospitalizations of iron-deficient patients with HF in randomized trials. The present multicenter study investigated the "real-world" management of iron status in patients with HF. Consecutive patients with HF and ejection fraction ≤40% were recruited and analyzed from December 2010 to October 2015 by 11 centers in Germany and Switzerland. Of 1,484 patients with HF, iron status was determined in only 923 patients (62.2%), despite participation of the centers in a registry focusing on ID and despite guideline recommendation to determine iron status. In patients with determined iron status, a prevalence of 54.7% (505 patients) for ID was observed. Iron therapy was performed in only 8.5% of the iron-deficient patients with HF; 2.6% were treated with intravenous iron therapy. The patients with iron therapy were characterized by a high rate of symptomatic HF and anemia. In conclusion, despite strong evidence of beneficial effects of iron therapy on symptoms and rehospitalizations, diagnostic and therapeutic efforts on ID in HF are low in the actual clinical practice, and the awareness to diagnose and treat ID in HF should be strongly enforced. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Tropical forest soil microbial communities couple iron and carbon biogeochemistry

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dubinsky, E.A.; Silver, W.L.; Firestone, M.K.

    2009-10-15

    We report that iron-reducing bacteria are primary mediators of anaerobic carbon oxidation in upland tropical soils spanning a rainfall gradient (3500 - 5000 mm yr-1) in northeast Puerto Rico. The abundant rainfall and high net primary productivity of these tropical forests provide optimal soil habitat for iron-reducing and iron-oxidizing bacteria. Spatially and temporally dynamic redox conditions make iron-transforming microbial communities central to the belowground carbon cycle in these wet tropical forests. The exceedingly high abundance of iron-reducing bacteria (up to 1.2 x 10{sup 9} cells per gram soil) indicated that they possess extensive metabolic capacity to catalyze the reduction ofmore » iron minerals. In soils from the higher rainfall sites, measured rates of ferric iron reduction could account for up to 44 % of organic carbon oxidation. Iron reducers appeared to compete with methanogens when labile carbon availability was limited. We found large numbers of bacteria that oxidize reduced iron at sites with high rates of iron reduction and large numbers of iron-reducers. the coexistence of large populations of ironreducing and iron-oxidizing bacteria is evidence for rapid iron cycling between its reduced and oxidized states, and suggests that mutualistic interactions among these bacteria ultimately fuel organic carbon oxidation and inhibit CH4 production in these upland tropical forests.« less

  16. Morphological and chemical evidence of stromatolitic deposits in the 2.75 Ga Carajás banded iron formation, Brazil

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ribeiro da Luz, Beatriz; Crowley, James K.

    2012-01-01

    We describe evidence of biogenicity in the morphology and carbon content of well-preserved, Neoarchean samples of banded iron formation (BIF) from Carajás, Brazil. Silica-rich BIF layers contain translucent ellipsoidal or trapezoidal structures (∼5–10 μm diameter) composed of silica, hematite, and kerogen, which are arranged in larger ring-like forms (rosettes). Stable carbon isotope analysis yields a δ13C value of −24.5‰ indicating that the contained carbon is likely biogenic. Raman and SEM analyses, as well as wavelength-dispersive X-ray elemental maps, show kerogen inside the rosette forms. Within the iron-rich BIF layers, tubular structures (0.5–5 μm) were observed between hematite granules and blades. Kerogen and kaolinite are present in these structures. Both the rosettes and the tubular structures resemble morphologies that are characteristic of some bacterial species.We hypothesize that the Carajás BIFs originated as biomats formed by one or more species that over time produced large stromatolitic structures. The rosettes and the tubular structures, associated with chert-rich and iron-rich BIF layers, respectively, may represent two different species, or perhaps, two phases of a bacterium life cycle. For example, some modern myxobacteria exhibit similar morphologies in their resting and vegetative stages.Fe(III) precipitation may have occurred by contact of Fe(II) with bacterial slime, leading to oxidation by chemical reactions with exposed polysaccharide hydroxyl and carboxyl groups. The Fe(III) would then have been available for use as a source of energy in a dissimilatory iron reduction type of metabolism. Organic carbon input presumably came from primary producers (not necessarily aerobic) within the local water column, perhaps in shallow-water communities. Alternatively, the carbon may have originated by Fischer–Tropsch synthesis at ocean hydrothermal vents. The observed lateral continuity of BIF layers may perhaps be explained by

  17. Candida albicans Hap43 Is a Repressor Induced under Low-Iron Conditions and Is Essential for Iron-Responsive Transcriptional Regulation and Virulence ▿

    PubMed Central

    Hsu, Po-Chen; Yang, Cheng-Yao; Lan, Chung-Yu

    2011-01-01

    Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that exists as normal flora in healthy human bodies but causes life-threatening infections in immunocompromised patients. In addition to innate and adaptive immunities, hosts also resist microbial infections by developing a mechanism of “natural resistance” that maintains a low level of free iron to restrict the growth of invading pathogens. C. albicans must overcome this iron-deprived environment to cause infections. There are three types of iron-responsive transcriptional regulators in fungi; Aft1/Aft2 activators in yeast, GATA-type repressors in many fungi, and HapX/Php4 in Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Aspergillus species. In this study, we characterized the iron-responsive regulator Hap43, which is the C. albicans homolog of HapX/Php4 and is repressed by the GATA-type repressor Sfu1 under iron-sufficient conditions. We provide evidence that Hap43 is essential for the growth of C. albicans under low-iron conditions and for C. albicans virulence in a mouse model of infection. Hap43 was not required for iron acquisition under low-iron conditions. Instead, it was responsible for repression of genes that encode iron-dependent proteins involved in mitochondrial respiration and iron-sulfur cluster assembly. We also demonstrated that Hap43 executes its function by becoming a transcriptional repressor and accumulating in the nucleus in response to iron deprivation. Finally, we found a connection between Hap43 and the global corepressor Tup1 in low-iron-induced flavinogenesis. Taken together, our data suggest a complex interplay among Hap43, Sfu1, and Tup1 to coordinately regulate iron acquisition, iron utilization, and other iron-responsive metabolic activities. PMID:21131439

  18. The association between malaria and iron status or supplementation in pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Sangaré, Laura; van Eijk, Anna Maria; Ter Kuile, Feiko O; Walson, Judd; Stergachis, Andy

    2014-01-01

    Malaria prevention and iron supplementation are associated with improved maternal and infant outcomes. However, evidence from studies in children suggests iron may adversely modify the risk of malaria. We reviewed the evidence in pregnancy of the association between malaria and markers of iron status, iron supplementation or parenteral treatment. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Global Health Library, and the Malaria in Pregnancy library to identify studies that investigated the association between iron status, iron treatment or supplementation during pregnancy and malaria. Thirty one studies contributed to the analysis; 3 experimental and 28 observational studies. Iron supplementation was not associated with an increased risk of P. falciparum malaria during pregnancy or delivery in Africa (summary Relative Risk = 0.89, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.66-1.20, I(2) = 78.8%, 5 studies). One study in Asia reported an increased risk of P. vivax within 30 days of iron supplementation (e.g. adjusted Hazard Ratio = 1.75, 95% CI 1.14-2.70 for 1-15 days), but not after 60 days. Iron deficiency (based on ferritin and C-reactive protein) was associated with lower odds for malaria infection (summary Odds Ratio = 0.35, 0.24-0.51, I(2) = 59.2%, 5 studies). With the exception of the acute phase protein ferritin, biomarkers of iron deficiency were generally not associated with malaria infection. Iron supplementation was associated with a temporal increase in P vivax, but not with an increased risk of P. falciparum; however, data are insufficient to rule out the potential for an increased risk of P. falciparum. Iron deficiency was associated with a decreased malaria risk in pregnancy only when measured with ferritin. Until there is more evidence, it is prudent to provide iron in combination with malaria prevention during pregnancy.

  19. Divergence of Iron Metabolism in Wild Malaysian Yeast

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Hana N.; Mostovoy, Yulia; Hsu, Tiffany Y.; Chang, Amanda H.; Brem, Rachel B.

    2013-01-01

    Comparative genomic studies have reported widespread variation in levels of gene expression within and between species. Using these data to infer organism-level trait divergence has proven to be a key challenge in the field. We have used a wild Malaysian population of S. cerevisiae as a test bed in the search to predict and validate trait differences based on observations of regulatory variation. Malaysian yeast, when cultured in standard medium, activated regulatory programs that protect cells from the toxic effects of high iron. Malaysian yeast also showed a hyperactive regulatory response during culture in the presence of excess iron and had a unique growth defect in conditions of high iron. Molecular validation experiments pinpointed the iron metabolism factors AFT1, CCC1, and YAP5 as contributors to these molecular and cellular phenotypes; in genome-scale sequence analyses, a suite of iron toxicity response genes showed evidence for rapid protein evolution in Malaysian yeast. Our findings support a model in which iron metabolism has diverged in Malaysian yeast as a consequence of a change in selective pressure, with Malaysian alleles shifting the dynamic range of iron response to low-iron concentrations and weakening resistance to extreme iron toxicity. By dissecting the iron scarcity specialist behavior of Malaysian yeast, our work highlights the power of expression divergence as a signpost for biologically and evolutionarily relevant variation at the organismal level. Interpreting the phenotypic relevance of gene expression variation is one of the primary challenges of modern genomics. PMID:24142925

  20. Nanophase iron phosphate, iron arsenate, iron vanadate, and iron molybdate minerals synthesized within the protein cage of ferritin.

    PubMed

    Polanams, Jup; Ray, Alisha D; Watt, Richard K

    2005-05-02

    Nanoparticles of iron phosphate, iron arsenate, iron molybdate, and iron vanadate were synthesized within the 8 nm interior of ferritin. The synthesis involved reacting Fe(II) with ferritin in a buffered solution at pH 7.4 in the presence of phosphate, arsenate, vanadate, or molybdate. O2 was used as the oxidant to deposit the Fe(III) mineral inside ferritin. The rate of iron incorporation into ferritin was stimulated when oxo-anions were present. The simultaneous deposition of both iron and the oxo-anion was confirmed by elemental analysis and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. The ferritin samples containing iron and one of the oxo-anions possessed different UV/vis spectra depending on the anion used during mineral formation. TEM analysis showed mineral cores with approximately 8 nm mineral particles consistent with the formation of mineral phases inside ferritin.

  1. Investigating the relationship between iron and depression.

    PubMed

    Mills, Natalie T; Maier, Robert; Whitfield, John B; Wright, Margaret J; Colodro-Conde, Lucia; Byrne, Enda M; Scott, James G; Byrne, Gerard J; Hansell, Narelle K; Vinkhuyzen, Anna A E; CouvyDuchesne, Baptiste; Montgomery, Grant W; Henders, Anjali K; Martin, Nicholas G; Wray, Naomi R; Benyamin, Beben

    2017-11-01

    Lower levels of circulating iron have been associated with depression. Our objective was to investigate the phenotypic and genetic relationship between measures of circulating levels of iron (serum iron, transferrin, transferrin saturation, and ferritin) and depressive symptoms. Data were available from ongoing studies at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute (QIMRB), including twin adolescents (mean age 15.1 years, standard deviation (SD) 3.2 years), and twin adults (mean age 23.2 years, SD 2.2 years). In the adolescent cohort, there were 3416 participants from 1688 families. In the adult cohort there were 9035 participants from 4533 families. We estimated heritabilities of, and phenotypic and genetic correlations between, traits. We conducted analyses that linked results from published large-scale genome-wide association studies (including iron and Major Depressive Disorder) with our study samples using single SNP and multi-SNP genetic risk score analyses, and LD score regression analyses. In both cohorts, measures of iron, transferrin, transferrin saturation, and log 10 of ferritin (L10Fer) were all highly heritable, while depressive measures were moderately heritable. In adolescents, depression measures were higher in those in the middle 10th versus top 10th percentile of transferrin saturation measures (p = 0.002). Genetic profile risk scores of the iron measures were not significantly associated with depression in study participants. LD score analyses showed no significant genetic relationship between iron and depression. Genetic factors strongly influence iron measures in adolescents and adults. Using several different strategies we find no evidence for a genetic contribution to the relationship between blood measures of iron and measures of depression. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Iron Deficiency Treatment in Patients with Heart Failure.

    PubMed

    Jankowska, Ewa A; Drozd, Marcin; Ponikowski, Piotr

    2017-01-01

    Iron deficiency (ID) is one of the major risk factors for disability and mortality worldwide, and it was identified as a common and ominous comorbidity in patients with heart failure (HF), both with and without anaemia. Based on two clinical trials (FAIR-HF and CONFIRM-HF) and other epidemiological evidence, ID has been recognized as an important therapeutic target in symptomatic patients with HF and LVEF ≤45%.Intravenous iron supplementation has been demonstrated to be safe and effective for iron repletion and related with an improvement in clinical status, exercise capacity, and quality of life. Ongoing trials are testing the hypothesis that such a therapy may also reduce the risk of HF hospitalizations and cardiovascular death.

  3. [Bayes' syndrome in cardiac surgery: prevalence of interatrial block in patients younger than 65 years undergoing cardiac surgery and association with postoperative atrial fibrillation].

    PubMed

    García-Izquierdo Jaén, Eusebio; Cobo Rodríguez, Pablo; Solís Solís, Luis; Pham Trung, Chinh; Jiménez Sánchez, Diego; Sánchez García, Manuel; Castro Urda, Victor; Toquero Ramos, Jorge; Fernández Lozano, Ignacio

    2017-11-03

    Interatrial block (IAB) is a well-known entity that is associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). This association is called Bayes' syndrome. The aim of our study was to define the prevalence of IAB among patients younger than 65 years undergoing cardiac surgery and determine whether there is an association between the presence of interatrial conduction delay and postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF). A total of 207 patients were enrolled. Partial IAB was defined as P-wave>120ms. Advanced IAB was defined as P-wave>120ms+biphasic morphology in the inferior leads. Ocurrence of POAF was assessed and a comparative analysis was conducted between patients that did and did not develop AF. IAB prevalence was 78.3% (partial 66.2%, advanced 12.1%). POAF occurred in 28.5% of all patients, and was more frequent among patients with advanced IAB (44%) compared to 27.7% and 24.4% of POAF among patients with partial IAB and without IAB, respectively. Patients who developed POAF were significantly older, had significantly higher NTproBNP, higher prevalence of atrial enlargement and thyroid disease. After multivariate analysis, advanced IAB was found to be independently associated with POAF. IAB is a frequent finding among patients undergoing cardiac surgery. According to our results, advanced IAB is independently associated with POAF in younger patients (<65 years) undergoing cardiac surgery. Copyright © 2017 Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

  4. Ferritin accumulation under iron scarcity in Drosophila iron cells.

    PubMed

    Mehta, A; Deshpande, A; Bettedi, L; Missirlis, F

    2009-10-01

    Ferritins are highly stable, multi-subunit protein complexes with iron-binding capacities that reach 4500 iron atoms per ferritin molecule. The strict dependence of cellular physiology on an adequate supply of iron cofactors has likely been a key driving force in the evolution of ferritins as iron storage molecules. The insect intestine has long been known to contain cells that are responsive to dietary iron levels and a specialized group of "iron cells" that always accumulate iron-loaded ferritin, even when no supplementary iron is added to the diet. Here, we further characterize ferritin localization in Drosophila melanogaster larvae raised under iron-enriched and iron-depleted conditions. High dietary iron intake results in ferritin accumulation in the anterior midgut, but also in garland (wreath) cells and in pericardial cells, which together filter the circulating hemolymph. Ferritin is also abundant in the brain, where levels remain unaltered following dietary iron chelation, a treatment that depletes ferritin from the aforementioned tissues. We attribute the stability of ferritin levels in the brain to the function of the blood-brain barrier that may shield this organ from systemic iron fluctuations. Most intriguingly, our dietary manipulations demonstrably iron-depleted the iron cells without a concomitant reduction in their production of ferritin. Therefore, insect iron cells may constitute an exception from the evolutionary norm with respect to iron-dependent ferritin regulation. It will be of interest to decipher both the physiological purpose served and the mechanism employed to untie ferritin regulation from cellular iron levels in this cell type.

  5. Iron-Binding E3 Ligase Mediates Iron Response in Plants by Targeting Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors1[OPEN

    PubMed Central

    Selote, Devarshi; Samira, Rozalynne; Matthiadis, Anna; Gillikin, Jeffrey W.; Long, Terri A.

    2015-01-01

    Iron uptake and metabolism are tightly regulated in both plants and animals. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), BRUTUS (BTS), which contains three hemerythrin (HHE) domains and a Really Interesting New Gene (RING) domain, interacts with basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors that are capable of forming heterodimers with POPEYE (PYE), a positive regulator of the iron deficiency response. BTS has been shown to have E3 ligase capacity and to play a role in root growth, rhizosphere acidification, and iron reductase activity in response to iron deprivation. To further characterize the function of this protein, we examined the expression pattern of recombinant ProBTS::β-GLUCURONIDASE and found that it is expressed in developing embryos and other reproductive tissues, corresponding with its apparent role in reproductive growth and development. Our findings also indicate that the interactions between BTS and PYE-like (PYEL) basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors occur within the nucleus and are dependent on the presence of the RING domain. We provide evidence that BTS facilitates 26S proteasome-mediated degradation of PYEL proteins in the absence of iron. We also determined that, upon binding iron at the HHE domains, BTS is destabilized and that this destabilization relies on specific residues within the HHE domains. This study reveals an important and unique mechanism for plant iron homeostasis whereby an E3 ubiquitin ligase may posttranslationally control components of the transcriptional regulatory network involved in the iron deficiency response. PMID:25452667

  6. Characterization of the intergenic RNA profile at abdominal-A and Abdominal-B in the Drosophila bithorax complex

    PubMed Central

    Bae, Esther; Calhoun, Vincent C.; Levine, Michael; Lewis, Edward B.; Drewell, Robert A.

    2002-01-01

    The correct spatial expression of two Drosophila bithorax complex (BX-C) genes, abdominal-A (abdA) and Abdominal-B (AbdB), is dependent on the 100-kb intergenic infraabdominal (iab) region. The iab region is known to contain a number of different domains (iab2 through iab8) that harbor cis-regulatory elements responsible for directing expression of abdA and AbdB in the second through eighth abdominal segments. Here, we use in situ hybridization to perform high-resolution mapping of the transcriptional activity in the iab control regions. We show that transcription of the control regions themselves is abundant and precedes activation of the abdA and AbdB genes. As with the homeotic genes of the BX-C, the transcription patterns of the RNAs from the iab control regions demonstrate colinearity with the sequence of the iab regions along the chromosome and the domains in the embryo under the control of the specific iab regions. These observations suggest that the intergenic RNAs may play a role in initiating cis regulation at the BX-C early in development. PMID:12481037

  7. Vibrio Iron Transport: Evolutionary Adaptation to Life in Multiple Environments

    PubMed Central

    Mey, Alexandra R.; Wyckoff, Elizabeth E.

    2015-01-01

    SUMMARY Iron is an essential element for Vibrio spp., but the acquisition of iron is complicated by its tendency to form insoluble ferric complexes in nature and its association with high-affinity iron-binding proteins in the host. Vibrios occupy a variety of different niches, and each of these niches presents particular challenges for acquiring sufficient iron. Vibrio species have evolved a wide array of iron transport systems that allow the bacteria to compete for this essential element in each of its habitats. These systems include the secretion and uptake of high-affinity iron-binding compounds (siderophores) as well as transport systems for iron bound to host complexes. Transporters for ferric and ferrous iron not complexed to siderophores are also common to Vibrio species. Some of the genes encoding these systems show evidence of horizontal transmission, and the ability to acquire and incorporate additional iron transport systems may have allowed Vibrio species to more rapidly adapt to new environmental niches. While too little iron prevents growth of the bacteria, too much can be lethal. The appropriate balance is maintained in vibrios through complex regulatory networks involving transcriptional repressors and activators and small RNAs (sRNAs) that act posttranscriptionally. Examination of the number and variety of iron transport systems found in Vibrio spp. offers insights into how this group of bacteria has adapted to such a wide range of habitats. PMID:26658001

  8. Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia in women.

    PubMed

    Percy, Laura; Mansour, Diana; Fraser, Ian

    2017-04-01

    Iron deficiency (ID) is the most common micronutrient deficiency worldwide with >20% of women experiencing it during their reproductive lives. Hepcidin, a peptide hormone mostly produced by the liver, controls the absorption and regulation of iron. Understanding iron metabolism is pivotal in the successful management of ID and iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) using oral preparations, parenteral iron or blood transfusion. Oral preparations vary in their iron content and can result in gastrointestinal side effects. Parenteral iron is indicated when there are compliance/tolerance issues with oral iron, comorbidities which may affect absorption or ongoing iron losses that exceed absorptive capacity. It may also be the preferred option when rapid iron repletion is required to prevent physiological decompensation or given preoperatively for non-deferrable surgery. As gynaecologists, we focus on managing women's heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) and assume that primary care clinicians are treating the associated ID/IDA. We now need to take the lead in diagnosing, managing and initiating treatment for ID/IDA and treating HMB simultaneously. This dual management will significantly improve their quality of life. In this chapter we will summarise the importance of iron in cellular functioning, describe how to diagnose ID/IDA and help clinicians choose between the available treatment options. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  9. 46 CFR 56.60-10 - Cast iron and malleable iron.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cast iron and malleable iron. 56.60-10 Section 56.60-10... APPURTENANCES Materials § 56.60-10 Cast iron and malleable iron. (a) The low ductility of cast iron and... avoided. Cast iron and malleable iron components shall not be used at temperatures above 450 °F. Cast iron...

  10. Alteration in iron status in pre eclampsia.

    PubMed

    Basher, K; Deb, K

    2006-01-01

    The aim of the study is to compare and contrast serum iron status in pre eclamptic women with normal pregnant women which may help in the establishment of diagnosis of pre eclampsia before appearance of its clinical manifestation. A total of 82 women in the last half of pregnancy, between 17 to 40 years of age, who attended the model family planning clinic, out patient and in patient departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology unit of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, Mymensingh were selected for this purpose before any treatment was given in present pregnancy. Out of them 32 pregnant women were taken as control because they did not show any evidence of complication during the time of selection and 50 pregnant women were randomly selected as cases on the basic of having pre eclampsia. Mean value of serum iron was significantly increased in the pre eclamptic women in comparison to controls whereas mean values of both total iron binding capacity (TIBC) and unsaturated iron binding capacity (UIBC) were significantly decreased in pre eclamptic women in contrast to controls. The results allude to the possible contribution of released iron free radicals from ischaemic placenta in pre eclampsia to its etiology. So, routine investigation of serum iron status of pregnant women as part of antenatal checkup may help in the establishment of diagnosis of pre eclampsia before appearance of its clinical manifestation.

  11. The low-iron, reduced surface of Mercury as seen in spectral reflectance by MESSENGER

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Izenberg, Noam R.; Klima, Rachel L.; Murchie, Scott L.; Blewett, David T.; Holsclaw, Gregory M.; McClintock, William E.; Malaret, Erick; Mauceri, Calogero; Vilas, Faith; Sprague, Ann L.; Helbert, Jörn; Domingue, Deborah L.; Head, James W.; Goudge, Timothy A.; Solomon, Sean C.; Hibbitts, Charles A.; Dyar, M. Darby

    2014-01-01

    The MESSENGER spacecraft's Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS) obtained more than 1.6 million reflectance spectra of Mercury's surface from near-ultraviolet to near-infrared wavelengths during the first year of orbital operations. A global analysis of spectra in the wavelength range 300-1450 nm shows little regional variation in absolute reflectance or spectral slopes and a lack of mineralogically diagnostic absorptions. In particular, reflectance spectra show no clear evidence for an absorption band centered near 1 μm that would be associated with the presence of ferrous iron in silicates. There is, however, evidence for an ultraviolet absorption possibly consistent with a very low iron content (2-3 wt% FeO or less) in surface silicates and for the presence of small amounts of metallic iron or other opaque minerals in the form of nano- or micrometer-sized particles. These findings are consistent with MESSENGER X-ray and gamma-ray measurements of Mercury's surface iron abundance. Although X-ray and gamma-ray observations indicate higher than expected quantities of sulfur on the surface, reflectance spectra show no absorption bands diagnostic of sulfide minerals. Whereas there is strong evidence of water ice in permanently shadowed craters near Mercury's poles, MASCS spectra provide no evidence for hydroxylated materials near permanently shadowed craters.

  12. Ellagic acid inhibits iron-mediated free radical formation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dalvi, Luana T.; Moreira, Daniel C.; Andrade, Roberto; Ginani, Janini; Alonso, Antonio; Hermes-Lima, Marcelo

    2017-02-01

    Polyphenols are reported to have some health benefits, which are link to their antioxidant properties. In the case of ellagic acid (EA), there is evidence that it has free radical scavenger properties and that it is able to form complexes with metal ions. However, information on a possible link between the formation of iron-EA complexes and their interference in Haber-Weiss/Fenton reactions was not yet determined. Thus, the present study investigated the in vitro antioxidant mechanism of EA in a system containing ascorbate, Fe(III) and different iron ligands (EDTA, citrate and NTA). Iron-mediated oxidative degradation of 2-deoxyribose was poorly inhibited (by 12%) in the presence of EA (50 μM) and EDTA. When citrate or NTA - which form weak iron complexes - were used, the 2-deoxyribose protection increased to 89-97% and 45%, respectively. EA also presented equivalent inhibitory effects on iron-mediated oxygen uptake and ascorbyl radical formation. Spectral analyses of iron-EA complexes show that EA removes Fe(III) from EDTA within hours, and from citrate within 1 min. This difference in the rate of iron-EA complex formation may explain the antioxidant effects of EA. Furthermore, the EA antioxidant effectiveness was inversely proportional to the Fe(III) concentration, suggesting a competition with EDTA. In conclusion, the results indicate that EA may prevent in vitro free radical formation when it forms a complex with iron ions.

  13. Carbonates of the Gunflint Banded Iron Formation as Analogs of Martian Carbonates

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pun, A.; Papike, J. J.; Shearer, C. K.

    2001-01-01

    Terrestrial iron formations preserve remnants of life on Earth and may serve as analogs for identifying evidence of biologic activity in martian rocks. We report on the petrography, mineralogy and trace-element abundances of carbonates of the Gunflint banded iron formation. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

  14. Higher iron bioavailability of a human-like collagen iron complex.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Chenhui; Yang, Fan; Fan, Daidi; Wang, Ya; Yu, Yuanyuan

    2017-07-01

    Iron deficiency remains a public health problem around the world due to low iron intake and/or bioavailability. FeSO 4 , ferrous succinate, and ferrous glycinate chelate are rich in iron but have poor bioavailability. To solve the problem of iron deficiency, following previous research studies, a thiolated human-like collagen-ironcomplex supplement with a high iron content was prepared in an anaerobic workstation. In addition, cell viability tests were evaluated after conducting an MTT assay, and a quantitative analysis of the thiolated human-like collagen-iron digesta samples was performed using the SDS-PAGE method coupled with gel filtration chromatography. The iron bioavailability was assessed using Caco-2 cell monolayers and iron-deficiency anemia mice models. The results showed that (1) one mole of thiolated human-like collagen-iron possessed approximately 35.34 moles of iron; (2) thiolated human-like collagen-iron did not exhibit cytotoxity and (3) thiolated human-like collagen- iron digesta samples had higher bioavailability than other iron supplements, including FeSO 4 , ferrous succinate, ferrous glycine chelate and thiolated human-like collagen-Fe iron. Finally, the iron bioavailability was significantly enhanced by vitamin C. These results indicated that thiolated human-like collagen-iron is a promising iron supplement for use in the future.

  15. Iron, transferrin and myelinogenesis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sergeant, C.; Vesvres, M. H.; Devès, G.; Baron, B.; Guillou, F.

    2003-09-01

    Transferrin (Tf), the iron binding protein of vertebrates serum, is known to be synthesized by oligodendrocytes (Ols) in the central nervous system. It has been postulated that Tf is involved in Ols maturation and myelinogenesis. This link is particularly important in the understanding of a severe human pathology: the multiple sclerosis, which remains without efficient treatment. We generated transgenic mice containing the complete human Tf gene and extensive regulatory sequences from the 5 ' and 3 ' untranslated regions that specifically overexpress Tf in Ols. Brain cytoarchitecture of the transgenic mice appears to be normal in all brain regions examined, total myelin content is increased by 30% and motor coordination is significantly improved when compared with non-transgenic littermates. Tf role in the central nervous system may be related to its affinity for metallic cations. Normal and transgenic mice were used for determination of trace metals (iron, copper and zinc) and minerals (potassium and calcium) concentration in cerebellum and corpus callosum. The freeze-dried samples were prepared to allow proton-induced X-ray emission and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry analyses with the nuclear microprobe in Bordeaux. Preliminary results were obtained and carbon distribution was revealed as a very good analysis to distinguish precisely the white matter region. A comparison of metallic and mineral elements contents in brain between normal and transgenic mice shows that iron, copper and zinc levels remained constant. This result provides evidence that effects of Tf overexpression in the brain do not solely relate to iron transport.

  16. Effect of dietary cadmium on iron metabolism in growing rats.

    PubMed

    Crowe, A; Morgan, E H

    1997-07-01

    Little is known regarding the interactions between iron and cadmium during postnatal development. This study examined the effect of altered levels of dietary iron and cadmium loading on the distribution of cadmium and iron in developing rats ages 15, 21, and 63 days. The uptake of iron, transferrin, and cadmium into various organs was also examined using 59Fe, [125I]transferrin, and 109Cd. Dietary cadmium loading reduced packed cell volume and plasma iron and nonheme iron levels in the liver and kidneys, evidence of the inducement of an iron deficient state. Dietary iron loading was able to reverse these effects, suggesting that they were the result of impaired intestinal absorption of iron. Cadmium loading resulted in cadmium concentrations in the liver and kidneys up to 20 microg/g in rats age 63 days, while cadmium levels in the brain reached only 0.16 microg/g, indicating that the blood-brain barrier restricts the entry of cadmium into the brain. Iron loading had little effect on cadmium levels in the organs and cadmium feeding did not lower tissue iron levels in iron loaded animals. These results suggest that cadmium inhibits iron absorption only at low to normal levels of dietary iron and that at high levels of intake iron and cadmium are largely absorbed by other, noncompetitive mechanisms. It was shown that 109Cd is removed from the plasma extremely quickly irrespective of iron status and deposits mainly in the liver. One of the most striking effects of cadmium loading on iron metabolism was increased uptake of [125I]transferrin by the heart, possibly by disrupting the process of receptor-mediated endocytosis and recycling of transferrin by heart muscle.

  17. Report of the World Health Organization Technical Consultation on Prevention and Control of Iron Deficiency in Infants and Young Children in Malaria-Endemic Areas

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The objectives were to review the scientific evidence on scientific evidence on safety and efficacy of iron administration to prevent and control iron deficiency at population levels; to provide guidance on the most feasible, effective, and safe progammatic ways to administer additional iron; and to...

  18. Photoreduction of Terrigenous Fe-Humic Substances Leads to Bioavailable Iron in Oceans.

    PubMed

    Blazevic, Amir; Orlowska, Ewelina; Kandioller, Wolfgang; Jirsa, Franz; Keppler, Bernhard K; Tafili-Kryeziu, Myrvete; Linert, Wolfgang; Krachler, Rudolf F; Krachler, Regina; Rompel, Annette

    2016-05-23

    Humic substances (HS) are important iron chelators responsible for the transport of iron from freshwater systems to the open sea, where iron is essential for marine organisms. Evidence suggests that iron complexed to HS comprises the bulk of the iron ligand pool in near-coastal waters and shelf seas. River-derived HS have been investigated to study their transport to, and dwell in oceanic waters. A library of iron model compounds and river-derived Fe-HS samples were probed in a combined X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and valence-to-core X-ray emission spectroscopy (VtC-XES) study at the Fe K-edge. The analyses performed revealed that iron complexation in HS samples is only dependent on oxygen-containing HS functional groups, such as carboxyl and phenol. The photoreduction mechanism of Fe III -HS in oceanic conditions into bioavailable aquatic Fe II forms, highlights the importance of river-derived HS as an iron source for marine organisms. Consequently, such mechanisms are a vital component of the upper-ocean iron biogeochemistry cycle.

  19. Iron deficiency associated with higher blood lead in children living in contaminated environments.

    PubMed Central

    Bradman, A; Eskenazi, B; Sutton, P; Athanasoulis, M; Goldman, L R

    2001-01-01

    The evidence that iron deficiency increases lead child exposure is based primarily on animal data and limited human studies, and some of this evidence is contradictory. No studies of iron status and blood lead levels in children have accounted for environmental lead contamination and, therefore, the source of their exposure. Thus, no studies have directly determined whether iron deficiency modifies the relationship of environmental lead and blood lead. In this study, we compared blood lead levels of iron-deficient and iron-replete children living in low, medium, or highly contaminated environments. Measurements of lead in paint, soil, dust, and blood, age of housing, and iron status were collected from 319 children ages 1-5. We developed two lead exposure factors to summarize the correlated exposure variables: Factor 1 summarized all environmental measures, and Factor 2 was weighted for lead loading of house dust. The geometric mean blood lead level was 4.9 microg/dL; 14% exceeded 10 microg/dL. Many of the children were iron deficient (24% with ferritin < 12 ng/dL). Seventeen percent of soil leads exceeded 500 microg/g, and 23% and 63% of interior and exterior paint samples exceeded 5,000 microg/g. The unadjusted geometric mean blood lead level for iron-deficient children was higher by 1 microg/dL; this difference was greater (1.8 microg/dL) after excluding Asians. Blood lead levels were higher for iron-deficient children for each tertile of exposure as estimated by Factors 1 and 2 for non-Asian children. Elevated blood lead among iron-deficient children persisted after adjusting for potential confounders by multivariate regression; the largest difference in blood lead levels between iron-deficient and -replete children, approximately 3 microg/dL, was among those living in the most contaminated environments. Asian children had a paradoxical association of sufficient iron status and higher blood lead level, which warrants further investigation. Improving iron status

  20. Iron overload in thalassemia and related conditions: therapeutic goals and assessment of response to chelation therapies.

    PubMed

    Porter, John B; Shah, Farrukh T

    2010-12-01

    Transfusional iron loading inevitably results in hepatic iron accumulation, with variable extrahepatic distribution that is typically less pronounced in sickle cell disease than in thalassemia disorders. Iron chelation therapy has the goal of preventing iron-mediated tissue damage through controlling tissue iron levels, without incurring chelator-mediated toxicity. Historically, target levels for tissue iron control have been limited by the increased frequency of deferoxamine-mediated toxicity and low levels of iron loading. With newer chelation regimes, these limitations are less evident. The reporting of responses to chelation therapies has typically focused on average changes in serum ferritin in patient populations. This approach has three limitations. First, changes in serum ferritin may not reflect trends in iron balance equally in all patients or for all chelation regimens. Second, this provides no information about the proportion of patients likely respond. Third, this gives insufficient information about iron trends in tissues such as the heart. Monitoring of iron overload has advanced with the increasing use of MRI techniques to estimate iron balance (changes in liver iron concentration) and extrahepatic iron distribution (myocardial T2*). The term nonresponder has been increasingly used to describe individuals who fail to show a downward trend in one or more of these variables. Lack of a response of an individual may result from inadequate dosing, high transfusion requirement, poor treatment adherence, or unfavorable pharmacology of the chelation regime. This article scrutinizes evidence for response rates to deferoxamine, deferiprone (and combinations), and deferasirox. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Management of Iron-Deficiency Anemia in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

    PubMed Central

    Nielsen, Ole Haagen; Ainsworth, Mark; Coskun, Mehmet; Weiss, Günter

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Anemia is the most frequent complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but anemia, mostly due to iron deficiency, has long been neglected in these patients. The aim was to briefly present the pathophysiology, followed by a balanced overview of the different forms of iron replacement available, and subsequently, to perform a systematic review of studies performed in the last decade on the treatment of iron-deficiency anemia in IBD. Given that intravenous therapies have been introduced in the last decade, a systematic review performed in PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and the websites of WHO, FDA, and EMA covered prospective trials investigating the management of iron-deficiency anemia in IBD published since 2004. A total of 632 articles were reviewed, and 13 articles (2906 patients) with unique content were included. In general, oral supplementation in iron-deficiency anemia should be administered with a target to restore/replenish the iron stores and the hemoglobin level in a suitable way. However, in patients with IBD flares and inadequate responses to or side effects with oral preparations, intravenous iron supplementation is the therapy of choice. Neither oral nor intravenous therapy seems to exacerbate the clinical course of IBD, and intravenous iron therapy can be administered even in active disease stages and concomitantly with biologics. In conclusion, because many physicians are in doubt as to how to manage anemia and iron deficiency in IBD, there is a clear need for the implementation of evidence-based recommendations on this matter. Based on the data presented, oral iron therapy should be preferred for patients with quiescent disease stages and trivial iron deficiency anemia unless such patients are intolerant or have an inadequate response, whereas intravenous iron supplementation may be of advantage in patients with aggravated anemia or flares of IBD because inflammation hampers intestinal absorption of iron. PMID:26061331

  2. The Association between Malaria and Iron Status or Supplementation in Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Sangaré, Laura; van Eijk, Anna Maria; ter Kuile, Feiko O.; Walson, Judd; Stergachis, Andy

    2014-01-01

    Introduction Malaria prevention and iron supplementation are associated with improved maternal and infant outcomes. However, evidence from studies in children suggests iron may adversely modify the risk of malaria. We reviewed the evidence in pregnancy of the association between malaria and markers of iron status, iron supplementation or parenteral treatment. Methods and Findings We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Global Health Library, and the Malaria in Pregnancy library to identify studies that investigated the association between iron status, iron treatment or supplementation during pregnancy and malaria. Thirty one studies contributed to the analysis; 3 experimental and 28 observational studies. Iron supplementation was not associated with an increased risk of P. falciparum malaria during pregnancy or delivery in Africa (summary Relative Risk = 0.89, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.66–1.20, I2 = 78.8%, 5 studies). One study in Asia reported an increased risk of P. vivax within 30 days of iron supplementation (e.g. adjusted Hazard Ratio = 1.75, 95% CI 1.14–2.70 for 1–15 days), but not after 60 days. Iron deficiency (based on ferritin and C-reactive protein) was associated with lower odds for malaria infection (summary Odds Ratio = 0.35, 0.24–0.51, I2 = 59.2%, 5 studies). With the exception of the acute phase protein ferritin, biomarkers of iron deficiency were generally not associated with malaria infection. Conclusions Iron supplementation was associated with a temporal increase in P vivax, but not with an increased risk of P. falciparum; however, data are insufficient to rule out the potential for an increased risk of P. falciparum. Iron deficiency was associated with a decreased malaria risk in pregnancy only when measured with ferritin. Until there is more evidence, it is prudent to provide iron in combination with malaria prevention during pregnancy. PMID:24551064

  3. Influence of Fe(2+)-catalysed iron oxide recrystallization on metal cycling.

    PubMed

    Latta, Drew E; Gorski, Christopher A; Scherer, Michelle M

    2012-12-01

    Recent work has indicated that iron (oxyhydr-)oxides are capable of structurally incorporating and releasing metals and nutrients as a result of Fe2+-induced iron oxide recrystallization. In the present paper, we briefly review the current literature examining the mechanisms by which iron oxides recrystallize and summarize how recrystallization affects metal incorporation and release. We also provide new experimental evidence for the Fe2+-induced release of structural manganese from manganese-doped goethite. Currently, the exact mechanism(s) for Fe2+-induced recrystallization remain elusive, although they are likely to be both oxide-and metal-dependent. We conclude by discussing some future research directions for Fe2+-catalysed iron oxide recrystallization.

  4. The Irony of Iron – Biogenic Iron Oxides as an Iron Source to the Ocean

    PubMed Central

    Emerson, David

    2016-01-01

    Primary productivity in at least a third of the sunlit open ocean is thought to be iron-limited. Primary sources of dissolved iron (dFe) to the ocean are hydrothermal venting, flux from the sediments along continental margins, and airborne dust. This article provides a general review of sources of hydrothermal and sedimentary iron to the ocean, and speculates upon the role that iron-cycling microbes play in controlling iron dynamics from these sources. Special attention is paid to iron-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) that live by oxidizing iron and producing biogenic iron oxides as waste products. The presence and ubiquity of FeOB both at hydrothermal systems and in sediments is only beginning to be appreciated. The biogenic oxides they produce have unique properties that could contribute significantly to the dynamics of dFe in the ocean. Changes in the physical and chemical characteristics of the ocean due to climate change and ocean acidification will undoubtedly impact the microbial iron cycle. A better understanding of the contemporary role of microbes in the iron cycle will help in predicting how these changes could ultimately influence marine primary productivity. PMID:26779157

  5. A potential new biosignature of life in iron-rich extreme environments: An iron (III) complex of scytonemin and proposal for its identification using Raman spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Varnali, Tereza; Edwards, Howell G. M.

    2013-07-01

    Scytonemin is a cyanobacterial sheath pigment with potent UV absorbing (UV-A, UV-B and UV-C) properties. The importance of this biomolecule is its photoprotective function which is one of the major survival strategies adopted by extremophiles to combat high energy radiation insolation in environmentally stressed conditions. Also, iron (III) oxides offering an additional UV-protecting facility to subsurface biological colonization as well as banded iron formations with zones of iron depletion in rock matrices have attracted attention with special interest in the mobilisation and transportation of iron compounds through the rock. This study represents a novel proposal that an iron-scytonemin complex could facilitate the movement of iron through the subsurface rock as part of the this extremophilic survival strategy. The predicted Raman wavenumbers for the proposed scytonemin complex of iron(III) are derived computationally using DFT calculations. Comparison of the experimentally observed Raman spectra of scytonemin with the theoretically predicted Raman spectra of the iron-scytonemin complex show that the latter may be discriminated and the expected characteristic bands are reported in relation to structural changes that are effected upon complexation. This information will inform the future search for experimental evidence for an iron-scytonemin complex, which has not been recognised hitherto and which could provide a novel biosignature for the extremophilic colonization of terrestrial iron-rich geological matrices. Such a terrestrial scenario would be potentially of significance for the remote robotic analytical exploration of the iron-rich surface and immediate subsurface of Mars.

  6. Impact of interstitial iron on the study of meta-stable B-O defects in Czochralski silicon: Further evidence of a single defect

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Moonyong; Chen, Daniel; Abbott, Malcolm; Nampalli, Nitin; Wenham, Stuart; Stefani, Bruno; Hallam, Brett

    2018-04-01

    We explore the influence of interstitial iron (Fei) on lifetime spectroscopy of boron-oxygen (B-O) related degradation in p-type Czochralski silicon. Theoretical and experimental evidence presented in this study indicate that iron-boron pair (Fe-B) related reactions could have influenced several key experimental results used to derive theories on the fundamental properties of the B-O defect. Firstly, the presence of Fei can account for higher apparent capture cross-section ratios (k) of approximately 100 observed in previous studies during early stages of B-O related degradation. Secondly, the association of Fe-B pairs can explain the initial stage of a two-stage recovery of carrier lifetime with dark annealing after partial degradation. Thirdly, Fei can result in high apparent k values after the permanent deactivation of B-O defects. Subsequently, we show that a single k value can describe the recombination properties associated with B-O defects throughout degradation, that the recovery during dark annealing occurs with a single-stage, and both the fast- and slow-stage B-O related degradation can be permanently deactivated during illuminated annealing. Accounting for the recombination activity of Fei provides further evidence that the B-O defect is a single defect, rather than two separate defects normally attributed to fast-forming recombination centers and slow-forming recombination centers. Implications of this finding for the nature of the B-O defect are also discussed.

  7. Daily oral iron supplementation during pregnancy

    PubMed Central

    Peña-Rosas, Juan Pablo; De-Regil, Luz Maria; Dowswell, Therese; Viteri, Fernando E

    2014-01-01

    ). Although the difference between groups did not reach statistical significance, women who received iron supplements were more likely than controls to report side effects (25.3% versus 9.91%) (RR 2.36; 95% CI 0.96 to 5.82, 11 trials, 4418 women), particularly at doses 60 mg of elemental iron or higher. Women receiving iron were on average more likely to have higher haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations at term and in the postpartum period, but were at increased risk of Hb concentrations greater than 130g/L during pregnancy and at term. Twenty-three studies were conducted in countries that in 2011 had some malaria risk in parts of the country. In some of these countries/territories, malaria is present only in certain areas or up to a particular altitude. Only two of these reported malaria outcomes. There is no evidence that iron supplementation increases placental malaria. For some outcomes heterogeneity was higher than 50%. Authors’ conclusions Prenatal supplementation with daily iron are effective to reduce the risk of low birthweight, and to prevent maternal anaemia and iron deficiency in pregnancy. Associated maternal side effects and particularly high Hb concentrations during pregnancy at currently used doses suggest the need to update recommendations on doses and regimens for routine iron supplementation. PMID:23235616

  8. Effects of calcium on hepatocyte iron uptake from transferrin, iron-pyrophosphate and iron-ascorbate.

    PubMed

    Nilsen, T

    1991-10-16

    Calcium stimulates hepatocyte iron uptake from transferrin, ferric-iron-pyrophosphate and ferrous-iron-ascorbate. Maximal stimulation of iron uptake is observed at 1-1.5 mM of extra-cellular calcium and the effect is reversible and immediate. Neither the receptor affinity for transferrin, nor the total amounts of transferrin associated with the cells or the rate of transferrin endocytosis are significantly affected by calcium. In the presence of calcium the rate of iron uptake of non-transferrin bound iron increases abruptly at approximate 17 degrees C and 27 degrees C and as assessed by Arrhenius plots, the activation energy is reduced in a calcium dependent manner at approx. 27 degrees C. At a similar temperature, i.e., between 25 degrees C and 28 degrees C, calcium increases the rates of cellular iron uptake from transferrin in a way that is not reflected in the rate of transferrin endocytosis. By the results of this study it is concluded that calcium increases iron transport across the plasma membrane by a mechanism dependent on membrane fluidity.

  9. THE INFLUENCE OF IRON AND SULFUR CYCLING ON ARSENIC PARTITIONING IN SOILS AND SEDIMENTS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Field evidence suggests that arsenic solid-solution partitioning in natural systems is often tied to iron and sulfur cycling. This is likely due to the coprecipitation of arsenic as a trace component in poorly crystalline iron oxides and monosulfides. However, there is limited ...

  10. Response to parenteral iron therapy distinguish unexplained refractory iron deficiency anemia from iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia.

    PubMed

    Akin, M; Sarbay, H; Guler, S; Balci, Y I; Polat, A

    2016-04-01

    We evaluated that response to parenteral iron therapy could be helpful in distinguishing the types of iron deficiency anemia. This study analyzed responses to IV iron sucrose therapy of 15 children with unexplained refractory iron deficiency anemia (URIDA). We compared the results at diagnosis, 6 weeks and 6 months after the therapy. Results were compared with responses of 11 patients' results with iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia (IRIDA) from our previous study. Six weeks after the start of treatment, ferritin, MCV, MCH and Hb values were in normal range in 10 patients. The increase in Hb, MCH, MCV, and ferritin values ranged 2.6-3.5 g/dL, 1.7-4.2 pg, 2-9 fL, and 13-25 ng/mL, respectively. In five patients, Hb, MCH, and MCV mean (range) values [11.2 g/dL (11-12.2), 24.5 pg (24-25.6), and 67 fL (65-70)] were nearly normal but ferritin mean (range) values [9.8 ng/mL (8-11)] were below normal. Six weeks after the start of treatment, Hb, MCH, MCV and ferritin values of patients with IRIDA were increased. The increase in Hb, MCH, MCV, and ferritin values ranged 0.8-2.7 g/dL, 1.7-4.2 pg, 2-9 fL, and 13-25 ng/mL, respectively. IRIDA is only partially responsive to parenteral iron supplementation. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the response to intravenous iron therapy for the URIDA cases improved blood parameters more effectively than hereditary IRIDA. Response to parenteral iron therapy would be helpful to distinguish unexplained refractory IDA from hereditary IRIDA for clinicians who do not have access to hepcidin or TMPRS6 mutation analysis. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Iron limitation of microbial phosphorus acquisition in the tropical North Atlantic

    PubMed Central

    Browning, T. J.; Achterberg, E. P.; Yong, J. C.; Rapp, I.; Utermann, C.; Engel, A.; Moore, C. M.

    2017-01-01

    In certain regions of the predominantly nitrogen limited ocean, microbes can become co-limited by phosphorus. Within such regions, a proportion of the dissolved organic phosphorus pool can be accessed by microbes employing a variety of alkaline phosphatase (APase) enzymes. In contrast to the PhoA family of APases that utilize zinc as a cofactor, the recent discovery of iron as a cofactor in the more widespread PhoX and PhoD implies the potential for a biochemically dependant interplay between oceanic zinc, iron and phosphorus cycles. Here we demonstrate enhanced natural community APase activity following iron amendment within the low zinc and moderately low iron Western North Atlantic. In contrast we find no evidence for trace metal limitation of APase activity beneath the Saharan dust plume in the Eastern Atlantic. Such intermittent iron limitation of microbial phosphorus acquisition provides an additional facet in the argument for iron controlling the coupling between oceanic nitrogen and phosphorus cycles. PMID:28524880

  12. Relationship of Iron Deficiency and Serum Ferritin Levels with Pulmonary Hypertension: The Jackson Heart Study.

    PubMed

    Jankowich, Matthew; Elston, Beth; Evans, Samuel K; Wu, Wen-Chih; Choudhary, Gaurav

    2016-01-01

    Iron deficiency is prevalent in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH), but whether iron deficiency or ferritin levels are associated with pulmonary hypertension (PH) in the general population is unknown. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of data on iron deficiency (exposure), and PH (pulmonary artery systolic pressure>40mmHg on echocardiogram) (outcome) on subjects with complete data on exposures and outcomes as well as covariates (n = 2,800) enrolled in the Jackson Heart Study, a longitudinal prospective observational cohort study of heart disease in African-Americans from Jackson, Mississippi. Iron deficiency was defined as a serum ferritin level < 15ng/mL (females); < 30ng/mL (males). We determined crude prevalence ratios (PRs) for PH in iron deficient versus non-iron deficient groups using modified Poisson regression modeling. We also analyzed the prevalence of PH by sex-specific quartiles of ferritin (Females ≤ 47ng/mL; > 47ng/mL- 95ng/mL; > 95ng/mL- 171ng/mL; > 171ng/mL; Males ≤ 110ng/mL; > 110ng/mL- 182ng/mL; > 182ng/mL- 294ng/mL; > 294ng/mL), using the same modeling technique with the lowest quartile as the referent. Median pulmonary artery systolic pressure was 27mmHg (interquartile range 23-31mmHg) in the study cohort. 147 subjects (5.2%) had PH and 140 (5.0%) had iron deficiency. However, of the 147 subjects with PH, only 4 were also iron deficient. The crude PH PR was 0.5 (95% CI 0.2-1.4) in iron-deficiency compared to non-deficient. In analysis by quartiles of ferritin, adjusting for age and sex, there was no evidence of association with PH in quartiles 2 (PR 1.1, 95% CI 0.7-1.6), 3 (PR 0.8, 95% CI 0.5-1.3), or 4 (PR 0.8, 95% CI 0.5-1.2) compared with quartile 1 (referent group, PR 1). Further analyses of the relationship between PH and ferritin as a log-transformed continuous variable or by quartiles of serum iron showed similar results. In the Jackson Heart Study, the prevalence of PH was similar in iron-deficient and non-iron

  13. Serum Iron Levels and the Risk of Parkinson Disease: A Mendelian Randomization Study

    PubMed Central

    Gögele, Martin; Lill, Christina M.; Bertram, Lars; Do, Chuong B.; Eriksson, Nicholas; Foroud, Tatiana; Myers, Richard H.; Nalls, Michael; Keller, Margaux F.; Benyamin, Beben; Whitfield, John B.; Pramstaller, Peter P.; Hicks, Andrew A.; Thompson, John R.; Minelli, Cosetta

    2013-01-01

    Background Although levels of iron are known to be increased in the brains of patients with Parkinson disease (PD), epidemiological evidence on a possible effect of iron blood levels on PD risk is inconclusive, with effects reported in opposite directions. Epidemiological studies suffer from problems of confounding and reverse causation, and mendelian randomization (MR) represents an alternative approach to provide unconfounded estimates of the effects of biomarkers on disease. We performed a MR study where genes known to modify iron levels were used as instruments to estimate the effect of iron on PD risk, based on estimates of the genetic effects on both iron and PD obtained from the largest sample meta-analyzed to date. Methods and Findings We used as instrumental variables three genetic variants influencing iron levels, HFE rs1800562, HFE rs1799945, and TMPRSS6 rs855791. Estimates of their effect on serum iron were based on a recent genome-wide meta-analysis of 21,567 individuals, while estimates of their effect on PD risk were obtained through meta-analysis of genome-wide and candidate gene studies with 20,809 PD cases and 88,892 controls. Separate MR estimates of the effect of iron on PD were obtained for each variant and pooled by meta-analysis. We investigated heterogeneity across the three estimates as an indication of possible pleiotropy and found no evidence of it. The combined MR estimate showed a statistically significant protective effect of iron, with a relative risk reduction for PD of 3% (95% CI 1%–6%; p = 0.001) per 10 µg/dl increase in serum iron. Conclusions Our study suggests that increased iron levels are causally associated with a decreased risk of developing PD. Further studies are needed to understand the pathophysiological mechanism of action of serum iron on PD risk before recommendations can be made. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary PMID:23750121

  14. Planetoid core crystallisation and fractionation - Evidence from the Agpalilik mass of the Cape York iron meteorite shower

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Esbensen, K. H.; Buchwald, V. F.

    1982-09-01

    Metallographic and chemical study of the Agpalik mass of the Cape York iron meteorite shower reveals evidence of the mode of crystallization and fractionation of key elements consistent with a dendritic solidification of at least part of the once fully molten parent body's metallic core. Chemical gradients of Ir and Au are assessed across an 85 cm section that is inferred to be perpendicular to the parent body's gravitational field, and are interpreted as representing a dendritic growth mode. The characteristic elongated and orientated sulfide nodules found in Agpalik signify trapped liquid of the latest stages of crystallization. Detailed mineralogical and chemical characterization of the Agpalik liquid-solid transformation products allow modelling of the entire crystallization history commencing with dendritic metal precipitation through an ultimate troilite-taenite-Cu eutectic, representing a crystallization range spanning approximately 1350-700 C.

  15. Iron chelation therapy in transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients: current strategies and future directions

    PubMed Central

    Saliba, Antoine N; Harb, Afif R; Taher, Ali T

    2015-01-01

    Transfusional iron overload is a major target in the care of patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT) and other refractory anemias. Iron accumulates in the liver, heart, and endocrine organs leading to a wide array of complications. In this review, we summarize the characteristics of the approved iron chelators, deferoxamine, deferiprone, and deferasirox, and the evidence behind the use of each, as monotherapy or as part of combination therapy. We also review the different guidelines on iron chelation in TDT. This review also discusses future prospects and directions in the treatment of transfusional iron overload in TDT whether through innovation in chelation or other therapies, such as novel agents that improve transfusion dependence. PMID:26124688

  16. The Effect Of Local Coal And Smelting Sponge Iron On Iron Content Of Pig Iron

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oediyani, Soesaptri; Juwita Sari, Pramita; Hadi P, Djoko

    2018-03-01

    The new regulation on mineral resources was announced by Ministry of Energy and Mineral resources (ESDM) of Indonesia at 2014 which it called Permen ESDM No 1/2014. Therefore, this research was conducted to add the value of local iron ores by using smelting technology. The objective of the research is to produce pig iron that meet the requirement of the new regulation of mineral resources such as 90% Fe. First, iron ores and coal mixed together with lime as a flux, then smelted in a Electric Arc Furnace at 1800°C. The process variables are (1; 1.25; 1.5; 1.75; 2.0) and the composition of coal (0.8%, 1.6%, 3.0%). The type of coal that used in this research was bituminous coal from Kalimantan and also the iron ores from Kalimantan. The products of the smelting technology are Pig iron and slag. Both pig iron and slag then analyzed by SEM-EDS to measure the iron content. The result shows that the maximum iron content on pig iron is about 95.04% meanwhile the minimum iron content on slag is about 3.66%. This result achieved at 1.6% coal and 2.0.

  17. First Evidence for the Presence of Iron Oxidizing Zetaproteobacteria at the Levantine Continental Margins

    PubMed Central

    Rubin-Blum, Maxim; Antler, Gilad; Tsadok, Rami; Shemesh, Eli; Austin, James A.; Coleman, Dwight F.; Goodman-Tchernov, Beverly N.; Ben-Avraham, Zvi; Tchernov, Dan

    2014-01-01

    During the 2010–2011 E/V Nautilus exploration of the Levantine basin’s sediments at the depth of 300–1300 m, densely patched orange-yellow flocculent mats were observed at various locations along the continental margin of Israel. Cores from the mat and the control locations were collected by remotely operated vehicle system (ROV) operated by the E/V Nautilus team. Microscopic observation and phylogenetic analysis of microbial 16S and 23S rRNA gene sequences indicated the presence of zetaproteobacterial stalk forming Mariprofundus spp. – like prokaryotes in the mats. Bacterial tag-encoded FLX amplicon pyrosequencing determined that zetaproteobacterial populations were a dominant fraction of microbial community in the biofilm. We show for the first time that zetaproteobacterial may thrive at the continental margins, regardless of crustal iron supply, indicating significant fluxes of ferrous iron to the sediment-water interface. In light of this discovery, we discuss the potential bioavailability of sediment-water interface iron for organisms in the overlying water column. PMID:24614177

  18. Surveying the South Pole-Aitken basin magnetic anomaly for remnant impactor metallic iron

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cahill, Joshua T.S.; Hagerty, Justin J.; Lawrence, David M.; Klima, Rachel L.; Blewett, David T.

    2014-01-01

    The Moon has areas of magnetized crust ("magnetic anomalies"), the origins of which are poorly constrained. A magnetic anomaly near the northern rim of South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin was recently postulated to originate from remnant metallic iron emplaced by the SPA basin-forming impactor. Here, we remotely examine the regolith of this SPA magnetic anomaly with a combination of Clementine and Lunar Prospector derived iron maps for any evidence of enhanced metallic iron content. We find that these data sets do not definitively detect the hypothesized remnant metallic iron within the upper tens of centimeters of the lunar regolith.

  19. Universal iron fortification of foods: the view of a hematologist.

    PubMed

    Martins, José Murilo

    2012-01-01

    With the objective of reducing the high incidence of iron deficiency anemia, the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) adopted Resolution 344 in December 2002, which made the addition of iron and folic acid to all industrialized wheat and maize flours in Brazil compulsory. After a series of doubts about this universal measure of food fortification, a review of case reports on long-term medicinal iron intake published in the medical literature was undertaken to investigate the clinical behavior of this hematological conduct. Long-term medicinal iron ingestion is an extremely rare and serious situation. The data suggest that there are cases of hemochromatosis in women whose illnesses were accelerated with this therapy. It is very difficult to determine the amount of iron ingested by Brazilian citizens in the current system of fortification, but there is evidence that there has been an appreciable increase. Although iron fortification of food has been recognized by some authors as a good strategy to combat iron deficiency, some nation shave abandoned this measure. The patient with hemochromatosis is the most affected by compulsory iron fortification and as this disease is now considered a public health problem, we believe that Resolution 344 of ANVISA should be reviewed in order to find a solution beneficial to all segments of the Brazilian population; one should not try to correct one condition (iron deficiency) by exacerbating another (acceleration of iron overload cases).

  20. Universal iron fortification of foods: the view of a hematologist

    PubMed Central

    Martins, José Murilo

    2012-01-01

    With the objective of reducing the high incidence of iron deficiency anemia, the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) adopted Resolution 344 in December 2002, which made the addition of iron and folic acid to all industrialized wheat and maize flours in Brazil compulsory. After a series of doubts about this universal measure of food fortification, a review of case reports on long-term medicinal iron intake published in the medical literature was undertaken to investigate the clinical behavior of this hematological conduct. Long-term medicinal iron ingestion is an extremely rare and serious situation. The data suggest that there are cases of hemochromatosis in women whose illnesses were accelerated with this therapy. It is very difficult to determine the amount of iron ingested by Brazilian citizens in the current system of fortification, but there is evidence that there has been an appreciable increase. Although iron fortification of food has been recognized by some authors as a good strategy to combat iron deficiency, some nation shave abandoned this measure. The patient with hemochromatosis is the most affected by compulsory iron fortification and as this disease is now considered a public health problem, we believe that Resolution 344 of ANVISA should be reviewed in order to find a solution beneficial to all segments of the Brazilian population; one should not try to correct one condition (iron deficiency) by exacerbating another (acceleration of iron overload cases). PMID:23323072

  1. Iron regulatory proteins and their role in controlling iron metabolism.

    PubMed

    Kühn, Lukas C

    2015-02-01

    Cellular iron homeostasis is regulated by post-transcriptional feedback mechanisms, which control the expression of proteins involved in iron uptake, release and storage. Two cytoplasmic proteins with mRNA-binding properties, iron regulatory proteins 1 and 2 (IRP1 and IRP2) play a central role in this regulation. Foremost, IRPs regulate ferritin H and ferritin L translation and thus iron storage, as well as transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1) mRNA stability, thereby adjusting receptor expression and iron uptake via receptor-mediated endocytosis of iron-loaded transferrin. In addition splice variants of iron transporters for import and export at the plasma-membrane, divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) and ferroportin are regulated by IRPs. These mechanisms have probably evolved to maintain the cytoplasmic labile iron pool (LIP) at an appropriate level. In certain tissues, the regulation exerted by IRPs influences iron homeostasis and utilization of the entire organism. In intestine, the control of ferritin expression limits intestinal iron absorption and, thus, whole body iron levels. In bone marrow, erythroid heme biosynthesis is coordinated with iron availability through IRP-mediated translational control of erythroid 5-aminolevulinate synthase mRNA. Moreover, the translational control of HIF2α mRNA in kidney by IRP1 coordinates erythropoietin synthesis with iron and oxygen supply. Besides IRPs, body iron absorption is negatively regulated by hepcidin. This peptide hormone, synthesized and secreted by the liver in response to high serum iron, downregulates ferroportin at the protein level and thereby limits iron absorption from the diet. Hepcidin will not be discussed in further detail here.

  2. Serum iron level and kidney function: a Mendelian randomization study.

    PubMed

    Del Greco M, Fabiola; Foco, Luisa; Pichler, Irene; Eller, Philipp; Eller, Kathrin; Benyamin, Beben; Whitfield, John B; Pramstaller, Peter P; Thompson, John R; Pattaro, Cristian; Minelli, Cosetta

    2017-02-01

    Iron depletion is a known consequence of chronic kidney disease (CKD), but there is contradicting epidemiological evidence on whether iron itself affects kidney function and whether its effect is protective or detrimental in the general population. While epidemiological studies tend to be affected by confounding and reverse causation, Mendelian randomization (MR) can provide unconfounded estimates of causal effects by using genes as instruments. We performed an MR study of the effect of serum iron levels on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), using genetic variants known to be associated with iron. MR estimates of the effect of iron on eGFR were derived based on the association of each variant with iron and eGFR from two large genome-wide meta-analyses on 48 978 and 74 354 individuals. We performed a similar MR analysis for ferritin, which measures iron stored in the body, using variants associated with ferritin. A combined MR estimate across all variants showed a 1.3% increase in eGFR per standard deviation increase in iron (95% confidence interval 0.4–2.1%; P = 0.004). The results for ferritin were consistent with those for iron. Secondary MR analyses of the effects of iron and ferritin on CKD did not show significant associations but had very low statistical power. Our study suggests a protective effect of iron on kidney function in the general population. Further research is required to confirm this causal association, investigate it in study populations at higher risk of CKD and explore its underlying mechanism of action.

  3. DETERMINATION OF FERRITIN AND HEMOSIDERIN IRON IN PATIENTS WITH NORMAL IRON STORES AND IRON OVERLOAD BY SERUM FERRITIN KINETICS

    PubMed Central

    SAITO, HIROSHI; TOMITA, AKIHIRO; OHASHI, HARUHIKO; MAEDA, HIDEAKI; HAYASHI, HISAO; NAOE, TOMOKI

    2012-01-01

    ABSTRACT We attempted to clarify the storage iron metabolism from the change in the serum ferritin level. We assumed that the nonlinear decrease in serum ferritin was caused by serum ferritin increase in iron mobilization. Under this assumption, we determined both ferritin and hemosiderin iron levels by computer-assisted simulation of the row of decreasing assay-dots of serum ferritin in 11 patients with normal iron stores free of both iron deficiency and iron overload; chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and iron deficiency anemia after treatment, and 11 patients with iron overload; hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) and transfusion-dependent anemias (TD). We determined the iron removal rates of 20 and 17 mg/day by administering mean doses of deferasirox at 631 and 616 mg/day in 2 TD during the period of balance of iron addition and removal as indicated by the serum ferritin returned to the previous level. The ferritin-per-hemosiderin ratio was almost the same in both HH and CHC. This matched the localized hepatic hemosiderin deposition in CHC with normal iron stores. We detected the ferritin increased by utilizing the hemosiderin iron in iron removal and the ferritin reduced by transforming ferritin into hemosiderin in iron additions. The iron storing capacity of hemosiderin was limitless, while that of ferritin was suppressed when ferritin iron exceeded around 5 grams. We confirmed the pathway of iron from hemosiderin to ferritin in iron mobilization, and that from ferritin to hemosiderin in iron deposition. Thus, serum ferritin kinetics enabled us to be the first to clinically clarify storage iron metabolism. PMID:22515110

  4. Hydrothermal oxidation in the Biwabik Iron Formation, MN, USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Losh, Steven; Rague, Ryan

    2018-02-01

    Precambrian iron formations throughout the world, notably in Australia, Brazil, and South Africa, show evidence of hypogene (≥ 110 °C, mostly > 250 °C) oxidation, alteration, and silica dissolution as a result of tectonic or magmatic activity. Although hydrothermal oxidation has been proposed for the prototype Lake Superior-type iron formation, the Biwabik Iron Formation in Minnesota (USA), it has not been documented there. By examining oxidized and unoxidized Biwabik Iron Formation in three mines, including material from high-angle faults that are associated with oxidation, we document an early hypogene oxidation event ( 175 °C) involving medium-salinity aqueous fluids (8.4 ± 4.9 wt% NaCl equiv) that infiltrated iron formation along high-angle faults. At the Hibbing Taconite Mine, hydrothermal fluids oxidized iron carbonates and silicates near faults, producing goethite ± quartz. In contrast with much of the oxidized iron ores on the Mesabi Range, silica was not removed but rather recrystallized during this event, perhaps lying in a rock-dominated system at low cumulative fluid flux. During the hydrothermal oxidation event in the Hibbing Taconite deposit, quartz-filled microfractures and irregular inclusions commonly formed in coarse variably oxidized magnetite, currently the ore mineral: these inclusions degrade the ore by introducing excess silica in magnetic concentrate. Hydrothermal oxidation at Hibbing Taconite Mine is overprinted by later, relatively minor supergene oxidation both along faults and near the surface, which locally dissolved quartz. At the Fayal Reserve Mine, widespread silicate and carbonate gangue dissolution and iron oxidation was followed by precipitation of pyrite, Mn-siderite, apatite, and other minerals in void spaces, which prevented post-oxidation compaction and significant volume loss in the sampled rocks. Although definitive temperature data for this assemblage are needed, the weight of evidence indicates that this

  5. MR characterization of hepatic storage iron in transfusional iron overload.

    PubMed

    Tang, Haiying; Jensen, Jens H; Sammet, Christina L; Sheth, Sujit; Swaminathan, Srirama V; Hultman, Kristi; Kim, Daniel; Wu, Ed X; Brown, Truman R; Brittenham, Gary M

    2014-02-01

    To quantify the two principal forms of hepatic storage iron, diffuse, soluble iron (primarily ferritin), and aggregated, insoluble iron (primarily hemosiderin) using a new MRI method in patients with transfusional iron overload. Six healthy volunteers and 20 patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia syndromes and iron overload were examined. Ferritin- and hemosiderin-like iron were determined based on the measurement of two distinct relaxation parameters: the "reduced" transverse relaxation rate, RR2 , and the "aggregation index," A, using three sets of Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) datasets with different interecho spacings. Agarose phantoms, simulating the relaxation and susceptibility properties of tissue with different concentrations of dispersed (ferritin-like) and aggregated (hemosiderin-like) iron, were used for validation. Both phantom and in vivo human data confirmed that transverse relaxation components associated with the dispersed and aggregated iron could be separated using the two-parameter (RR2 , A) method. The MRI-determined total hepatic storage iron was highly correlated (r = 0.95) with measurements derived from biopsy or biosusceptometry. As total hepatic storage iron increased, the proportion stored as aggregated iron became greater. This method provides a new means for noninvasive MRI determination of the partition of hepatic storage iron between ferritin and hemosiderin in iron overload disorders. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Quantification of body iron and iron absorption in the REDS-II Donor Iron Status Evaluation (RISE) study.

    PubMed

    Kiss, Joseph E; Birch, Rebecca J; Steele, Whitney R; Wright, David J; Cable, Ritchard G

    2017-07-01

    Repeated blood donation alters the iron balance of blood donors. We quantified these effects by analyzing changes in body iron as well as calculating iron absorbed per day for donors enrolled in a prospective study. For 1308 donors who completed a final study visit, we calculated total body iron at the enrollment and final visits and the change in total body iron over the course of the study. Taking into account iron lost from blood donations during the study and obligate losses, we also calculated the average amount of iron absorbed per day. First-time/reactivated donors at enrollment had iron stores comparable to previous general population estimates. Repeat donors had greater donation intensity and greater mean iron losses than first-time/reactivated donors, yet they had little change in total body iron over the study period, whereas first-time/reactivated donors had an average 35% drop. There was higher estimated iron absorption in the repeat donors (men: 4.49 mg/day [95% confidence interval [CI], 4.41-4.58 mg/day]; women: 3.75 mg/day [95% CI, 3.67-3.84 mg/day]) compared with estimated iron absorption in first-time/reactivated donors (men: 2.89 mg/day [95% CI, 2.75-3.04 mg/day]; women: 2.76 mg/day [95% CI, 2.64-2.87 mg/day]). The threshold for negative estimated iron stores (below "0" mg/kg stores) was correlated with the development of anemia at a plasma ferritin value of 10 ng/mL. These analyses provide quantitative data on changes in estimated total body iron for a broad spectrum of blood donors. In contrast to using ferritin alone, this model allows assessment of the iron content of red blood cells and the degree of both iron surplus and depletion over time. © 2017 AABB.

  7. Transcriptional response of Pasteurella multocida to defined iron sources.

    PubMed

    Paustian, Michael L; May, Barbara J; Cao, Dongwei; Boley, Daniel; Kapur, Vivek

    2002-12-01

    Pasteurella multocida was grown in iron-free chemically defined medium supplemented with hemoglobin, transferrin, ferritin, and ferric citrate as iron sources. Whole-genome DNA microarrays were used to monitor global gene expression over seven time points after the addition of the defined iron source to the medium. This resulted in a set of data containing over 338,000 gene expression observations. On average, 12% of P. multocida genes were differentially expressed under any single condition. A majority of these genes encoded P. multocida proteins that were involved in either transport and binding or were annotated as hypothetical proteins. Several trends are evident when the data from different iron sources are compared. In general, only two genes (ptsN and sapD) were expressed at elevated levels under all of the conditions tested. The results also show that genes with increased expression in the presence of hemoglobin did not respond to transferrin or ferritin as an iron source. Correspondingly, genes with increased expression in the transferrin and ferritin experiments were expressed at reduced levels when hemoglobin was supplied as the sole iron source. Finally, the data show that genes that were most responsive to the presence of ferric citrate did not follow a trend similar to that of the other iron sources, suggesting that different pathways respond to inorganic or organic sources of iron in P. multocida. Taken together, our results demonstrate that unique subsets of P. multocida genes are expressed in response to different iron sources and that many of these genes have yet to be functionally characterized.

  8. Iron Uptake Mechanisms in the Fish Pathogen Tenacibaculum maritimum

    PubMed Central

    Avendaño-Herrera, Ruben; Toranzo, Alicia E.; Romalde, Jesús L.; Lemos, Manuel L.; Magariños, Beatriz

    2005-01-01

    We present here the first evidence of the presence of iron uptake mechanisms in the bacterial fish pathogen Tenacibaculum maritimum. Representative strains of this species, with different serotypes and origins, were examined. All of them were able to grow in the presence of the chelating agent ethylenediamine-di- (o-hydroxyphenyl acetic acid) (EDDHA) and also produced siderophores. Cross-feeding assays suggest that the siderophores produced are closely related. In addition, all T. maritimum strains utilized transferrin, hemin, hemoglobin, and ferric ammonic citrate as iron sources when added to iron-deficient media. Whole cells of all T. maritimum strains, grown under iron-supplemented or iron-restricted conditions, were able to bind hemin, indicating the existence of constitutive binding components located at the T. maritimum cell surface. This was confirmed by the observation that isolated total and outer membrane proteins from all of the strains, regardless of the iron levels of the media, were able to bind hemin, with the outer membranes showing the strongest binding. proteinase K treatment of whole cells did not affect the hemin binding, indicating that, in addition to proteins, some protease-resistant components could also bind hemin. At least three outer membrane proteins were induced in iron-limiting conditions, and all strains, regardless of their serotype, showed a similar pattern of induced proteins. The results of the present study suggest that T. maritimum possesses at least two different systems of iron acquisition: one involving the synthesis of siderophores and another that allows the utilization of heme groups as iron sources by direct binding. PMID:16269729

  9. Iron uptake mechanisms in the fish pathogen Tenacibaculum maritimum.

    PubMed

    Avendaño-Herrera, Ruben; Toranzo, Alicia E; Romalde, Jesús L; Lemos, Manuel L; Magariños, Beatriz

    2005-11-01

    We present here the first evidence of the presence of iron uptake mechanisms in the bacterial fish pathogen Tenacibaculum maritimum. Representative strains of this species, with different serotypes and origins, were examined. All of them were able to grow in the presence of the chelating agent ethylenediamine-di-(o-hydroxyphenyl acetic acid) (EDDHA) and also produced siderophores. Cross-feeding assays suggest that the siderophores produced are closely related. In addition, all T. maritimum strains utilized transferrin, hemin, hemoglobin, and ferric ammonic citrate as iron sources when added to iron-deficient media. Whole cells of all T. maritimum strains, grown under iron-supplemented or iron-restricted conditions, were able to bind hemin, indicating the existence of constitutive binding components located at the T. maritimum cell surface. This was confirmed by the observation that isolated total and outer membrane proteins from all of the strains, regardless of the iron levels of the media, were able to bind hemin, with the outer membranes showing the strongest binding. Proteinase K treatment of whole cells did not affect the hemin binding, indicating that, in addition to proteins, some protease-resistant components could also bind hemin. At least three outer membrane proteins were induced in iron-limiting conditions, and all strains, regardless of their serotype, showed a similar pattern of induced proteins. The results of the present study suggest that T. maritimum possesses at least two different systems of iron acquisition: one involving the synthesis of siderophores and another that allows the utilization of heme groups as iron sources by direct binding.

  10. Selective Inhibition of the Oxidation of Ferrous Iron or Sulfur in Thiobacillus ferrooxidans

    PubMed Central

    Harahuc, Lesia; Lizama, Hector M.; Suzuki, Isamu

    2000-01-01

    The oxidation of either ferrous iron or sulfur by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans was selectively inhibited or controlled by various anions, inhibitors, and osmotic pressure. Iron oxidation was more sensitive than sulfur oxidation to inhibition by chloride, phosphate, and nitrate at low concentrations (below 0.1 M) and also to inhibition by azide and cyanide. Sulfur oxidation was more sensitive than iron oxidation to the inhibitory effect of high osmotic pressure. These differences were evident not only between iron oxidation by iron-grown cells and sulfur oxidation by sulfur-grown cells but also between the iron and sulfur oxidation activities of the same iron-grown cells. Growth experiments with ferrous iron or sulfur as an oxidizable substrate confirmed the higher sensitivity of iron oxidation to inhibition by phosphate, chloride, azide, and cyanide. Sulfur oxidation was actually stimulated by 50 mM phosphate or chloride. Leaching of Fe and Zn from pyrite (FeS2) and sphalerite (ZnS) by T. ferrooxidans was differentially affected by phosphate and chloride, which inhibited the solubilization of Fe without significantly affecting the solubilization of Zn. PMID:10698768

  11. Zooplankton Gut Passage Mobilizes Lithogenic Iron for Ocean Productivity.

    PubMed

    Schmidt, Katrin; Schlosser, Christian; Atkinson, Angus; Fielding, Sophie; Venables, Hugh J; Waluda, Claire M; Achterberg, Eric P

    2016-10-10

    Iron is an essential nutrient for phytoplankton, but low concentrations limit primary production and associated atmospheric carbon drawdown in large parts of the world's oceans [1, 2]. Lithogenic particles deriving from aeolian dust deposition, glacial runoff, or river discharges can form an important source if the attached iron becomes dissolved and therefore bioavailable [3-5]. Acidic digestion by zooplankton is a potential mechanism for iron mobilization [6], but evidence is lacking. Here we show that Antarctic krill sampled near glacial outlets at the island of South Georgia (Southern Ocean) ingest large amounts of lithogenic particles and contain 3-fold higher iron concentrations in their muscle than specimens from offshore, which confirms mineral dissolution in their guts. About 90% of the lithogenic and biogenic iron ingested by krill is passed into their fecal pellets, which contain ∼5-fold higher proportions of labile (reactive) iron than intact diatoms. The mobilized iron can be released in dissolved form directly from krill or via multiple pathways involving microbes, other zooplankton, and krill predators. This can deliver substantial amounts of bioavailable iron and contribute to the fertilization of coastal waters and the ocean beyond. In line with our findings, phytoplankton blooms downstream of South Georgia are more intensive and longer lasting during years with high krill abundance on-shelf. Thus, krill crop phytoplankton but boost new production via their nutrient supply. Understanding and quantifying iron mobilization by zooplankton is essential to predict ocean productivity in a warming climate where lithogenic iron inputs from deserts, glaciers, and rivers are increasing [7-10]. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. [Iron concentration and acceptation of yoghurt prepared in casting iron pots (iron migration and acceptation of yogurt)].

    PubMed

    Quintaes, Késia Diego; Almeyda Haj-Isa, Niurka M; Morgano, Marcelo Antônio

    2005-12-01

    Food fortification is an interesting strategy to treat and prevent iron anemia. This study aims to quantify the iron in yoghurt, with gelatin and sugar and without, prepared in iron and glass containers. Sensorial test was use to evaluate the acceptance and preference of the both products. The yoghurt was prepared in containers of iron and glass with UHT milk, powder milk and natural industrialized yoghurt. After fermentation, half of the product received addition of sugar and strawberry flavor gelatin. The collected samples get the total iron quantified by ICP OES. Sensorial analysis involving 105 consumers was use to determine the acceptance and preference of the products. 0,018 and 0,882mg of iron per 100g added in the natural yoghurt prepared in the glass and in the iron pots, respectively. The yoghurt with gelatin presented 0,037 and 1,302mg of iron per 100g when prepared in the glass and in the iron pots, respectively. The preference was low for the yoghurt prepared in the iron pot (29,5%), but when added strawberry gelatin it was about 51,5%. The yoghurt prepared in iron pots, is easily home made and adds important amount of iron. Add gelatin and sugar can favored its consumption.

  13. 49 CFR 192.373 - Service lines: Cast iron and ductile iron.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Service lines: Cast iron and ductile iron. 192.373... Regulators, and Service Lines § 192.373 Service lines: Cast iron and ductile iron. (a) Cast or ductile iron... cast iron pipe or ductile iron pipe is installed for use as a service line, the part of the service...

  14. Development of iron chelators for Cooley's anemia. Final report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Crosby, W.H.; Green, R.

    Iron chelators were screened in an iron-loaded rat model using selective radioiron probes. In all experiments, chelators D and F, in that order, induced significant loss of radioiron compared with controls. However, use of chelator D was associated with side effects, and resulted in the death of some animals. There was some evidence that chelator A also caused iron loss significantly greater than controls. Chelators B, C and E were without apparent enhancing effect on radioiron excretion. This was a blind study and the compounds used were A - 2,3-Dihydroxybenzoic acid; B - N,N1-Dimethyladipohydroxamic acid; C - DL-Phenylalanine hydroxamic acid;more » D - Ethylenediamine-N,N1-bis(2-hydroxphenylacetic acid); E - Propionohydroxamic acid; and F - Deferrioxamine B.« less

  15. Inhibition of heme biosynthesis prevents transcription of iron uptake genes in yeast.

    PubMed

    Crisp, Robert J; Pollington, Annette; Galea, Charles; Jaron, Shulamit; Yamaguchi-Iwai, Yuko; Kaplan, Jerry

    2003-11-14

    Yeast are capable of modifying their metabolism in response to environmental changes. We investigated the activity of the oxygen-dependent high-affinity iron uptake system of Saccharomyces cerevisiae under conditions of heme depletion. We found that the absence of heme, due to a deletion in the gene that encodes delta-aminolevulinic acid synthase (HEM1), resulted in decreased transcription of genes belonging to both the iron and copper regulons, but not the zinc regulon. Decreased transcription of the iron regulon was not due to decreased expression of the iron sensitive transcriptional activator Aft1p. Expression of the constitutively active allele AFT1-1up was unable to induce transcription of the high affinity iron uptake system in heme-depleted cells. We demonstrated that under heme-depleted conditions, Aft1p-GFP was able to cycle normally between the nucleus and cytosol in response to cytosolic iron. Despite the inability to induce transcription under low iron conditions, chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated that Aft1p binds to the FET3 promoter in the absence of heme. Finally, we provide evidence that under heme-depleted conditions, yeast are able to regulate mitochondrial iron uptake and do not accumulate pathologic iron concentrations, as is seen when iron-sulfur cluster synthesis is disrupted.

  16. Impact of Iron Sulfide Transformation on Trichloroethylene Degradation

    EPA Science Inventory

    Trichloroethylene (TCE) is one of the most common and persistent groundwater contaminants encountered at hazardous waste sites around the world. A growing body of evidence indicates that iron sulfides play an important role in degrading TCE in natural environments and in enginee...

  17. Central role for ferritin in the day/night regulation of iron homeostasis in marine phytoplankton

    PubMed Central

    Botebol, Hugo; Lesuisse, Emmanuel; Šuták, Robert; Six, Christophe; Lozano, Jean-Claude; Schatt, Philippe; Vergé, Valérie; Kirilovsky, Amos; Morrissey, Joe; Léger, Thibaut; Camadro, Jean-Michel; Gueneugues, Audrey; Bowler, Chris; Blain, Stéphane; Bouget, François-Yves

    2015-01-01

    In large regions of the open ocean, iron is a limiting resource for phytoplankton. The reduction of iron quota and the recycling of internal iron pools are among the diverse strategies that phytoplankton have evolved to allow them to grow under chronically low ambient iron levels. Phytoplankton species also have evolved strategies to cope with sporadic iron supply such as long-term storage of iron in ferritin. In the picophytoplanktonic species Ostreococcus we report evidence from observations both in the field and in laboratory cultures that ferritin and the main iron-binding proteins involved in photosynthesis and nitrate assimilation pathways show opposite diurnal expression patterns, with ferritin being maximally expressed during the night. Biochemical and physiological experiments using a ferritin knock-out line subsequently revealed that this protein plays a central role in the diel regulation of iron uptake and recycling and that this regulation of iron homeostasis is essential for cell survival under iron limitation. PMID:26553998

  18. Central role for ferritin in the day/night regulation of iron homeostasis in marine phytoplankton.

    PubMed

    Botebol, Hugo; Lesuisse, Emmanuel; Šuták, Robert; Six, Christophe; Lozano, Jean-Claude; Schatt, Philippe; Vergé, Valérie; Kirilovsky, Amos; Morrissey, Joe; Léger, Thibaut; Camadro, Jean-Michel; Gueneugues, Audrey; Bowler, Chris; Blain, Stéphane; Bouget, François-Yves

    2015-11-24

    In large regions of the open ocean, iron is a limiting resource for phytoplankton. The reduction of iron quota and the recycling of internal iron pools are among the diverse strategies that phytoplankton have evolved to allow them to grow under chronically low ambient iron levels. Phytoplankton species also have evolved strategies to cope with sporadic iron supply such as long-term storage of iron in ferritin. In the picophytoplanktonic species Ostreococcus we report evidence from observations both in the field and in laboratory cultures that ferritin and the main iron-binding proteins involved in photosynthesis and nitrate assimilation pathways show opposite diurnal expression patterns, with ferritin being maximally expressed during the night. Biochemical and physiological experiments using a ferritin knock-out line subsequently revealed that this protein plays a central role in the diel regulation of iron uptake and recycling and that this regulation of iron homeostasis is essential for cell survival under iron limitation.

  19. Iron state in iron nanoparticles with and without zirconium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Filippov, V. P.; Khasanov, A. M.; Lauer, Yu. A.

    2017-11-01

    Mössbauer and X-ray methods are used for investigations of structure, stability and characteristics of pure-iron grain and two iron-zirconium alloys such as Fe + 5 wt.% Zr and Fe + 10 wt.% Zr. The used powder was ground for 24 h in a SPEX Model 8000 mill shaker. Complex nanoparticles are found, which change their properties under milling. Mössbauer spectral parameters are obtained for investigated materials. Milling results in formation of nanosized particles with two states of iron atoms: one main part is pure α-Fe and another part of iron atoms displaced in grain boundaries or defective zones in which hyperfine magnetic splitting decrease to ˜ 30.0 T. In alloys with Zr three iron states are formed in each alloy, main part of iron is in the form of α-Fe and another two states depend on the concentration of Zr and represent iron in grain boundaries with Zr atoms in nearest neighbor. The changing of iron states is discussed.

  20. Studying Irony Detection Beyond Ironic Criticism: Let's Include Ironic Praise

    PubMed Central

    Bruntsch, Richard; Ruch, Willibald

    2017-01-01

    Studies of irony detection have commonly used ironic criticisms (i.e., mock positive evaluation of negative circumstances) as stimulus materials. Another basic type of verbal irony, ironic praise (i.e., mock negative evaluation of positive circumstances) is largely absent from studies on individuals' aptitude to detect verbal irony. However, it can be argued that ironic praise needs to be considered in order to investigate the detection of irony in the variety of its facets. To explore whether the detection ironic praise has a benefit beyond ironic criticism, three studies were conducted. In Study 1, an instrument (Test of Verbal Irony Detection Aptitude; TOVIDA) was constructed and its factorial structure was tested using N = 311 subjects. The TOVIDA contains 26 scenario-based items and contains two scales for the detection of ironic criticism vs. ironic praise. To validate the measurement method, the two scales of the TOVIDA were experimentally evaluated with N = 154 subjects in Study 2. In Study 3, N = 183 subjects were tested to explore personality and ability correlates of the two TOVIDA scales. Results indicate that the co-variance between the ironic TOVIDA items was organized by two inter-correlated but distinct factors: one representing ironic praise detection aptitude and one representing ironic criticism detection aptitude. Experimental validation showed that the TOVIDA items truly contain irony and that item scores reflect irony detection. Trait bad mood and benevolent humor (as a facet of the sense of humor) were found as joint correlates for both ironic criticism and ironic praise detection scores. In contrast, intelligence, trait cheerfulness, and corrective humor were found as unique correlates of ironic praise detection scores, even when statistically controlling for the aptitude to detect ironic criticism. Our results indicate that the aptitude to detect ironic praise can be seen as distinct from the aptitude to detect ironic criticism. Generating

  1. Minocycline attenuates brain injury and iron overload after intracerebral hemorrhage in aged female rats.

    PubMed

    Dai, Shuhui; Hua, Ya; Keep, Richard F; Novakovic, Nemanja; Fei, Zhou; Xi, Guohua

    2018-06-05

    Brain iron overload is involved in brain injury after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). There is evidence that systemic administration of minocycline reduces brain iron level and improves neurological outcome in experimental models of hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke. However, there is evidence in cerebral ischemia that minocycline is not protective in aged female animals. Since most ICH research has used male models, this study was designed to provide an overall view of ICH-induced iron deposits at different time points (1 to 28 days) in aged (18-month old) female Fischer 344 rat ICH model and to investigate the neuroprotective effects of minocycline in those rats. According to our previous studies, we used the following dosing regimen (20 mg/kg, i.p. at 2 and 12 h after ICH onset followed by 10 mg/kg, i.p., twice a day up to 7 days). T2-, T2 ⁎ -weighted and T2 ⁎ array MRI was performed at 1, 3, 7 and 28 days to measure brain iron content, ventricle volume, lesion volume and brain swelling. Immunohistochemistry was used to examine changes in iron handling proteins, neuronal loss and microglial activation. Behavioral testing was used to assess neurological deficits. In aged female rats, ICH induced long-term perihematomal iron overload with upregulated iron handling proteins, neuroinflammation, brain atrophy, neuronal loss and neurological deficits. Minocycline significantly reduced ICH-induced perihematomal iron overload and iron handling proteins. It further reduced brain swelling, neuroinflammation, neuronal loss, delayed brain atrophy and neurological deficits. These effects may be linked to the role of minocycline as an iron chelator as well as an inhibitor of neuroinflammation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. METABOLISM OF IRON STORES

    PubMed Central

    SAITO, HIROSHI

    2014-01-01

    ABSTRACT Remarkable progress was recently achieved in the studies on molecular regulators of iron metabolism. Among the main regulators, storage iron, iron absorption, erythropoiesis and hepcidin interact in keeping iron homeostasis. Diseases with gene-mutations resulting in iron overload, iron deficiency, and local iron deposition have been introduced in relation to the regulators of storage iron metabolism. On the other hand, the research on storage iron metabolism has not advanced since the pioneering research by Shoden in 1953. However, we recently developed a new method for determining ferritin iron and hemosiderin iron by computer-assisted serum ferritin kinetics. Serum ferritin increase or decrease curves were measured in patients with normal storage iron levels (chronic hepatitis C and iron deficiency anemia treated by intravenous iron injection), and iron overload (hereditary hemochromatosis and transfusion dependent anemia). We thereby confirmed the existence of two iron pathways where iron flows followed the numbered order (1) labile iron, (2) ferritin and (3) hemosiderin in iron deposition and mobilization among many previously proposed but mostly unproven routes. We also demonstrated the increasing and decreasing phases of ferritin iron and hemosiderin iron in iron deposition and mobilization. The author first demonstrated here the change in proportion between pre-existing ferritin iron and new ferritin iron synthesized by removing iron from hemosiderin in the course of iron removal. In addition, the author disclosed the cause of underestimation of storage iron turnover rate which had been reported by previous investigators in estimating storage iron turnover rate of normal subjects. PMID:25741033

  3. Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia in 3-5 months-old, Breastfed Healthy Infants.

    PubMed

    Krishnaswamy, Sudarsan; Bhattarai, Dharmagat; Bharti, Bhavneet; Bhatia, Prateek; Das, Reena; Bansal, Deepak

    2017-07-01

    To assess the prevalence of iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in predominantly breastfed, 3-5-mo-old infants, born at term, with a birth weight ≥ 2.5 kg. The cross-sectional study was conducted in the outpatient department of a tertiary care center from January 2013 through December 2014. Age: 90-180 d, exclusively/predominantly breastfed, birth weight ≥ 2.5 kg and term gestation. systemic illness, leucocytosis, leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, peripheral smear abnormality or iron supplementation. Blood sample was collected for complete blood count and ferritin assay. ID was defined as serum ferritin <12 μg/L. IDA was defined as ID plus Hb ≤ 10.5 g/dl. Two hundred ninety six infants were initially recruited; 29 declined consent; 22 had leukocytosis, leucopenia or eosinophilia; 15 had thrombocytopenia; 15 samples were hemolyzed or insufficient. Finally, 215 infants were evaluated. The male-female ratio was 1.8:1. The mean birth weight was 2.9 (0.4) kg. The mean Hb was 10.8 (1.2) g/dl. The median serum ferritin was 44 μg/L (18, 120). The prevalence of ID at 3, 4 and 5 mo of age was 5.4%, 21.4% and 36.4%, while that of IDA was 4.6%, 16.7% and 11.4%, respectively. The prevalence of ID at 4 and 5 mo of age in predominantly breastfed, term infants was 21.4% and 36.4%, respectively. The study generates evidence for considering iron supplementation for well-babies from 4 mo of age, instead of the currently recommended 6 mo by National Iron plus Initiative in India.

  4. A role for sex and a common HFE gene variant in brain iron uptake.

    PubMed

    Duck, Kari A; Neely, Elizabeth B; Simpson, Ian A; Connor, James R

    2018-03-01

    HFE (high iron) is an essential protein for regulating iron transport into cells. Mutations of the HFE gene result in loss of this regulation causing accumulation of iron within the cell. The mutated protein has been found increasingly in numerous neurodegenerative disorders in which increased levels of iron in the brain are reported. Additionally, evidence that these mutations are associated with elevated brain iron challenges the paradigm that the brain is protected by the blood-brain barrier. While much has been studied regarding the role of HFE in cellular iron uptake, it has remained unclear what role the protein plays in the transport of iron into the brain. We investigated regulation of iron transport into the brain using a mouse model with a mutation in the HFE gene. We demonstrated that the rate of radiolabeled iron ( 59 Fe) uptake was similar between the two genotypes despite higher brain iron concentrations in the mutant. However, there were significant differences in iron uptake between males and females regardless of genotype. These data indicate that brain iron status is consistently maintained and tightly regulated at the level of the blood-brain barrier.

  5. Rational Management of Iron-Deficiency Anaemia in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

    PubMed Central

    Vikner, Malene Elbaek; Weiss, Günter

    2018-01-01

    Anaemia is the most frequent, though often neglected, comorbidity of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Here we want to briefly present (1) the burden of anaemia in IBD, (2) its pathophysiology, which mostly arises from bleeding-associated iron deficiency, followed by (3) diagnostic evaluation of anaemia, (4) a balanced overview of the different modes of iron replacement therapy, (5) evidence for their therapeutic efficacy and subsequently, (6) an updated recommendation for the practical management of anaemia in IBD. Following the introduction of various intravenous iron preparations over the last decade, questions persist about when to use these preparations as opposed to traditional and other novel oral iron therapeutic agents. At present, oral iron therapy is generally preferred for patients with quiescent IBD and mild iron-deficiency anaemia. However, in patients with flaring IBD that hampers intestinal iron absorption and in those with inadequate responses to or side effects with oral preparations, intravenous iron supplementation is the therapy of choice, although information on the efficacy of intravenous iron in patients with active IBD and anaemia is scare. Importantly, anaemia in IBD is often multifactorial and a careful diagnostic workup is mandatory for optimized treatment. Nevertheless, limited information is available on optimal therapeutic start and end points for treatment of anaemia. Of note, neither oral nor intravenous therapies seem to exacerbate the clinical course of IBD. However, additional prospective studies are still warranted to determine the optimal therapy in complex conditions such as IBD. PMID:29342861

  6. Anaerobic Sulfur Metabolism Coupled to Dissimilatory Iron Reduction in the Extremophile Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

    PubMed Central

    Osorio, Héctor; Mangold, Stefanie; Denis, Yann; Ñancucheo, Ivan; Esparza, Mario; Johnson, D. Barrie; Bonnefoy, Violaine; Dopson, Mark

    2013-01-01

    Gene transcription (microarrays) and protein levels (proteomics) were compared in cultures of the acidophilic chemolithotroph Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans grown on elemental sulfur as the electron donor under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, using either molecular oxygen or ferric iron as the electron acceptor, respectively. No evidence supporting the role of either tetrathionate hydrolase or arsenic reductase in mediating the transfer of electrons to ferric iron (as suggested by previous studies) was obtained. In addition, no novel ferric iron reductase was identified. However, data suggested that sulfur was disproportionated under anaerobic conditions, forming hydrogen sulfide via sulfur reductase and sulfate via heterodisulfide reductase and ATP sulfurylase. Supporting physiological evidence for H2S production came from the observation that soluble Cu2+ included in anaerobically incubated cultures was precipitated (seemingly as CuS). Since H2S reduces ferric iron to ferrous in acidic medium, its production under anaerobic conditions indicates that anaerobic iron reduction is mediated, at least in part, by an indirect mechanism. Evidence was obtained for an alternative model implicating the transfer of electrons from S0 to Fe3+ via a respiratory chain that includes a bc1 complex and a cytochrome c. Central carbon pathways were upregulated under aerobic conditions, correlating with higher growth rates, while many Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle components were upregulated during anaerobic growth, probably as a result of more limited access to carbon dioxide. These results are important for understanding the role of A. ferrooxidans in environmental biogeochemical metal cycling and in industrial bioleaching operations. PMID:23354702

  7. Evidence that a formyl-substituted iron porphyrin is the prosthetic group of myeloperoxidase: magnetic circular dichroism similarity of the peroxidase to Spirographis heme-reconstituted myoglobin.

    PubMed Central

    Sono, M; Bracete, A M; Huff, A M; Ikeda-Saito, M; Dawson, J H

    1991-01-01

    To probe the identity of the active site heme-type prosthetic group of myeloperoxidase, whose structure has not been established unambiguously [proposed structures are (i) a chlorin (dihydroporphyrin) or (ii) a formyl-substituted porphyrin such as present in heme a], Spirographis heme (2-formyl-4-vinyldeuteroheme IX) has been incorporated into apo-myoglobin as a possible iron porphyrin model. Comparison of parallel derivatives of these two green proteins with magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy reveals considerable similarities between several derivatives of these proteins, including the pyridine hemochromogen, the native ferric, ferrous-oxy, and ferrous-CO forms. In contrast, the magnetic circular dichroism spectra of available iron chlorin (octaethylchlorin) model complexes in analogous ligation and oxidation states do not show any significant spectral similarities to myeloperoxidase. This finding provides important evidence in favor of a formyl-substituted porphyrin as the structure of the prosthetic group macrocycle of myeloperoxidase. PMID:1662385

  8. The nanophase iron mineral(s) in Mars soil

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Banin, A.; Ben-Shlomo, T.; Margulies, L.; Blake, D. F.; Mancinelli, R. L.; Gehring, A. U.

    1993-01-01

    for, the somewhat puzzling observations of the Viking biology experiments. Their unique chemical reactivities are attributed to the combined catalytic effects of the iron oxide/oxyhydroxides and silicate phase surfaces. The reflectance spectrum of the clay-iron preparations in the visible range is generally similar to the reflectance curves of bright regions on Mars. This strengthens the evidence for the predominance of nanophase iron oxides/oxyhydroxides in Mars soil. The mode of formation of these nanophase iron oxides on Mars is still unknown. It is puzzling that despite the long period of time since aqueous weathering took place on Mars, they have not developed from their transitory stage to well-crystallized end-members. The possibility is suggested that these phases represent a continuously on-going, extremely slow weathering process.

  9. New developments and controversies in iron metabolism and iron chelation therapy

    PubMed Central

    Kontoghiorghe, Christina N; Kontoghiorghes, George J

    2016-01-01

    Iron is essential for all organisms including microbial, cancer and human cells. More than a quarter of the human population is affected by abnormalities of iron metabolism, mainly from iron deficiency and iron overload. Iron also plays an important role in free radical pathology and oxidative damage which is observed in almost all major diseases, cancer and ageing. New developments include the complete treatment of iron overload and reduction of morbidity and mortality in thalassaemia using deferiprone and selected deferiprone/deferoxamine combinations and also the use of the maltol iron complex in the treatment of iron deficiency anaemia. There is also a prospect of using deferiprone as a universal antioxidant in non iron overloaded diseases such as neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, renal, infectious diseases and cancer. New regulatory molecules of iron metabolism such as endogenous and dietary chelating molecules, hepcidin, mitochondrial ferritin and their role in health and disease is under evaluation. Similarly, new mechanisms of iron deposition, removal, distribution and toxicity have been identified using new techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging increasing our understanding of iron metabolic processes and the targeted treatment of related diseases. The uniform distribution of iron in iron overload between organs and within each organ is no longer valid. Several other controversies such as the toxicity impact of non transferrin bound iron vs injected iron, the excess levels of iron in tissues causing toxicity and the role of chelation on iron absorption need further investigation. Commercial interests of pharmaceutical companies and connections to leading journals are playing a crucial role in shaping worldwide medical opinion on drug sales and use but also patients’ therapeutic outcome and safety. Major controversies include the selection criteria and risk/benefit assessment in the use of deferasirox in thalassaemia and more so in idiopathic

  10. The iron lung: halfway technology or necessary step?

    PubMed

    Maxwell, J H

    1986-01-01

    The iron lung is often used to epitomize the costly halfway technologies of modern-day medicine that fail to cure and only prolong a seriously compromised existence. Historical evidence indicates that the iron lung was not a costly instrument of last resort; instead, it was a lifesaving device that played a critical role in the evolution of modern respirators and respiratory care. Contrary to the prevailing views of the biomedical research community, the creation of new devices and instruments is often as important a source of technical change in medicine as are advances in the biological sciences.

  11. Newly Shaped Intra‐Aortic Balloons Improve the Performance of Counterpulsation at the Semirecumbent Position: An In Vitro Study

    PubMed Central

    Kolyva, Christina; Pepper, John R.

    2016-01-01

    Abstract The major hemodynamic benefits of intra‐aortic balloon pump (IABP) counterpulsation are augmentation in diastolic aortic pressure (P aug) during inflation, and decrease in end‐diastolic aortic pressure (ΔedP) during deflation. When the patient is nursed in the semirecumbent position these benefits are diminished. Attempts to change the shape of the IAB in order to limit or prevent this deterioration have been scarce. The aim of the present study was to investigate the hemodynamic performance of six new IAB shapes, and compare it to that of a traditional cylindrical IAB. A mock circulation system, featuring an artificial left ventricle and an aortic model with 11 branches and physiological resistance and compliance, was used to test one cylindrical and six newly shaped IABs at angles 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40°. Pressure was measured continuously at the aortic root during 1:1 and 1:4 IABP support. Shape 2 was found to consistently achieve, in terms of absolute magnitude, larger ΔedP at angles than the cylindrical IAB. Although ΔedP was gradually diminished with angle, it did so to a lesser degree than the cylindrical IAB; this diminishment was only 53% (with frequency 1:1) and 40% (with frequency 1:4) of that of the cylindrical IAB, when angle increased from 0 to 40°. During inflation Shape 1 displayed a more stable behavior with increasing angle compared to the cylindrical IAB; with an increase in angle from 0 to 40°, diastolic aortic pressure augmentation dropped only by 45% (with frequency 1:1) and by 33% (with frequency 1:4) of the drop reached with the cylindrical IAB. After compensating for differences in nominal IAB volume, Shape 1 generally achieved higher P aug over most angles. Newly shaped IABs could allow for IABP therapy to become more efficient for patients nursed at the semirecumbent position. The findings promote the idea of personalized rather than generalized patient therapy for the achievement of higher IABP therapeutic efficiency

  12. Iron deficiency and iron excess damage mitochondria and mitochondrial DNA in rats

    PubMed Central

    Walter, Patrick B.; Knutson, Mitchell D.; Paler-Martinez, Andres; Lee, Sonia; Xu, Yu; Viteri, Fernando E.; Ames, Bruce N.

    2002-01-01

    Approximately two billion people, mainly women and children, are iron deficient. Two studies examined the effects of iron deficiency and supplementation on rats. In study 1, mitochondrial functional parameters and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage were assayed in iron-deficient (≤5 μg/day) and iron-normal (800 μg/day) rats and in both groups after daily high-iron supplementation (8,000 μg/day) for 34 days. This dose is equivalent to the daily dose commonly given to iron-deficient humans. Iron-deficient rats had lower liver mitochondrial respiratory control ratios and increased levels of oxidants in polymorphonuclear-leukocytes, as assayed by dichlorofluorescein (P < 0.05). Rhodamine 123 fluorescence of polymorphonuclear-leukocytes also increased (P < 0.05). Lowered respiratory control ratios were found in daily high-iron-supplemented rats regardless of the previous iron status (P < 0.05). mtDNA damage was observed in both iron-deficient rats and rats receiving daily high-iron supplementation, compared with iron-normal rats (P < 0.05). Study 2 compared iron-deficient rats given high doses of iron (8,000 μg) either daily or every third day and found that rats given iron supplements every third day had less mtDNA damage on the second and third day after the last dose compared to daily high iron doses. Both inadequate and excessive iron (10 × nutritional need) cause significant mitochondrial malfunction. Although excess iron has been known to cause oxidative damage, the observation of oxidant-induced damage to mitochondria from iron deficiency has been unrecognized previously. Untreated iron deficiency, as well as excessive-iron supplementation, are deleterious and emphasize the importance of maintaining optimal iron intake. PMID:11854522

  13. Zinc deficiency-induced iron accumulation, a consequence of alterations in iron regulatory protein-binding activity, iron transporters, and iron storage proteins.

    PubMed

    Niles, Brad J; Clegg, Michael S; Hanna, Lynn A; Chou, Susan S; Momma, Tony Y; Hong, Heeok; Keen, Carl L

    2008-02-22

    One consequence of zinc deficiency is an elevation in cell and tissue iron concentrations. To examine the mechanism(s) underlying this phenomenon, Swiss 3T3 cells were cultured in zinc-deficient (D, 0.5 microM zinc), zinc-supplemented (S, 50 microM zinc), or control (C, 4 microM zinc) media. After 24 h of culture, cells in the D group were characterized by a 50% decrease in intracellular zinc and a 35% increase in intracellular iron relative to cells in the S and C groups. The increase in cellular iron was associated with increased transferrin receptor 1 protein and mRNA levels and increased ferritin light chain expression. The divalent metal transporter 1(+)iron-responsive element isoform mRNA was decreased during zinc deficiency-induced iron accumulation. Examination of zinc-deficient cells revealed increased binding of iron regulatory protein 2 (IRP2) and decreased binding of IRP1 to a consensus iron-responsive element. The increased IRP2-binding activity in zinc-deficient cells coincided with an increased level of IRP2 protein. The accumulation of IRP2 protein was independent of zinc deficiency-induced intracellular nitric oxide production but was attenuated by the addition of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine or ascorbate to the D medium. These data support the concept that zinc deficiency can result in alterations in iron transporter, storage, and regulatory proteins, which facilitate iron accumulation.

  14. Out of Balance—Systemic Iron Homeostasis in Iron-Related Disorders

    PubMed Central

    Steinbicker, Andrea U.; Muckenthaler, Martina U.

    2013-01-01

    Iron is an essential element in our daily diet. Most iron is required for the de novo synthesis of red blood cells, where it plays a critical role in oxygen binding to hemoglobin. Thus, iron deficiency causes anemia, a major public health burden worldwide. On the other extreme, iron accumulation in critical organs such as liver, heart, and pancreas causes organ dysfunction due to the generation of oxidative stress. Therefore, systemic iron levels must be tightly balanced. Here we focus on the regulatory role of the hepcidin/ferroportin circuitry as the major regulator of systemic iron homeostasis. We discuss how regulatory cues (e.g., iron, inflammation, or hypoxia) affect the hepcidin response and how impairment of the hepcidin/ferroportin regulatory system causes disorders of iron metabolism. PMID:23917168

  15. Mammalian iron metabolism and its control by iron regulatory proteins☆

    PubMed Central

    Anderson, Cole P.; Shen, Lacy; Eisenstein, Richard S.; Leibold, Elizabeth A.

    2013-01-01

    Cellular iron homeostasis is maintained by iron regulatory proteins 1 and 2 (IRP1 and IRP2). IRPs bind to iron-responsive elements (IREs) located in the untranslated regions of mRNAs encoding protein involved in iron uptake, storage, utilization and export. Over the past decade, significant progress has been made in understanding how IRPs are regulated by iron-dependent and iron-independent mechanisms and the pathological consequences of IRP2 deficiency in mice. The identification of novel IREs involved in diverse cellular pathways has revealed that the IRP–IRE network extends to processes other than iron homeostasis. A mechanistic understanding of IRP regulation will likely yield important insights into the basis of disorders of iron metabolism. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Cell Biology of Metals. PMID:22610083

  16. Iron-binding haemerythrin RING ubiquitin ligases regulate plant iron responses and accumulation

    PubMed Central

    Kobayashi, Takanori; Nagasaka, Seiji; Senoura, Takeshi; Itai, Reiko Nakanishi; Nakanishi, Hiromi; Nishizawa, Naoko K.

    2013-01-01

    Iron is essential for most living organisms. Plants transcriptionally induce genes involved in iron acquisition under conditions of low iron availability, but the nature of the deficiency signal and its sensors are unknown. Here we report the identification of new iron regulators in rice, designated Oryza sativa Haemerythrin motif-containing Really Interesting New Gene (RING)- and Zinc-finger protein 1 (OsHRZ1) and OsHRZ2. OsHRZ1, OsHRZ2 and their Arabidopsis homologue BRUTUS bind iron and zinc, and possess ubiquitination activity. OsHRZ1 and OsHRZ2 are susceptible to degradation in roots irrespective of iron conditions. OsHRZ-knockdown plants exhibit substantial tolerance to iron deficiency, and accumulate more iron in their shoots and grains irrespective of soil iron conditions. The expression of iron deficiency-inducible genes involved in iron utilization is enhanced in OsHRZ-knockdown plants, mostly under iron-sufficient conditions. These results suggest that OsHRZ1 and OsHRZ2 are iron-binding sensors that negatively regulate iron acquisition under conditions of iron sufficiency. PMID:24253678

  17. Ferritin iron minerals are chelator targets, antioxidants, and coated, dietary iron.

    PubMed

    Theil, Elizabeth C

    2010-08-01

    Cellular ferritin is central for iron balance during transfusions therapies; serum ferritin is a small fraction of body ferritin, albeit a convenient reporter. Iron overload induces extra ferritin protein synthesis but the protein is overfilled with the extra iron that damages ferritin, with conversion to toxic hemosiderin. Three new approaches that manipulate ferritin to address excess iron, hemosiderin, and associated oxidative damage in Cooley's Anemia and other iron overload conditions are faster removal of ferritin iron with chelators guided to ferritin gated pores by peptides; more ferritin protein synthesis using ferritin mRNA activators, by metal complexes that target mRNA 3D structures; and determining if endocytotic absorption of iron from legumes, which is mostly ferritin, is regulated during iron overload to prevent excess iron entry while providing protein. More of a focus on ferritin features, including protein cage structure, iron mineral, regulatable mRNA, and specific gut absorption properties, will achieve the three novel experimental goals for managing iron homeostasis with transfusion therapies.

  18. Siderophore-mediated iron trafficking in humans is regulated by iron

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Zhuoming; Lanford, Robert; Mueller, Sebastian; Gerhard, Glenn S.; Luscieti, Sara; Sanchez, Mayka; Devireddy, L.

    2013-01-01

    Siderophores are best known as small iron binding molecules that facilitate microbial iron transport. In our previous study we identified a siderophore-like molecule in mammalian cells and found that its biogenesis is evolutionarily conserved. A member of the short chain dehydrogenase family of reductases, 3-OH butyrate dehydrogenase (BDH2) catalyzes a rate-limiting step in the biogenesis of the mammalian siderophore. We have shown that depletion of the mammalian siderophore by inhibiting expression of bdh2 results in abnormal accumulation of cellular iron and mitochondrial iron deficiency. These observations suggest that the mammalian siderophore is a critical regulator of cellular iron homeostasis and facilitates mitochondrial iron import. By utilizing bioinformatics, we identified an iron-responsive element (IRE; a stem-loop structure that regulates genes expression post-transcriptionally upon binding to iron regulatory proteins or IRPs) in the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of the human BDH2 (hBDH2) gene. In cultured cells as well as in patient samples we now demonstrate that the IRE confers iron-dependent regulation on hBDH2 and binds IRPs in RNA electrophoretic mobility shift assays. In addition, we show that the hBDH2 IRE associates with IRPs in cells and that abrogation of IRPs by RNAi eliminates the iron-dependent regulation of hBDH2 mRNA. The key physiologic implication is that iron-mediated post-transcriptional regulation of hBDH2 controls mitochondrial iron homeostasis in human cells. These observations provide a new and an unanticipated mechanism by which iron regulates its intracellular trafficking. PMID:22527885

  19. Low Intracellular Iron Increases the Stability of Matriptase-2*

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Ningning; Nizzi, Christopher P.; Anderson, Sheila A.; Wang, Jiaohong; Ueno, Akiko; Tsukamoto, Hidekazu; Eisenstein, Richard S.; Enns, Caroline A.; Zhang, An-Sheng

    2015-01-01

    Matriptase-2 (MT2) is a type II transmembrane serine protease that is predominantly expressed in hepatocytes. It suppresses the expression of hepatic hepcidin, an iron regulatory hormone, by cleaving membrane hemojuvelin into an inactive form. Hemojuvelin is a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) co-receptor. Here, we report that MT2 is up-regulated under iron deprivation. In HepG2 cells stably expressing the coding sequence of the MT2 gene, TMPRSS6, incubation with apo-transferrin or the membrane-impermeable iron chelator, deferoxamine mesylate salt, was able to increase MT2 levels. This increase did not result from the inhibition of MT2 shedding from the cells. Rather, studies using a membrane-permeable iron chelator, salicylaldehyde isonicotinoyl hydrazone, revealed that depletion of cellular iron was able to decrease the degradation of MT2 independently of internalization. We found that lack of the putative endocytosis motif in its cytoplasmic domain largely abolished the sensitivity of MT2 to iron depletion. Neither acute nor chronic iron deficiency was able to alter the association of Tmprss6 mRNA with polyribosomes in the liver of rats indicating a lack of translational regulation by low iron levels. Studies in mice showed that Tmprss6 mRNA was not regulated by iron nor the BMP-mediated signaling with no evident correlation with either Bmp6 mRNA or Id1 mRNA, a target of BMP signaling. These results suggest that regulation of MT2 occurs at the level of protein degradation rather than by changes in the rate of internalization and translational or transcriptional mechanisms and that the cytoplasmic domain of MT2 is necessary for its regulation. PMID:25550162

  20. Brain iron homeostasis: from molecular mechanisms to clinical significance and therapeutic opportunities.

    PubMed

    Singh, Neena; Haldar, Swati; Tripathi, Ajai K; Horback, Katharine; Wong, Joseph; Sharma, Deepak; Beserra, Amber; Suda, Srinivas; Anbalagan, Charumathi; Dev, Som; Mukhopadhyay, Chinmay K; Singh, Ajay

    2014-03-10

    Iron has emerged as a significant cause of neurotoxicity in several neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), and others. In some cases, the underlying cause of iron mis-metabolism is known, while in others, our understanding is, at best, incomplete. Recent evidence implicating key proteins involved in the pathogenesis of AD, PD, and sCJD in cellular iron metabolism suggests that imbalance of brain iron homeostasis associated with these disorders is a direct consequence of disease pathogenesis. A complete understanding of the molecular events leading to this phenotype is lacking partly because of the complex regulation of iron homeostasis within the brain. Since systemic organs and the brain share several iron regulatory mechanisms and iron-modulating proteins, dysfunction of a specific pathway or selective absence of iron-modulating protein(s) in systemic organs has provided important insights into the maintenance of iron homeostasis within the brain. Here, we review recent information on the regulation of iron uptake and utilization in systemic organs and within the complex environment of the brain, with particular emphasis on the underlying mechanisms leading to brain iron mis-metabolism in specific neurodegenerative conditions. Mouse models that have been instrumental in understanding systemic and brain disorders associated with iron mis-metabolism are also described, followed by current therapeutic strategies which are aimed at restoring brain iron homeostasis in different neurodegenerative conditions. We conclude by highlighting important gaps in our understanding of brain iron metabolism and mis-metabolism, particularly in the context of neurodegenerative disorders.

  1. Iron overdose

    MedlinePlus

    ... 1222) from anywhere in the United States. Poisonous Ingredient Iron can be harmful in large amounts. Where Found Iron is an ingredient in many mineral and vitamin supplements. Iron supplements ...

  2. Ironing out the details of iron overload in myelofibrosis: Lessons from myelodysplastic syndromes.

    PubMed

    Carreau, Nicole; Tremblay, Douglas; Savona, Michael; Kremyanskaya, Marina; Mascarenhas, John

    2016-09-01

    Myelofibrosis (MF) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) are hematopoietic stem cell disorders associated with cytopenias and red blood cell (RBC) transfusion dependence. Iron overload (IO) as a consequence of RBC transfusion dependence and its effect on outcomes in MF has not been formally studied. However, IO is a demonstrated poor prognostic feature in patients with MDS and congenital or acquired chronic anemias. Evidence that iron chelation therapy (ICT) reduces the deleterious effects of IO in MDS has led to speculation of benefit in MF. However, data supporting the use of ICT in MF is lacking. Neither disease has clear consensus guidelines for the use of ICT. Moreover, JAK-STAT inhibition, the cornerstone of MF treatment, often contributes to anemia and transfusional requirements. This manuscript reviews known and potential implications of IO in MF and highlights the need for prospective clinical investigations of ICT with consideration in the setting of JAK2 inhibitor therapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Air pollution–aerosol interactions produce more bioavailable iron for ocean ecosystems

    PubMed Central

    Li, Weijun; Xu, Liang; Liu, Xiaohuan; Zhang, Jianchao; Lin, Yangting; Yao, Xiaohong; Gao, Huiwang; Zhang, Daizhou; Chen, Jianmin; Wang, Wenxing; Harrison, Roy M.; Zhang, Xiaoye; Shao, Longyi; Fu, Pingqing; Nenes, Athanasios; Shi, Zongbo

    2017-01-01

    It has long been hypothesized that acids formed from anthropogenic pollutants and natural emissions dissolve iron (Fe) in airborne particles, enhancing the supply of bioavailable Fe to the oceans. However, field observations have yet to provide indisputable evidence to confirm this hypothesis. Single-particle chemical analysis for hundreds of individual atmospheric particles collected over the East China Sea shows that Fe-rich particles from coal combustion and steel industries were coated with thick layers of sulfate after 1 to 2 days of atmospheric residence. The Fe in aged particles was present as a “hotspot” of (insoluble) iron oxides and throughout the acidic sulfate coating in the form of (soluble) Fe sulfate, which increases with degree of aging (thickness of coating). This provides the “smoking gun” for acid iron dissolution, because iron sulfate was not detected in the freshly emitted particles and there is no other source or mechanism of iron sulfate formation in the atmosphere. PMID:28275731

  4. Air pollution-aerosol interactions produce more bioavailable iron for ocean ecosystems.

    PubMed

    Li, Weijun; Xu, Liang; Liu, Xiaohuan; Zhang, Jianchao; Lin, Yangting; Yao, Xiaohong; Gao, Huiwang; Zhang, Daizhou; Chen, Jianmin; Wang, Wenxing; Harrison, Roy M; Zhang, Xiaoye; Shao, Longyi; Fu, Pingqing; Nenes, Athanasios; Shi, Zongbo

    2017-03-01

    It has long been hypothesized that acids formed from anthropogenic pollutants and natural emissions dissolve iron (Fe) in airborne particles, enhancing the supply of bioavailable Fe to the oceans. However, field observations have yet to provide indisputable evidence to confirm this hypothesis. Single-particle chemical analysis for hundreds of individual atmospheric particles collected over the East China Sea shows that Fe-rich particles from coal combustion and steel industries were coated with thick layers of sulfate after 1 to 2 days of atmospheric residence. The Fe in aged particles was present as a "hotspot" of (insoluble) iron oxides and throughout the acidic sulfate coating in the form of (soluble) Fe sulfate, which increases with degree of aging (thickness of coating). This provides the "smoking gun" for acid iron dissolution, because iron sulfate was not detected in the freshly emitted particles and there is no other source or mechanism of iron sulfate formation in the atmosphere.

  5. Iron release from the Lucky Iron Fish®: safety considerations.

    PubMed

    Armstrong, Gavin R; Dewey, Cate E; Summerlee, Alastair Js

    2017-01-01

    The principal objective was to explore in greater detail safety issues with regard to the use of the Lucky Iron Fish® (fish) as a treatment for iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia in women in rural Cambodia. Experiments were done to determine: (1) purity of the iron in the fish by mass spectroscopy; (2) release of iron and contaminants released during boiling in water using inductive-ly-coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy; (3) the impact of cooking time, acidity and number of fish in acidified water and two types of Khmer soups; and (4) drinkability of the water after boiling with different num-bers of fish. The fish is composed primarily of ferrous iron with less than 12% non-ferrous iron. Contaminants were either not detectable or levels were below the acceptable standards set by the World Health Organization. The length of time boiling the fish and the acidity of the water increased iron release but even with 5 fish boiled for 60 minutes, iron levels only approached levels where side effects are observed. Boiling one fish in water did not affect the perception of colour, smell or taste of the water but boiling in water with two or more fish resulted in the water being unpalatable which further limits the potential for iron toxicity from using the fish. The results suggest that the Lucky Iron Fish™ may be a safe treatment for iron deficiency.

  6. New insights into iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia.

    PubMed

    Camaschella, Clara

    2017-07-01

    Recent advances in iron metabolism have stimulated new interest in iron deficiency (ID) and its anemia (IDA), common conditions worldwide. Absolute ID/IDA, i.e. the decrease of total body iron, is easily diagnosed based on decreased levels of serum ferritin and transferrin saturation. Relative lack of iron in specific organs/tissues, and IDA in the context of inflammatory disorders, are diagnosed based on arbitrary cut offs of ferritin and transferrin saturation and/or marker combination (as the soluble transferrin receptor/ferritin index) in an appropriate clinical context. Most ID patients are candidate to traditional treatment with oral iron salts, while high hepcidin levels block their absorption in inflammatory disorders. New iron preparations and new treatment modalities are available: high-dose intravenous iron compounds are becoming popular and indications to their use are increasing, although long-term side effects remain to be evaluated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Reducing iron deficiency anemia in Bolivian school children: calcium and iron combined versus iron supplementation alone.

    PubMed

    Miranda, Melissa; Olivares, Manuel; Brito, Alex; Pizarro, Fernando

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the effect of combined calcium and iron versus single iron supplementation on iron status in Bolivian schoolchildren. Children ages 6 to 10 y old (N = 195), were randomly assigned to receive either 700 mg Ca (as calcium carbonate) plus 30 mg Fe (as ferrous sulfate) (Ca + Fe group) or 30 mg Fe (as ferrous sulfate) (Fe group). The doses were administered daily, from Monday to Friday, between meals at school over 3 mo. Iron status was assessed at baseline and after intervention. Additionally, overall nutritional status was assessed by anthropometry and an estimation of dietary intake. At baseline, the prevalence of anemia in the Ca + Fe group and the Fe group were 15% and 21.5%, respectively. After 3 mo follow-up, the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia dropped significantly (P < 0.001) to 3% in both groups (χ(2) = NS). Iron dietary intake was within recommended levels, but calcium intake only covered 39% of the Recommended Daily Intake. Combined calcium and iron supplementation is equally as effective as single iron supplementation in reducing the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in Bolivian school children. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Pathophysiology of transfusional iron overload: contrasting patterns in thalassemia major and sickle cell disease.

    PubMed

    Porter, John B

    2009-01-01

    The pathophysiological consequences of transfusional iron overload largely reflect the pattern of excess iron distribution and include cardiomyopathy, endocrinopathy, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Since the introduction of desferrioxamine (DFO) in the late 1970s, these complications have fallen substantially but approximately half of the chelated adult patients with thalassemia major (TM) still show evidence of increased myocardial iron loading by MRI. An understanding of the factors that determine the propensity to extrahepatic iron distribution may be a key to minimizing the pathophysiological consequences of transfusional iron overload. Transfused patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) appear less likely to develop these extrahepatic complications, possibly because plasma nontransferrin-bound iron (NTBI) levels are typically lower than in TM patients at matched levels of iron loading. Other mechanisms that may reduce the extrahepatic iron distribution in SCD include raised plasma hepcidin due to chronic inflammation, lower growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) levels because of less ineffective erythropoiesis (IE), and induction of heme oxygenase (HO1) by intravascular hemolysis. Further understanding of these mechanisms may help in designing strategies to decrease extrahepatic iron distribution in TM.

  9. Alginate-Iron Speciation and Its Effect on In Vitro Cellular Iron Metabolism

    PubMed Central

    Horniblow, Richard D.; Dowle, Miriam; Iqbal, Tariq H.; Latunde-Dada, Gladys O.; Palmer, Richard E.

    2015-01-01

    Alginates are a class of biopolymers with known iron binding properties which are routinely used in the fabrication of iron-oxide nanoparticles. In addition, alginates have been implicated in influencing human iron absorption. However, the synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles employs non-physiological pH conditions and whether nanoparticle formation in vivo is responsible for influencing cellular iron metabolism is unclear. Thus the aims of this study were to determine how alginate and iron interact at gastric-comparable pH conditions and how this influences iron metabolism. Employing a range of spectroscopic techniques under physiological conditions alginate-iron complexation was confirmed and, in conjunction with aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticles were observed. The results infer a nucleation-type model of iron binding whereby alginate is templating the condensation of iron-hydroxide complexes to form iron oxide centred nanoparticles. The interaction of alginate and iron at a cellular level was found to decrease cellular iron acquisition by 37% (p < 0.05) and in combination with confocal microscopy the alginate inhibits cellular iron transport through extracellular iron chelation with the resulting complexes not internalised. These results infer alginate as being useful in the chelation of excess iron, especially in the context of inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer where excess unabsorbed luminal iron is thought to be a driver of disease. PMID:26378798

  10. Evidence that iron accelerates Alzheimer's pathology: a CSF biomarker study.

    PubMed

    Ayton, Scott; Diouf, Ibrahima; Bush, Ashley Ian

    2018-05-01

    To investigate whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) ferritin (reporting brain iron) is associated with longitudinal changes in CSF β-amyloid (Aβ) and tau. Mixed-effects models of CSF Aβ 1-42 and tau were constructed using data from 296 participants who had baseline measurement of CSF ferritin and annual measurement of CSF tau and Aβ 1-42 for up to 5 years. In subjects with biomarker-confirmed Alzheimer's pathology, high CSF ferritin (>6.2 ng/mL) was associated with accelerated depreciation of CSF Aβ 1-42 (reporting increased plaque formation; p=0.0001). CSF ferritin was neither associated with changes in CSF tau in the same subjects, nor longitudinal changes in CSF tau or Aβ 1-42 in subjects with low baseline pathology. In simulation modelling of the natural history of Aβ deposition, which we estimated to occur over 31.4 years, we predicted that it would take 12.6 years to reach the pathology threshold value of CSF Aβ from healthy normal levels, and this interval is not affected by CSF ferritin. CSF ferritin influences the fall in CSF Aβ over the next phase, where high CSF ferritin accelerated the transition from threshold preclinical Aβ levels to the average level of Alzheimer's subjects from 18.8 to 10.8 years. Iron might facilitate Aβ deposition in Alzheimer's and accelerate the disease process. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  11. [Old and new iron parameters in iron metabolism and diagnostics].

    PubMed

    Graf, Lukas; Herklotz, Roberto; Huber, Andreas R; Korte, Wolfgang

    2008-09-01

    Iron is an element which is essential to life but also potentially toxic. Therefore, clever mechanisms exist in the human body for uptake, transport and storage of iron. Hepcidin, which seems to be the master protein for regulation of intestinal iron absorption, is known for a short time. The expression of hepcidin is not only influenced by iron levels but also by mediators of inflammation and growth factors of erythropoiesis. Hence hepcidin plays also a crucial role in the development of anemia of chronic disease and iron overload due to ineffective erythropoiesis. Serum ferritin is a reliable parameter to estimate the storage iron. It is an acute phase protein which is elevated during infections and inflammations, though. In these situations, measurement of soluble transferrin receptors is a useful tool to differentiate between iron deficiency and anemia of chronic disease. Newer parameters as erythrocyte zink protoporphyrin or percentage of hypochromic erythrocytes (%HYPO) are suited to detect a functional iron deficiency. Early diagnosis of iron overload is essential to prevent organ damage. Serum ferritin and transferrin are useful parameters to screen for iron overload. If no clear reason for a secondary iron overload can be found, the search for a hereditary haemochromatosis is recommended. Most of these hereditary haemochromatoses are a result of mutations in the HFE gene (homozygous state for Cys282Tyr or compound heterozygosity for Cys282Tyr/ His63Asp) which can be detected by PCR technique. Liver biopsy is still the gold standard for quantification of storage iron. However, a method of increasing importance for quantification of iron overload is magnetic resonance imaging with new approaches as for example T2*.

  12. Nitrate-dependent iron oxidation limits iron transport in anoxic ocean regions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scholz, Florian; Löscher, Carolin R.; Fiskal, Annika; Sommer, Stefan; Hensen, Christian; Lomnitz, Ulrike; Wuttig, Kathrin; Göttlicher, Jörg; Kossel, Elke; Steininger, Ralph; Canfield, Donald E.

    2016-11-01

    Iron is an essential element for life on Earth and limits primary production in large parts of the ocean. Oxygen-free continental margin sediments represent an important source of bioavailable iron to the ocean, yet little of the iron released from the seabed reaches the productive sea surface. Even in the anoxic water of oxygen minimum zones, where iron solubility should be enhanced, most of the iron is rapidly re-precipitated. To constrain the mechanism(s) of iron removal in anoxic ocean regions we explored the sediment and water in the oxygen minimum zone off Peru. During our sampling campaign the water column featured two distinct redox boundaries separating oxic from nitrate-reducing (i.e., nitrogenous) water and nitrogenous from weakly sulfidic water. The sulfidic water mass in contact with the shelf sediment contained elevated iron concentrations >300 nM. At the boundary between sulfidic and nitrogenous conditions, iron concentrations dropped sharply to <20 nM coincident with a maximum in particulate iron concentration. Within the iron gradient, we found an increased expression of the key functional marker gene for nitrate reduction (narG). Part of this upregulation was related to the activity of known iron-oxidizing bacteria. Collectively, our data suggest that iron oxidation and removal is induced by nitrate-reducing microbes, either enzymatically through anaerobic iron oxidation or by providing nitrite for an abiotic reaction. Given the important role that iron plays in nitrogen fixation, photosynthesis and respiration, nitrate-dependent iron oxidation likely represents a key-link between the marine biogeochemical cycles of nitrogen, oxygen and carbon.

  13. Hfe and Hjv exhibit overlapping functions for iron signaling to hepcidin.

    PubMed

    Kent, Patricia; Wilkinson, Nicole; Constante, Marco; Fillebeen, Carine; Gkouvatsos, Konstantinos; Wagner, John; Buffler, Marzell; Becker, Christiane; Schümann, Klaus; Santos, Manuela M; Pantopoulos, Kostas

    2015-05-01

    Functional inactivation of HFE or hemojuvelin (HJV) is causatively linked to adult or juvenile hereditary hemochromatosis, respectively. Systemic iron overload results from inadequate expression of hepcidin, the iron regulatory hormone. While HJV regulates hepcidin by amplifying bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling, the role of HFE in the hepcidin pathway remains incompletely understood. We investigated the pathophysiological implications of combined Hfe and Hjv ablation in mice. Isogenic Hfe (-)/(-) and Hjv (-)/(-) mice were crossed to generate double Hfe (-)/(-) Hjv (-)/(-) progeny. Wild-type control and mutant mice of all genotypes were analyzed for serum, hepatic, and splenic iron content, expression of iron metabolism proteins, and expression of hepcidin and Smad signaling in the liver, in response to a standard or an iron-enriched diet. As expected, Hfe (-)/(-) and Hjv (-)/(-) mice developed relatively mild or severe iron overload, respectively, which corresponded to the degree of hepcidin inhibition. The double Hfe (-)/(-) Hjv (-)/(-) mice exhibited an indistinguishable phenotype to single Hjv (-)/(-) counterparts with regard to suppression of hepcidin, serum and hepatic iron overload, splenic iron deficiency, tissue iron metabolism, and Smad signaling, under both dietary regimens. We conclude that the hemochromatotic phenotype caused by disruption of Hjv is not further aggravated by combined Hfe/Hjv deficiency. Our results provide genetic evidence that Hfe and Hjv operate in the same pathway for the regulation of hepcidin expression and iron metabolism. Combined disruption of Hfe and Hjv phenocopies single Hjv deficiency. Single Hjv(-)/(-) and double Hfe(-)/(-)Hjv(-)/(-) mice exhibit comparable iron overload. Hfe and Hjv regulate hepcidin via the same pathway.

  14. Iron Chelation

    MedlinePlus

    ... fortified cereals and eggs. What is Iron Chelation Therapy? Drugs called iron chelators remove extra iron from ... form that must be dissolved in juice or water and taken (by mouth) once a day. Most ...

  15. Multicopper oxidase-1 is a ferroxidase essential for iron homeostasis in Drosophila melanogaster

    PubMed Central

    Lang, Minglin; Braun, Caroline L.; Kanost, Michael R.; Gorman, Maureen J.

    2012-01-01

    Multicopper ferroxidases catalyze the oxidation of ferrous iron to ferric iron. In yeast and algae, they participate in cellular uptake of iron; in mammals, they facilitate cellular efflux. The mechanisms of iron metabolism in insects are still poorly understood, and insect multicopper ferroxidases have not been identified. In this paper, we present evidence that Drosophila melanogaster multicopper oxidase-1 (MCO1) is a functional ferroxidase. We identified candidate iron-binding residues in the MCO1 sequence and found that purified recombinant MCO1 oxidizes ferrous iron. An association between MCO1 function and iron homeostasis was confirmed by two observations: RNAi-mediated knockdown of MCO1 resulted in decreased iron accumulation in midguts and whole insects, and weak knockdown increased the longevity of flies fed a toxic concentration of iron. Strong knockdown of MCO1 resulted in pupal lethality, indicating that MCO1 is an essential gene. Immunohistochemistry experiments demonstrated that MCO1 is located on the basal surfaces of the digestive system and Malpighian tubules. We propose that MCO1 oxidizes ferrous iron in the hemolymph and that the resulting ferric iron is bound by transferrin or melanotransferrin, leading to iron storage, iron withholding from pathogens, regulation of oxidative stress, and/or epithelial maturation. These proposed functions are distinct from those of other known ferroxidases. Given that MCO1 orthologues are present in all insect genomes analyzed to date, this discovery is an important step toward understanding iron metabolism in insects. PMID:22847425

  16. Iron depletion affects nitrogenase activity and expression of nifH and nifA genes in Herbaspirillum seropedicae.

    PubMed

    Rosconi, Federico; Souza, Emanuel M; Pedrosa, Fabio O; Platero, Raúl A; González, Cecilia; González, Marcela; Batista, Silvia; Gill, Paul R; Fabiano, Elena R

    2006-05-01

    Herbaspirillum seropedicae Z67 is a nitrogen-fixing bacterium able to colonize the rhizosphere and the interior of several plants. As iron is a key element for nitrogen fixation, we examined the response of this microorganism to iron deficiency under nitrogen fixing conditions. We identified a H. seropedicae exbD gene that was induced in response to iron limitation and is involved in iron homeostasis. We found that an exbD mutant grown in iron-chelated medium is unable to fix nitrogen. Moreover, we provide evidence that expression of the nifH and nifA genes is iron dependent in a H. seropedicae genetic background.

  17. Microbial Biosignatures in High Iron Thermal Springs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Parenteau, M. N.; Embaye, T.; Jahnke, L. L.; Cady, S. L.

    2003-12-01

    . The mat also contained abundant n,n-wax esters of C32 to C37, characteristic of Chloroflexus. 10-Methyl-C16 was also detected, indicative of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB). The narrow Oscillatoria mat was dominated by the aforementioned cyanobacterial biomarkers as well as iso-C17:1, a biomarker for some groups of SRB. Unusual dimethyl fatty acids were also detected. The goal of this research is to provide an initial dataset that will illustrate the maximum amount of paleobiological and paleoenvironmental information expected to form in these types of iron deposits. Insights from our research may help elucidate the role of phototrophs in the deposition of BIFs on Earth, and may assist in the search for evidence of fossilized microbial life in iron deposits on Mars. Pierson, B.K., M.N. Parenteau, and B.M. Griffin, Phototrophs in high-iron-concentration microbial mats: Ecology of phototrophs in an iron-depositing hot spring, Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 65, 5474-5483, 1999. Pierson, B.K., and M.N. Parenteau, Phototrophs in high iron microbial mats: Microstructure of mats in iron-depositing hot springs, FEMS Microbiology Ecology 32, 181-196, 2000. Trouwborst, R., G. Koch, G. Luther, and B.K. Pierson, Photosynthesis and iron in hot spring microbial mats (abstract), NAI General Meeting, Astrobiology 2(4), 206, 2003.

  18. Magnetic Resonance Characterization of Hepatic Storage Iron in Transfusional Iron Overload

    PubMed Central

    Tang, Haiying; Jensen, Jens H.; Sammet, Christina L.; Sheth, Sujit; Swaminathan, Srirama V.; Hultman, Kristi; Kim, Daniel; Wu, Ed X.; Brown, Truman R.; Brittenham, Gary M.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose To quantify the two principal forms of hepatic storage iron, diffuse, soluble iron (primarily ferritin), and aggregated, insoluble iron (primarily hemosiderin) using a new MRI method in patients with transfusional iron overload. Materials and Methods Six healthy volunteers and twenty patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia syndromes and iron overload were examined. Ferritin- and hemosiderin-like iron were determined based on the measurement of two distinct relaxation parameters: the “reduced” transverse relaxation rate, RR2 and the “aggregation index,” A, using three sets of Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) datasets with different interecho spacings. Agarose phantoms, simulating the relaxation and susceptibility properties of tissue with different concentrations of dispersed (ferritin-like) and aggregated (hemosiderin-like) iron, were employed for validation. Results Both phantom and in vivo human data confirmed that transverse relaxation components associated with the dispersed and aggregated iron could be separated using the two-parameter (RR2, A) method. The MRI-determined total hepatic storage iron was highly correlated (r = 0.95) with measurements derived from biopsy or biosusceptometry. As total hepatic storage iron increased, the proportion stored as aggregated iron became greater. Conclusion This method provides a new means for non-invasive MRI determination of the partition of hepatic storage iron between ferritin and hemosiderin in iron overload disorders. PMID:23720394

  19. Efficacy of iron fortification compared to iron supplementation among Vietnamese schoolchildren

    PubMed Central

    Thi Le, Huong; Brouwer, Inge D; Burema, Jan; Nguyen, Khan Cong; Kok, Frans J

    2006-01-01

    The effect of iron fortification is generally assumed to be less than iron supplementation; however, the magnitude of difference in effects is not known. The present study aims to compare the efficacy of these two strategies on anaemia and iron status. After screening on low Hb, 425 anaemic children in six primary schools in Tam Nong district of Phu Tho province were included in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial comparing two groups receiving iron fortified instant noodles or iron supplementation for 6 months and a control group, with children in all groups having been dewormed. Blood samples were collected before and after intervention for haemoglobin, serum ferritin (SF), serum transferrin receptor (TfR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and haemoglobinopathies analysis. Regression analysis was used to assess the effect of iron fortification and iron supplementation on haemoglobin concentration, SF, TfR, body iron, and anaemic status as outcome variables. The improvement of haemoglobin, SF, and body iron level in the group receiving iron fortification was 42% (2.6 g/L versus 6.2 g/L), 20% (23.5 μg/L versus 117.3 μg/L), and 31.3% (1.4 mg/kg versus 4.4 mg/kg) of that in the iron supplementation group. The prevalence of anaemia dropped to 15.1% in the control group, with an additional reduction of anaemia of 8.5% in the iron supplementation group. The additional reduction due to iron fortification was 5.4%, which amounts to well over 50% of the impact of supplementation. In conclusion, the efficacy of iron fortification based on reduction of prevalence of anaemia, and on the change in haemoglobin level, is about half of the maximum impact of supplementation in case of optimal compliance. Thus, in a population of anaemic children with mild iron deficiency, iron fortification should be the preferred strategy to combat anaemia. PMID:17147795

  20. Efficacy of iron fortification compared to iron supplementation among Vietnamese schoolchildren.

    PubMed

    Thi Le, Huong; Brouwer, Inge D; Burema, Jan; Nguyen, Khan Cong; Kok, Frans J

    2006-12-05

    The effect of iron fortification is generally assumed to be less than iron supplementation; however, the magnitude of difference in effects is not known. The present study aims to compare the efficacy of these two strategies on anaemia and iron status. After screening on low Hb, 425 anaemic children in six primary schools in Tam Nong district of Phu Tho province were included in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial comparing two groups receiving iron fortified instant noodles or iron supplementation for 6 months and a control group, with children in all groups having been dewormed. Blood samples were collected before and after intervention for haemoglobin, serum ferritin (SF), serum transferrin receptor (TfR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and haemoglobinopathies analysis. Regression analysis was used to assess the effect of iron fortification and iron supplementation on haemoglobin concentration, SF, TfR, body iron, and anaemic status as outcome variables. The improvement of haemoglobin, SF, and body iron level in the group receiving iron fortification was 42% (2.6 g/L versus 6.2 g/L), 20% (23.5 microg/L versus 117.3 microg/L), and 31.3% (1.4 mg/kg versus 4.4 mg/kg) of that in the iron supplementation group. The prevalence of anaemia dropped to 15.1% in the control group, with an additional reduction of anaemia of 8.5% in the iron supplementation group. The additional reduction due to iron fortification was 5.4%, which amounts to well over 50% of the impact of supplementation. In conclusion, the efficacy of iron fortification based on reduction of prevalence of anaemia, and on the change in haemoglobin level, is about half of the maximum impact of supplementation in case of optimal compliance. Thus, in a population of anaemic children with mild iron deficiency, iron fortification should be the preferred strategy to combat anaemia.

  1. Deferoxamine inhibition of malaria is independent of host iron status

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hershko, C.; Peto, T.E.

    The mechanism whereby deferoxamine (DF) inhibits the growth of malaria parasites was studied in rats infected with Plasmodium berghei. Peak parasitemia was 32.6% (day 14) in untreated controls and 0.15% (day 7) in rats receiving 0.33 mg/g in 8 hourly DF injections, subcutaneously. DF inhibition of parasite growth was achieved without any reduction in transferrin saturation or hemoglobin synthesis and with only a partial (56%) depletion of hepatic iron stores. Dietary iron depletion resulted in anemia (hematocrit 25 vs. 46%), microcytosis (MCV 54 vs. 60 fl), and reduced transferrin saturation (17 vs. 96%) without any effect on infection (peak parasitemiamore » 30 vs. 36%). Similarly, parenteral iron loading with ferric citrate over 10 d (75 mg iron/kg) failed to aggravate infection. In a search for evidence of direct interaction between DF and parasitized erythrocytes, gel filtration and ultrafiltration was performed on hemolysates obtained from in vivo /sup 59/Fe-labeled parasitized erythrocytes. This showed that 1.1-1.9% of the intracellular radioiron was located in a chelatable, labile iron pool. Incubation of intact cells with 0-500 microM DF resulted in a proportional increase in intracellular iron chelation, and the chelation of all available labile intracellular iron was completed within 6 h. These observations indicate that the severity of P. berghei infection in rats and its in vivo suppression by DF are independent of host iron status and suggest that DF inhibition of malaria involves intracellular chelation of a labile iron pool in parasitized erythrocytes.« less

  2. Possible evidence for contribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in phytoremediation of iron-cyanide (Fe-CN) complexes.

    PubMed

    Sut, Magdalena; Boldt-Burisch, Katja; Raab, Thomas

    2016-08-01

    Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are integral functioning parts of plant root systems and are widely recognized for enhancing contaminants uptake and metabolism on severely disturbed sites. However, the patterns of their influence on the phytoremediation of iron-cyanide (Fe-CN) complexes are unknown. Fe-CN complexes are of great common interest, as iron is one of the most abundant element in soil and water. Effect of ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) roots inoculation, using mycorrhizal fungi (Rhizophagus irregularis and a mixture of R. irregularis, Funneliformis mosseae, Rhizophagus aggregatus, and Claroideoglomus etunicatum), on iron-cyanide sorption was studied. Results indicated significantly higher colonization of R. irregularis than the mixture of AMF species on ryegrass roots. Series of batch experiments using potassium hexacyanoferrate (II) solutions, in varying concentrations revealed significantly higher reduction of total CN and free CN content in the mycorrhizal roots, indicating greater cyanide decrease in the treatment inoculated with R. irregularis. Our study is a first indication of the possible positive contribution of AM fungi on the phytoremediation of iron-cyanide complexes.

  3. High efficiency iron electrode and additives for use in rechargeable iron-based batteries

    DOEpatents

    Narayan, Sri R.; Prakash, G. K. Surya; Aniszfeld, Robert; Manohar, Aswin; Malkhandi, Souradip; Yang, Bo

    2017-02-21

    An iron electrode and a method of manufacturing an iron electrode for use in an iron-based rechargeable battery are disclosed. In one embodiment, the iron electrode includes carbonyl iron powder and one of a metal sulfide additive or metal oxide additive selected from the group of metals consisting of bismuth, lead, mercury, indium, gallium, and tin for suppressing hydrogen evolution at the iron electrode during charging of the iron-based rechargeable battery. An iron-air rechargeable battery including an iron electrode comprising carbonyl iron is also disclosed, as is an iron-air battery wherein at least one of the iron electrode and the electrolyte includes an organosulfur additive.

  4. β-thalassemia: a model for elucidating the dynamic regulation of ineffective erythropoiesis and iron metabolism

    PubMed Central

    Rivella, Stefano

    2011-01-01

    β-thalassemia is a disease characterized by anemia and is associated with ineffective erythropoiesis and iron dysregulation resulting in iron overload. The peptide hormone hepcidin regulates iron metabolism, and insufficient hepcidin synthesis is responsible for iron overload in minimally transfused patients with this disease. Understanding the crosstalk between erythropoiesis and iron metabolism is an area of active investigation in which patients with and models of β-thalassemia have provided significant insight. The dependence of erythropoiesis on iron presupposes that iron demand for hemoglobin synthesis is involved in the regulation of iron metabolism. Major advances have been made in understanding iron availability for erythropoiesis and its dysregulation in β-thalassemia. In this review, we describe the clinical characteristics and current therapeutic standard in β-thalassemia, explore the definition of ineffective erythropoiesis, and discuss its role in hepcidin regulation. In preclinical experiments using interventions such as transferrin, hepcidin agonists, and JAK2 inhibitors, we provide evidence of potential new treatment alternatives that elucidate mechanisms by which expanded or ineffective erythropoiesis may regulate iron supply, distribution, and utilization in diseases such as β-thalassemia. PMID:21768301

  5. Effect of hereditary haemochromatosis genotypes and iron overload on other trace elements.

    PubMed

    Beckett, Jeffrey M; Ball, Madeleine J

    2013-02-01

    Hereditary haemochromatosis is a common genetic disorder involving dysregulation of iron absorption. There is some evidence to suggest that abnormal iron absorption and metabolism may influence the status of other important trace elements. In this study, the effect of abnormal HFE genotypes and associated iron overload on the status of other trace elements was examined. Dietary data and blood samples were collected from 199 subjects (mean age = 55.4 years; range = 21-81 years). Dietary intakes, serum selenium, copper and zinc concentrations and related antioxidant enzymes (glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase) in subjects with normal HFE genotype (n = 118) were compared to those with abnormal HFE genotype, with both normal iron status (n = 42) and iron overload (n = 39). For most dietary and biochemical variables measured, there were no significant differences between study groups. Red cell GPx was significantly higher in male subjects with normal genotypes and normal iron status compared to those with abnormal genotypes and normal iron status (P = 0.03) or iron overload (P = 0.001). Red cell GPx was also highest in normal women and significantly lower in the abnormal genotype and normal iron group (P = 0.016), but not in the iron overload group (P = 0.078). Although it may not be possible to exclude a small effect between the genotype groups on RBC GPx, overall, haemochromatosis genotypes or iron overload did not appear to have a significant effect on selenium, copper or zinc status.

  6. Brain Iron Homeostasis: From Molecular Mechanisms To Clinical Significance and Therapeutic Opportunities

    PubMed Central

    Haldar, Swati; Tripathi, Ajai K.; Horback, Katharine; Wong, Joseph; Sharma, Deepak; Beserra, Amber; Suda, Srinivas; Anbalagan, Charumathi; Dev, Som; Mukhopadhyay, Chinmay K.; Singh, Ajay

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Iron has emerged as a significant cause of neurotoxicity in several neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), and others. In some cases, the underlying cause of iron mis-metabolism is known, while in others, our understanding is, at best, incomplete. Recent evidence implicating key proteins involved in the pathogenesis of AD, PD, and sCJD in cellular iron metabolism suggests that imbalance of brain iron homeostasis associated with these disorders is a direct consequence of disease pathogenesis. A complete understanding of the molecular events leading to this phenotype is lacking partly because of the complex regulation of iron homeostasis within the brain. Since systemic organs and the brain share several iron regulatory mechanisms and iron-modulating proteins, dysfunction of a specific pathway or selective absence of iron-modulating protein(s) in systemic organs has provided important insights into the maintenance of iron homeostasis within the brain. Here, we review recent information on the regulation of iron uptake and utilization in systemic organs and within the complex environment of the brain, with particular emphasis on the underlying mechanisms leading to brain iron mis-metabolism in specific neurodegenerative conditions. Mouse models that have been instrumental in understanding systemic and brain disorders associated with iron mis-metabolism are also described, followed by current therapeutic strategies which are aimed at restoring brain iron homeostasis in different neurodegenerative conditions. We conclude by highlighting important gaps in our understanding of brain iron metabolism and mis-metabolism, particularly in the context of neurodegenerative disorders. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 20, 1324–1363. PMID:23815406

  7. 49 CFR 192.489 - Remedial measures: Cast iron and ductile iron pipelines.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... for Corrosion Control § 192.489 Remedial measures: Cast iron and ductile iron pipelines. (a) General graphitization. Each segment of cast iron or ductile iron pipe on which general graphitization is found to a... 49 Transportation 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Remedial measures: Cast iron and ductile iron...

  8. 49 CFR 192.489 - Remedial measures: Cast iron and ductile iron pipelines.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... for Corrosion Control § 192.489 Remedial measures: Cast iron and ductile iron pipelines. (a) General graphitization. Each segment of cast iron or ductile iron pipe on which general graphitization is found to a... 49 Transportation 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Remedial measures: Cast iron and ductile iron...

  9. Low intracellular iron increases the stability of matriptase-2.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Ningning; Nizzi, Christopher P; Anderson, Sheila A; Wang, Jiaohong; Ueno, Akiko; Tsukamoto, Hidekazu; Eisenstein, Richard S; Enns, Caroline A; Zhang, An-Sheng

    2015-02-13

    Matriptase-2 (MT2) is a type II transmembrane serine protease that is predominantly expressed in hepatocytes. It suppresses the expression of hepatic hepcidin, an iron regulatory hormone, by cleaving membrane hemojuvelin into an inactive form. Hemojuvelin is a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) co-receptor. Here, we report that MT2 is up-regulated under iron deprivation. In HepG2 cells stably expressing the coding sequence of the MT2 gene, TMPRSS6, incubation with apo-transferrin or the membrane-impermeable iron chelator, deferoxamine mesylate salt, was able to increase MT2 levels. This increase did not result from the inhibition of MT2 shedding from the cells. Rather, studies using a membrane-permeable iron chelator, salicylaldehyde isonicotinoyl hydrazone, revealed that depletion of cellular iron was able to decrease the degradation of MT2 independently of internalization. We found that lack of the putative endocytosis motif in its cytoplasmic domain largely abolished the sensitivity of MT2 to iron depletion. Neither acute nor chronic iron deficiency was able to alter the association of Tmprss6 mRNA with polyribosomes in the liver of rats indicating a lack of translational regulation by low iron levels. Studies in mice showed that Tmprss6 mRNA was not regulated by iron nor the BMP-mediated signaling with no evident correlation with either Bmp6 mRNA or Id1 mRNA, a target of BMP signaling. These results suggest that regulation of MT2 occurs at the level of protein degradation rather than by changes in the rate of internalization and translational or transcriptional mechanisms and that the cytoplasmic domain of MT2 is necessary for its regulation. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  10. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Volume 47, Number RR-3. Recommendations to Prevent and Control Iron Deficiency in the United States.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1998-04-03

    adverse birth outcomes. Some studies have indicated that adequate iron supplementation during pregnancy reduces the prevalence of iron- deficiency...iron intake during pregnancy has not resulted in a reduced prevalence of anemia among low-income, pregnant women (4,9,105). Evidence on iron...during pregnancy . Am J Obstet Gynecol 1995;173(1):205-9. 45. Looker AC, Dallman PR, Carroll MD, Gunter EW, Johnson CL. Prevalence of iron deficiency in

  11. Results of the First American Prospective Study of Intravenous Iron in Oral Iron-Intolerant Iron-Deficient Gravidas.

    PubMed

    Auerbach, Michael; James, Stephanie E; Nicoletti, Melissa; Lenowitz, Steven; London, Nicola; Bahrain, Huzefa F; Derman, Richard; Smith, Samuel

    2017-12-01

    Anemia affects up to 42% of gravidas. Neonatal iron deficiency is associated with low birth weight, delayed growth and development, and increased cognitive and behavioral abnormalities. While oral iron is convenient, up to 70% report significant gastrointestinal toxicity. Intravenous iron formulations allowing replacement in one visit with favorable side-effect profiles decrease rates of anemia with improved hemoglobin responses and maternal fetal outcomes. Seventy-four oral iron-intolerant, second- and third-trimester iron-deficient gravidas were questioned for oral iron intolerance and treated with intravenous iron. All received 1000 mg of low-molecular-weight iron dextran in 250 mL normal saline. Fifteen minutes after a test dose, the remainder was infused over the balance of 1 hour. Subjects were called at 1, 2, and 7 days to assess delayed reactions. Four weeks postinfusion or postpartum, hemoglobin levels and iron parameters were measured. Paired t test was used for hemoglobin and iron; 58/73 women were questioned about interval growth and development of their babies. Seventy-three of 74 enrolled subjects completed treatment. Sixty had paired pre- and posttreatment data. The mean pre- and posthemoglobin concentrations were 9.7 and 10.8 g/dL (P < .00001), transferrin saturations 11.7% and 22.6% (P = .0003), and ferritins 14.5 and 126.3 ng/mL, respectively (P < .000001). Six experienced minor infusion reactions. All resolved. Data for 58 infants were available; one was low on its growth charts for 11 months. The remaining 57 were normal. None were diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia. Intravenous iron has less toxicity and is more effective, supporting moving it closer to frontline therapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Iron Dextran Injection

    MedlinePlus

    Iron dextran injection is used to treat iron-deficiency anemia (a lower than normal number of red blood cells ... treated with iron supplements taken by mouth. Iron dextran injection is in a class of medications called ...

  13. Impact of high iron intake on cognition and neurodegeneration in humans and in animal models: a systematic review

    PubMed Central

    Agrawal, Sonal; Berggren, Kiersten L.; Marks, Eileen; Fox, Jonathan H.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Context Accumulation of brain iron is linked to aging and protein-misfolding neurodegenerative diseases. High iron intake may influence important brain health outcomes in later life. Objective The aim of this systematic review was to examine evidence from animal and human studies of the effects of high iron intake or peripheral iron status on adult cognition, brain aging, and neurodegeneration. Data Sources MEDLINE, Scopus, CAB Abstracts, the Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials, and OpenGrey databases were searched. Study Selection Studies investigating the effect of elevated iron intake at all postnatal life stages in mammalian models and humans on measures of adult brain health were included. Data Extraction Data were extracted and evaluated by two authors independently, with discrepancies resolved by discussion. Neurodegenerative disease diagnosis and/or behavioral/cognitive, biochemical, and brain morphologic findings were used to study the effects of iron intake or peripheral iron status on brain health. Risk of bias was assessed for animal and human studies. PRISMA guidelines for reporting systematic reviews were followed. Results Thirty-four preclinical and 14 clinical studies were identified from database searches. Thirty-three preclinical studies provided evidence supporting an adverse effect of nutritionally relevant high iron intake in neonates on brain-health-related outcomes in adults. Human studies varied considerably in design, quality, and findings; none investigated the effects of high iron intake in neonates/infants. Conclusions Human studies are needed to verify whether dietary iron intake levels used in neonates/infants to prevent iron deficiency have effects on brain aging and neurodegenerative disease outcomes. PMID:28505363

  14. Iron overload in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes: An updated overview.

    PubMed

    Moukalled, Nour M; El Rassi, Fuad A; Temraz, Sally N; Taher, Ali T

    2018-06-15

    Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) encompass a heterogeneous group of clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorders characterized by a broad clinical spectrum related to ineffective hematopoiesis leading to unilineage or multilineage cytopenias, with a high propensity for transformation to acute myeloid leukemia. Iron overload has been recently identified as one of the important conditions complicating the management of these diverse disorders. The accumulation of iron is mainly related to chronic transfusions; however, evidence suggests a possible role for ineffective erythropoiesis and increased intestinal absorption of iron, related to altered hepcidin and growth differentiation factor-15 levels in the development of hemosiderosis in patients with MDS. In addition to its suggested role in the exacerbation of ineffective erythropoiesis, multiple reports have identified a prognostic implication for the development of iron overload in patients with MDS, with an improvement in overall survival after the initiation of iron chelation therapy. This review includes a detailed discussion of iron overload in patients with MDS whether they are undergoing supportive therapy or curative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, with a focus on the mechanism, diagnosis, and effect on survival as well as the optimal management of this highly variable complication. Cancer 2018. © 2018 American Cancer Society. © 2018 American Cancer Society.

  15. Iron Deficiency Induced by Chrysobactin in Saintpaulia Leaves Inoculated with Erwinia chrysanthemi.

    PubMed Central

    Neema, C.; Laulhere, J. P.; Expert, D.

    1993-01-01

    In this communication, we examine the fate of iron during soft rot pathogenesis caused by Erwinia chrysanthemi on its host, Saintpaulia ionantha. The spread of soft rot caused by this enterobacterium was previously shown to depend on a functional genetic locus encoding a high-affinity iron assimilation system involving the catechol-type siderophore chrysobactin. Leaf intercellular fluid from healthy plants was analyzed with regard to the iron content and its availability for bacterial growth. It was compared to the fluid from diseased plants for the presence of strong iron ligands, using a new approach based on the iron-binding property of an ion-exchange resin. Further characterization allowed the identification of chrysobactin in diseased tissues, thus providing the first evidence for the external release of a microbial siderophore during pathogenesis. Competition for nutritional iron was also studied through a plant-bacterial cell system: iron incorporated into plant ferritin appeared to be considerably reduced in bacteria-treated suspension soybean cells. The same effect was visualized during treatment of soybean cells with axenic leaf intercellular fluid from E. chrysanthemi-inoculated saintpaulia leaves or with chrysobactin. PMID:12231882

  16. The Capacity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis To Survive Iron Starvation Might Enable It To Persist in Iron-Deprived Microenvironments of Human Granulomas.

    PubMed

    Kurthkoti, Krishna; Amin, Hamel; Marakalala, Mohlopheni J; Ghanny, Saleena; Subbian, Selvakumar; Sakatos, Alexandra; Livny, Jonathan; Fortune, Sarah M; Berney, Michael; Rodriguez, G Marcela

    2017-08-15

    This study was conducted to investigate the role of iron deprivation in the persistence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis We present evidence of iron restriction in human necrotic granulomas and demonstrate that under iron starvation M. tuberculosis persists, refractive to antibiotics and capable of restarting replication when iron is made available. Transcriptomics and metabolomic analyses indicated that the persistence of M. tuberculosis under iron starvation is dependent on strict control of endogenous Fe utilization and is associated with upregulation of pathogenicity and intrinsic antibiotic resistance determinants. M. tuberculosis mutants compromised in their ability to survive Fe starvation were identified. The findings of this study advance the understanding of the physiological settings that may underpin the chronicity of human tuberculosis (TB) and are relevant to the design of effective antitubercular therapies. IMPORTANCE One-third of the world population may harbor persistent M. tuberculosis , causing an asymptomatic infection that is refractory to treatment and can reactivate to become potentially lethal tuberculosis disease. However, little is known about the factors that trigger and maintain M. tuberculosis persistence in infected individuals. Iron is an essential nutrient for M. tuberculosis growth. In this study, we show, first, that in human granulomas the immune defense creates microenvironments in which M. tuberculosis likely experiences drastic Fe deprivation and, second, that Fe-starved M. tuberculosis is capable of long-term persistence without growth. Together, these observations suggest that Fe deprivation in the lung might trigger a state of persistence in M. tuberculosis and promote chronic TB. We also identified vulnerabilities of iron-restricted persistent M. tuberculosis , which can be exploited for the design of new antitubercular therapies. Copyright © 2017 Kurthkoti et al.

  17. Modeling tool for calculating dietary iron bioavailability in iron-sufficient adults.

    PubMed

    Fairweather-Tait, Susan J; Jennings, Amy; Harvey, Linda J; Berry, Rachel; Walton, Janette; Dainty, Jack R

    2017-06-01

    Background: Values for dietary iron bioavailability are required for setting dietary reference values. These are estimated from predictive algorithms, nonheme iron absorption from meals, and models of iron intake, serum ferritin concentration, and iron requirements. Objective: We developed a new interactive tool to predict dietary iron bioavailability. Design: Iron intake and serum ferritin, a quantitative marker of body iron stores, from 2 nationally representative studies of adults in the United Kingdom and Ireland and a trial in elderly people in Norfolk, United Kingdom, were used to develop a model to predict dietary iron absorption at different serum ferritin concentrations. Individuals who had raised inflammatory markers or were taking iron-containing supplements were excluded. Results: Mean iron intakes were 13.6, 10.3, and 10.9 mg/d and mean serum ferritin concentrations were 140.7, 49.4, and 96.7 mg/L in men, premenopausal women, and postmenopausal women, respectively. The model predicted that at serum ferritin concentrations of 15, 30, and 60 mg/L, mean dietary iron absorption would be 22.3%, 16.3%, and 11.6%, respectively, in men; 27.2%, 17.2%, and 10.6%, respectively, in premenopausal women; and 18.4%, 12.7%, and 10.5%, respectively, in postmenopausal women. Conclusions: An interactive program for calculating dietary iron absorption at any concentration of serum ferritin is presented. Differences in iron status are partly explained by age but also by diet, with meat being a key determinant. The effect of the diet is more marked at lower serum ferritin concentrations. The model can be applied to any adult population in whom representative, good-quality data on iron intake and iron status have been collected. Values for dietary iron bioavailability can be derived for any target concentration of serum ferritin, thereby giving risk managers and public health professionals a flexible and transparent basis on which to base their dietary recommendations. This

  18. Iron supplementation and 2-unit red blood cell apheresis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

    PubMed

    Radtke, Hartmut; Mayer, Beate; Röcker, Lothar; Salama, Abdulgabar; Kiesewetter, Holger

    2004-10-01

    The benefits of 2-unit red blood cell (RBC) apheresis are evident, but iron depletion may be a limiting factor in using this technology. Regular iron supplementation may allow a better utilization of this technique. In this study, 260 regular blood donors donated 2-unit RBCs on each of a total of seven visits at intervals of 8 to 10 weeks. The volunteers were randomly assigned to receive 100 mg of iron(II) or placebo daily. Group A received iron capsules after the first three donations, and Group B after the second three donations, respectively. Hemoglobin, serum ferritin, and serum iron were measured before each donation. Mean serum ferritin concentration decreased after each donation in the placebo phase of both treatment groups, but it remained largely constant during the iron phase in Group A, and even increased during the iron phase in Group B. Regular iron supplementation prevents iron depletion in the majority of donors after 2-unit RBC apheresis within an 8- to 10-week period.

  19. Iron status in pregnant women and women of reproductive age in Europe.

    PubMed

    Milman, Nils; Taylor, Christine L; Merkel, Joyce; Brannon, Patsy M

    2017-12-01

    Understanding the iron status in pregnant women in Europe provides a foundation for considering the role of iron screening and supplementation. However, available reports and studies have used different approaches that challenge the devising of overall summaries. Moreover, data on pregnant women are limited, and thus, data on women of reproductive age provide useful background information including baseline iron stores in pregnant women. This review considered data that are available from >15 European countries including national surveys and relevant clinical studies. In European women of reproductive age, median or geometric mean serum ferritin (SF) concentrations were estimated at 26-38 μg/L. Approximately 40-55% of this population had small or depleted iron stores (i.e., SF concentration ≤30 μg/L), and 45-60% of this population had apparently replete iron stores. The prevalence of iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) was 10-32% and 2-5%, respectively, depending on the cutoffs used. Approximately 20-35% of European women of reproductive age had sufficient iron stores (SF concentration >70 μg/L) to complete a pregnancy without supplementary iron. During pregnancy, European women in controlled supplementation trials who were not receiving iron supplements displayed increasing prevalences of ID and IDA during pregnancy, which peaked in the middle to late third trimester. Available evidence has suggested that, in gestational weeks 32-39, the median or geometric mean SF concentrations were 6-21 μg/L, and prevalences of ID and IDA were 28-85% and 21-35%, respectively. Women who were taking iron supplements had higher iron status and lower prevalences of ID and IDA, which were dependent on the dose of iron and compliance. The data suggest that, in Europe, the iron status of reproductive-aged women varies by region and worsens in pregnancy without iron supplementation. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

  20. Association between sex, systemic iron variation and probability of Parkinson's disease.

    PubMed

    Mariani, S; Ventriglia, M; Simonelli, I; Bucossi, S; Siotto, M; Donno, S; Vernieri, F; Squitti, R

    2016-01-01

    Iron homeostasis appears altered in Parkinson's disease (PD). Recent genetic studies and meta-analyses have produced heterogeneous and inconclusive results. In order to verify the possible role of iron status in PD, we have screened some of the main metal gene variants, evaluated their effects on iron systemic status, and checked for possible interactions with PD. In 92 PD patients and 112 healthy controls, we screened the D544E and R793H variants of the ceruloplasmin gene (CP), the P589S variant of the transferrin gene (TF), and the H63D and C282Y variants of the HFE gene, encoding for homologous proteins, respectively. Furthermore, we analyzed serum concentrations of iron, copper and their related proteins. The genetic investigation revealed no significant differences in allelic and genotype distributions between patients and controls. Two different multivariable forward stepwise logistic models showed that, when the effect of sex is considered, an increase of the probability of having PD is associated with low iron concentration and Tf-saturation. This study provides new evidence of the involvement of iron metabolism in PD pathogenesis and reveals a biological effect of sex.

  1. Newly Shaped Intra-Aortic Balloons Improve the Performance of Counterpulsation at the Semirecumbent Position: An In Vitro Study.

    PubMed

    Kolyva, Christina; Pepper, John R; Khir, Ashraf W

    2016-08-01

    The major hemodynamic benefits of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) counterpulsation are augmentation in diastolic aortic pressure (Paug ) during inflation, and decrease in end-diastolic aortic pressure (ΔedP) during deflation. When the patient is nursed in the semirecumbent position these benefits are diminished. Attempts to change the shape of the IAB in order to limit or prevent this deterioration have been scarce. The aim of the present study was to investigate the hemodynamic performance of six new IAB shapes, and compare it to that of a traditional cylindrical IAB. A mock circulation system, featuring an artificial left ventricle and an aortic model with 11 branches and physiological resistance and compliance, was used to test one cylindrical and six newly shaped IABs at angles 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40°. Pressure was measured continuously at the aortic root during 1:1 and 1:4 IABP support. Shape 2 was found to consistently achieve, in terms of absolute magnitude, larger ΔedP at angles than the cylindrical IAB. Although ΔedP was gradually diminished with angle, it did so to a lesser degree than the cylindrical IAB; this diminishment was only 53% (with frequency 1:1) and 40% (with frequency 1:4) of that of the cylindrical IAB, when angle increased from 0 to 40°. During inflation Shape 1 displayed a more stable behavior with increasing angle compared to the cylindrical IAB; with an increase in angle from 0 to 40°, diastolic aortic pressure augmentation dropped only by 45% (with frequency 1:1) and by 33% (with frequency 1:4) of the drop reached with the cylindrical IAB. After compensating for differences in nominal IAB volume, Shape 1 generally achieved higher Paug over most angles. Newly shaped IABs could allow for IABP therapy to become more efficient for patients nursed at the semirecumbent position. The findings promote the idea of personalized rather than generalized patient therapy for the achievement of higher IABP therapeutic efficiency, with a choice

  2. Iron homeostasis and its disruption in mouse lung in iron deficiency and overload.

    PubMed

    Giorgi, Gisela; D'Anna, María Cecilia; Roque, Marta Elena

    2015-10-01

    What is the central question of this study? The aim was to explore the role and hitherto unclear mechanisms of action of iron proteins in protecting the lung against the harmful effects of iron accumulation and the ability of pulmonary cells to mobilize iron in iron deficiency. What is the main finding and its importance? We show that pulmonary hepcidin appears not to modify cellular iron mobilization in the lung. We propose pathways for supplying iron to the lung in iron deficiency and for protecting the lung against iron excess in iron overload, mediated by the co-ordinated action of iron proteins, such as divalent metal transporter 1, ZRT-IRE-like-protein 14, transferrin receptor, ferritin, haemochromatosis-associated protein and ferroportin. Iron dyshomeostasis is associated with several forms of chronic lung disease, but its mechanisms of action remain to be elucidated. The aim of the present study was to determine the role of the lung in whole-animal models with iron deficiency and iron overload, studying the divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1), ZRT-IRE-like protein 14 (ZIP14), transferrin receptor (TfR), haemochromatosis-associated protein (HFE), hepcidin, ferritin and ferroportin (FPN) expression. In each model, adult CF1 mice were divided into the following groups (six mice per group): (i) iron-overload model, iron saccharate i.p. and control group (iron adequate), 0.9% NaCl i.p.; and (ii) iron-deficiency model, induced by repeated bleeding, and control group (sham operated). Proteins were assessed by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. In control mice, DMT1 was localized in the cytoplasm of airway cells, and in iron deficiency and overload it was in the apical membrane. Divalent metal transporter 1 and TfR increased in iron deficiency, without changes in iron overload. ZRT-IRE-like protein 14 decreased in airway cells in iron deficiency and increased in iron overload. In iron deficiency, HFE and FPN were immunolocalized close to the apical membrane

  3. Brain transcriptome perturbations in the Hfe(-/-) mouse model of genetic iron loading.

    PubMed

    Johnstone, Daniel; Graham, Ross M; Trinder, Debbie; Delima, Roheeth D; Riveros, Carlos; Olynyk, John K; Scott, Rodney J; Moscato, Pablo; Milward, Elizabeth A

    2012-04-11

    Severe disruption of brain iron homeostasis can cause fatal neurodegenerative disease, however debate surrounds the neurologic effects of milder, more common iron loading disorders such as hereditary hemochromatosis, which is usually caused by loss-of-function polymorphisms in the HFE gene. There is evidence from both human and animal studies that HFE gene variants may affect brain function and modify risks of brain disease. To investigate how disruption of HFE influences brain transcript levels, we used microarray and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to assess the brain transcriptome in Hfe(-/-) mice relative to wildtype AKR controls (age 10 weeks, n≥4/group). The Hfe(-/-) mouse brain showed numerous significant changes in transcript levels (p<0.05) although few of these related to proteins directly involved in iron homeostasis. There were robust changes of at least 2-fold in levels of transcripts for prominent genes relating to transcriptional regulation (FBJ osteosarcoma oncogene Fos, early growth response genes), neurotransmission (glutamate NMDA receptor Grin1, GABA receptor Gabbr1) and synaptic plasticity and memory (calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIα Camk2a). As previously reported for dietary iron-supplemented mice, there were altered levels of transcripts for genes linked to neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, a disease characterized by excessive lipofuscin deposition. Labile iron is known to enhance lipofuscin generation which may accelerate brain aging. The findings provide evidence that iron loading disorders can considerably perturb levels of transcripts for genes essential for normal brain function and may help explain some of the neurologic signs and symptoms reported in hemochromatosis patients. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Facilitated citrate-dependent iron translocation increases rice endosperm iron and zinc concentrations.

    PubMed

    Wu, Ting-Ying; Gruissem, Wilhelm; Bhullar, Navreet K

    2018-05-01

    Iron deficiency affects one third of the world population. Most iron biofortification strategies have focused on genes involved in iron uptake and storage but facilitating internal long-distance iron translocation has been understudied for increasing grain iron concentrations. Citrate is a primary iron chelator, and the transporter FERRIC REDUCTASE DEFECTIVE 3 (FRD3) loads citrate into the xylem. We have expressed AtFRD3 in combination with AtNAS1 (NICOTIANAMINE SYNTHASE 1) and PvFER (FERRITIN) or with PvFER alone to facilitate long-distance iron transport together with efficient iron uptake and storage in the rice endosperm. The citrate and iron concentrations in the xylem sap of transgenic plants increased two-fold compared to control plants. Iron and zinc levels increased significantly in polished and unpolished rice grains to more than 70% of the recommended estimated average requirement (EAR) for iron and 140% of the recommended EAR for zinc in polished rice grains. Furthermore, the transformed lines showed normal phenotypic growth, were tolerant to iron deficiency and aluminum toxicity, and had grain cadmium levels similar to control plants. Together, our results demonstrate that deploying FRD for iron biofortification has no obvious anti-nutritive effects and should be considered as an effective strategy for reducing human iron deficiency anemia. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Iron therapy for pre-operative anaemia.

    PubMed

    Ng, Oliver; Keeler, Barrie D; Mishra, Amitabh; Simpson, Alastair; Neal, Keith; Brookes, Matthew J; Acheson, Austin G

    2015-12-22

    Pre-operative anaemia is common and occurs in up to 76% of patients. It is associated with increased peri-operative allogeneic blood transfusions, longer hospital lengths of stay and increased morbidity and mortality. Iron deficiency is one of the most common causes of this anaemia. Oral iron therapy has traditionally been used to treat anaemia but newer, safer parenteral iron preparations have been shown to be more effective in other conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, chronic heart failure and post-partum haemorrhage. A limited number of studies look at iron therapy for the treatment of pre-operative anaemia. The aim of this Cochrane review is to summarise the evidence for use of iron supplementation, both enteral and parenteral, for the management of pre-operative anaemia. The objective of this review is to evaluate the effects of pre-operative iron therapy (enteral or parenteral) in reducing the need for allogeneic blood transfusions in anaemic patients undergoing surgery. We ran the search on 25 March 2015. We searched the Cochrane Injuries Group's Specialised Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library), Ovid MEDLINE(R), Ovid MEDLINE(R) In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid MEDLINE(R) Daily and Ovid OLDMEDLINE(R), EMBASE Classic and EMBASE (Ovid), CINAHL Plus (EBSCO), PubMed, clinical trials registries, conference abstracts, and we screened reference lists. We included all randomised controlled trials (RCTs) which compared pre-operative iron monotherapy to placebo, no treatment, standard of care or another form of iron therapy for anaemic adults undergoing surgery. Anaemia was defined by haemoglobin values less than 13 g/dL for males and 12 g/dL for non-pregnant females. Data were collected by two authors on the proportion of patients who receive a blood transfusion, amount of blood transfused per patient (units) and haemoglobin measured as continuous variables at pre-determined time-points: pre

  6. Iron Homeostasis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Mechanistic Insights into Siderophore-Mediated Iron Uptake

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    Mycobacterium tuberculosis requires iron for normal growth but faces a limitation of the metal ion due to its low solubility at biological pH and the withholding of iron by the mammalian host. The pathogen expresses the Fe3+-specific siderophores mycobactin and carboxymycobactin to chelate the metal ion from insoluble iron and the host proteins transferrin, lactoferrin, and ferritin. Siderophore-mediated iron uptake is essential for the survival of M. tuberculosis, as knockout mutants, which were defective in siderophore synthesis or uptake, failed to survive in low-iron medium and inside macrophages. But as excess iron is toxic due to its catalytic role in the generation of free radicals, regulation of iron uptake is necessary to maintain optimal levels of intracellular iron. The focus of this review is to present a comprehensive overview of iron homeostasis in M. tuberculosis that is discussed in the context of mycobactin biosynthesis, transport of iron across the mycobacterial cell envelope, and storage of excess iron. The clinical significance of the serum iron status and the expression of the iron-regulated protein HupB in tuberculosis (TB) patients is presented here, highlighting the potential of HupB as a marker, notably in extrapulmonary TB cases. PMID:27402628

  7. Iron Isotope Systematics

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dauphas, Nicolas; John, Seth G.; Rouxel, Olivier

    Iron is a ubiquitous element with a rich (i.e., complex) chemical behavior. It possesses three oxidation states, metallic iron (Fe0), ferrous iron (Fe2+) and ferric iron (Fe3+). The distribution of these oxidation states is markedly stratified in the Earth.

  8. Is red meat required for the prevention of iron deficiency among children and adolescents?

    PubMed

    Savva, Savvas C; Kafatos, Anthony

    2014-01-01

    Iron deficiency remains the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide despite the fact that global prevention is a high priority. Recent guidelines suggest intake of red meat both in infants and toddlers to prevent iron deficiency. However frequent consumption of red and processed meat may be associated with an increased risk for cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Evidence also suggests that even in vegetarian diets or diets with little consumption of white or red meat, iron status may not be adversely affected. The Eastern Orthodox Christian Church dietary recommendations which is a type of periodic vegetarian diet, has proved beneficial for the prevention of iron deficiency and avoidance of excess iron intake. This paper aims to provide examples of meals for children and adolescents that may be sufficient to meet age specific iron requirements without consumption of red meat beyond the recommended consumption which is once or twice per month.

  9. Compacted graphite iron: Cast iron makes a comeback

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dawson, S.

    1994-08-01

    Although compacted graphite iron has been known for more than four decades, the absence of a reliable mass-production technique has resulted in relatively little effort to exploit its operational benefits. However, a proven on-line process control technology developed by SinterCast allows for series production of complex components in high-quality CGI. The improved mechanical properties of compacted graphite iron relative to conventional gray iron allow for substantial weight reduction in gasoline and diesel engines or substantial increases in horsepower, or an optimal combination of both. Concurrent with these primary benefits, CGI also provides significant emissions and fuel efficiency benefits allowing automakers to meet legislated performance standards. The operational and environmental benefits of compacted graphite iron together with its low cost and recyclability reinforce cast iron as a prime engineering material for the future.

  10. Secoisolariciresinol Diglucoside Abrogates Oxidative Stress-Induced Damage in Cardiac Iron Overload Condition

    PubMed Central

    Puukila, Stephanie; Bryan, Sean; Laakso, Anna; Abdel-Malak, Jessica; Gurney, Carli; Agostino, Adrian; Belló-Klein, Adriane; Prasad, Kailash; Khaper, Neelam

    2015-01-01

    Cardiac iron overload is directly associated with cardiac dysfunction and can ultimately lead to heart failure. This study examined the effect of secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG), a component of flaxseed, on iron overload induced cardiac damage by evaluating oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in H9c2 cardiomyocytes. Cells were incubated with 50 μ5M iron for 24 hours and/or a 24 hour pre-treatment of 500 μ M SDG. Cardiac iron overload resulted in increased oxidative stress and gene expression of the inflammatory mediators tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-10 and interferon γ, as well as matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9. Increased apoptosis was evident by increased active caspase 3/7 activity and increased protein expression of Forkhead box O3a, caspase 3 and Bax. Cardiac iron overload also resulted in increased protein expression of p70S6 Kinase 1 and decreased expression of AMP-activated protein kinase. Pre-treatment with SDG abrogated the iron-induced increases in oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis, as well as the increased p70S6 Kinase 1 and decreased AMP-activated protein kinase expression. The decrease in superoxide dismutase activity by iron treatment was prevented by pre-treatment with SDG in the presence of iron. Based on these findings we conclude that SDG was cytoprotective in an in vitro model of iron overload induced redox-inflammatory damage, suggesting a novel potential role for SDG in cardiac iron overload. PMID:25822525

  11. Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside abrogates oxidative stress-induced damage in cardiac iron overload condition.

    PubMed

    Puukila, Stephanie; Bryan, Sean; Laakso, Anna; Abdel-Malak, Jessica; Gurney, Carli; Agostino, Adrian; Belló-Klein, Adriane; Prasad, Kailash; Khaper, Neelam

    2015-01-01

    Cardiac iron overload is directly associated with cardiac dysfunction and can ultimately lead to heart failure. This study examined the effect of secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG), a component of flaxseed, on iron overload induced cardiac damage by evaluating oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in H9c2 cardiomyocytes. Cells were incubated with 50 μ5M iron for 24 hours and/or a 24 hour pre-treatment of 500 μ M SDG. Cardiac iron overload resulted in increased oxidative stress and gene expression of the inflammatory mediators tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-10 and interferon γ, as well as matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9. Increased apoptosis was evident by increased active caspase 3/7 activity and increased protein expression of Forkhead box O3a, caspase 3 and Bax. Cardiac iron overload also resulted in increased protein expression of p70S6 Kinase 1 and decreased expression of AMP-activated protein kinase. Pre-treatment with SDG abrogated the iron-induced increases in oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis, as well as the increased p70S6 Kinase 1 and decreased AMP-activated protein kinase expression. The decrease in superoxide dismutase activity by iron treatment was prevented by pre-treatment with SDG in the presence of iron. Based on these findings we conclude that SDG was cytoprotective in an in vitro model of iron overload induced redox-inflammatory damage, suggesting a novel potential role for SDG in cardiac iron overload.

  12. In vitro dissolution profile of two commercially available iron preparations.

    PubMed

    Patrício, José P H; Santos, Cristina; Cerdeira, Rui

    2012-03-01

    Current scientific evidence indicates that anemia in pregnancy, regardless of severity, is associated with an increased risk of maternal and fetal mortality. There is little published information about the bioavailability and bioequivalence of formulations containing both iron and folic acid. However, in vitro dissolution studies can provide important information on the likely relative bioavailability of various formulations. The objective of our study was to compare the in vitro dissolution of two similar commercially available formulations of iron- and folic acid-containing supplements, Folifer® (Bialport - Produtos Farmacêuticos, S.A., Portugal) and Ferroliver® (SM Pharma c.a., Venezuela), in order to determine the in vitro availability of their iron content. Folifer® and Ferroliver® were chosen because they contained similar amounts of elemental iron. The amount of iron released from each tablet was evaluated over a 4-hour period in three dissolution media replicating gastric or intestinal juices with pH values ranging from 1.5 to 6.9. The samples were then titrated with a solution of cerium ammonium sulfate in order to calculate the amount of iron released in each specific pH condition. The percentage of dissolved iron was calculated as a cumulative frequency, using the percentage of dissolved iron at all timepoints. The dissolution similarity between the two commercially available formulations was evaluated using the &U0192;(2) statistic formula. During a 4-hour dissolution test, Folifer® released 59.4 mg of iron compared with 48.5 mg released by Ferroliver®. The value obtained for the similarity factor, an indicator of likely bioequivalence, was 41. These data suggest that Folifer® releases more iron than Ferroliver®, and that the two formulations are not equivalent in vitro. The superior dissolution of ferrous sulfate with Folifer® compared with ferrous fumarate in Ferroliver® might be responsible for the observed difference.

  13. Iron deficiency anemia

    MedlinePlus

    Anemia - iron deficiency ... iron from old red blood cells. Iron deficiency anemia develops when your body's iron stores run low. ... You may have no symptoms if the anemia is mild. Most of the time, ... slowly. Symptoms may include: Feeling weak or tired more often ...

  14. Sustainable agriculture, renewable energy and rural development: An analysis of bio-energy systems used by small farms in China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Aiming

    Renewable energy needs to be incorporated into the larger picture of sustainable agriculture and rural development if it is to serve the needs of the 3.25 billion human beings whose livelihoods and based on rural economies and ecologies. For rural communities, increasing agriculture production is key to raising income generation and improving social well-being, but this linkage depends also upon not harming natural resources. This dissertation provides an overview of recent Chinese agriculture history, discusses the role of energy in contemporary's China's agriculture and rural development, and introduces a new approach---the integrated agricultural bio-energy (IAB) system---to address the challenge of sustainable agriculture and rural development. IAB is an innovative design and offers a renewable energy solution for improving agricultural productivity, realizing efficient resource management, and enhancing social well-being for rural development. In order to understand how the IAB system can help to achieve sustainable agricultural and rural development in China, a comprehensive evaluation methodology is developed from health, ecological, energy and economic (HE3) perspectives. With data from surveys of 200 small farm households, a detailed study of IAB and conventional agricultural energy (CAE) system applications (in China's Liaoning and Yunnan Province) is conducted. The HE3 impacts of IAB systems in China's rural areas (compared to existing CAE systems) are quantified. The dissertation analyzes the full life-cycle costs and benefits of IAB systems, including their contributions to energy savings, CO2 emissions reduction, agricultural waste reduction, increased rural incomes, better rural health, and improved ecosystem sustainability. The analysis relies upon qualitative and quantitative modeling in order to produce a comprehensive assessment of IAB system impacts. Finally, the dissertation discusses the barriers to greater diffusion of the IAB systems

  15. Effects of a Tripeptide Iron on Iron-Deficiency Anemia in Rats.

    PubMed

    Xiao, Chen; Lei, Xingen; Wang, Qingyu; Du, Zhongyao; Jiang, Lu; Chen, Silu; Zhang, Mingjie; Zhang, Hao; Ren, Fazheng

    2016-02-01

    This study aims to investigate the effects of a tripeptide iron (REE-Fe) on iron-deficiency anemia rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into seven groups: a normal control group, an iron-deficiency control group, and iron-deficiency groups treated with ferrous sulfate (FeSO4), ferrous glycinate (Fe-Gly), or REE-Fe at low-, medium-, or high-dose groups. The rats in the iron-deficiency groups were fed on an iron-deficient diet to establish iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) model. After the model established, different iron supplements were given to the rats once a day by intragastric administration for 21 days. The results showed that REE-Fe had effective restorative action returning body weight, organ coefficients, and hematological parameters in IDA rats to normal level. In addition, comparing with FeSO4 or Fe-Gly, high-dose REE-Fe was more effective on improving the levels of renal coefficient, total iron-binding capacity, and transferrin. Furthermore, the liver hepcidin messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in the high-dose group was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that in the FeSO4 or Fe-Gly group and showed no significant difference (p > 0.05) with the normal control group. The findings suggest that REE-Fe is an effective source of iron supplement for IDA rats and might be exploited as a new iron fortifier.

  16. Clinical Impact and Cellular Mechanisms of Iron Overload-Associated Bone Loss

    PubMed Central

    Jeney, Viktória

    2017-01-01

    Diseases/conditions with diverse etiology, such as hemoglobinopathies, hereditary hemochromatosis and menopause, could lead to chronic iron accumulation. This condition is frequently associated with a bone phenotype; characterized by low bone mass, osteoporosis/osteopenia, altered microarchitecture and biomechanics, and increased incidence of fractures. Osteoporotic bone phenotype constitutes a major complication in patients with iron overload. The purpose of this review is to summarize what we have learnt about iron overload-associated bone loss from clinical studies and animal models. Bone is a metabolically active tissue that undergoes continuous remodeling with the involvement of osteoclasts that resorb mineralized bone, and osteoblasts that form new bone. Growing evidence suggests that both increased bone resorption and decreased bone formation are involved in the pathological bone-loss in iron overload conditions. We will discuss the cellular and molecular mechanisms that are involved in this detrimental process. Fuller understanding of this complex mechanism may lead to the development of improved therapeutics meant to interrupt the pathologic effects of excess iron on bone. PMID:28270766

  17. Mössbauer Spectra of Mouse Hearts Reveal Age-dependent Changes in Mitochondrial and Ferritin Iron Levels.

    PubMed

    Wofford, Joshua D; Chakrabarti, Mrinmoy; Lindahl, Paul A

    2017-03-31

    Cardiac function requires continuous high levels of energy, and so iron, a critical player in mitochondrial respiration, is an important component of the heart. Hearts from 57 Fe-enriched mice were evaluated by Mössbauer spectroscopy. Spectra consisted of a sextet and two quadrupole doublets. One doublet was due to residual blood, whereas the other was due to [Fe 4 S 4 ] 2+ clusters and low-spin Fe II hemes, most of which were associated with mitochondrial respiration. The sextet was due to ferritin; there was no evidence of hemosiderin, a ferritin decomposition product. Iron from ferritin was nearly absent in young hearts, but increased steadily with age. EPR spectra exhibited signals similar to those of brain, liver, and human cells. No age-dependent EPR trends were apparent. Hearts from HFE -/- mice with hemochromatosis contained slightly more iron overall than controls, including more ferritin and less mitochondrial iron; these differences typify slightly older hearts, perhaps reflecting the burden due to this disease. HFE -/- livers were overloaded with ferritin but had low mitochondrial iron levels. IRP2 -/- hearts contained less ferritin than controls but normal levels of mitochondrial iron. Hearts of young mice born to an iron-deficient mother contained normal levels of mitochondrial iron and no ferritin; the heart from the mother contained low ferritin and normal levels of mitochondrial iron. High-spin Fe II ions were nearly undetectable in heart samples; these were evident in brains, livers, and human cells. Previous Mössbauer spectra of unenriched diseased human hearts lacked mitochondrial and blood doublets and included hemosiderin features. This suggests degradation of iron-containing species during sample preparation. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  18. Point-of-use fortification of foods with micronutrient powders containing iron in children of preschool and school-age.

    PubMed

    De-Regil, Luz Maria; Jefferds, Maria Elena D; Peña-Rosas, Juan Pablo

    2017-11-23

    review authors independently assessed the eligibility of trials against the inclusion criteria, extracted data from included trials, assessed the risk of bias of the included trials and graded the quality of the evidence. We included 13 studies involving 5810 participants from Latin America, Africa and Asia. We excluded 38 studies and identified six ongoing/unpublished trials. All trials compared the provision of MNP for point-of-use fortification with no intervention or placebo. No trials compared the effects of MNP versus iron-containing supplements (as drops, tablets or syrup).The sample sizes in the included trials ranged from 90 to 2193 participants. Six trials included participants younger than 59 months of age only, four included only children aged 60 months or older, and three trials included children both younger and older than 59 months of age.MNPs contained from two to 18 vitamins and minerals. The iron doses varied from 2.5 mg to 30 mg of elemental iron. Four trials reported giving 10 mg of elemental iron as sodium iron ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (NaFeEDTA), chelated ferrous sulphate or microencapsulated ferrous fumarate. Three trials gave 12.5 mg of elemental iron as microencapsulated ferrous fumarate. Three trials gave 2.5 mg or 2.86 mg of elemental iron as NaFeEDTA. One trial gave 30 mg and one trial provided 14 mg of elemental iron as microencapsulated ferrous fumarate, while one trial gave 28 mg of iron as ferrous glycine phosphate.In comparison with receiving no intervention or a placebo, children receiving iron-containing MNP for point-of-use fortification of foods had lower risk of anaemia prevalence ratio (PR) 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.49 to 0.88, 10 trials, 2448 children; moderate-quality evidence) and iron deficiency (PR 0.35, 95% CI 0.27 to 0.47, 5 trials, 1364 children; moderate-quality evidence) and had higher haemoglobin (mean difference (MD) 3.37 g/L, 95% CI 0.94 to 5.80, 11 trials, 2746 children; low-quality evidence

  19. Iron isotope evidence for the origin of the Moon through partial vaporisation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Poitrasson, F.; Halliday, A. N.; Lee, D. C.; Levasseur, S.; Teutsch, N.

    2003-04-01

    The currently favoured scenario of the origin of the Moon through a Giant Impact, in which a body approaching the size of Mars hit the proto-Earth and yielded ejecta leading to the Moon remains hypothetical. This theory predicts extremely high temperatures, sufficient to induce planetary-scale vaporisation. We have thus measured the Fe isotope composition of the Earth, Moon and meteorites thought to come from Mars and asteroid Vesta to see if this highly energetic process left an imprint. Our analytical method involves Fe purification through anionic exchange chromatography and iron isotope measurement by MC-ICP-MS. Repeat analyses of standards define 57Fe/54Fe reproducibility of 0.09 per mil (2SD). Meteorites from Mars and Vesta, give δ57Fe/54Fe values indistinguishable to the international IRMM-14 Fe isotopic standard. In contrast, ten lunar samples, spanning a large range in composition give a mean 0.2 per mil heavier than IRMM-14. Mantle-derived terrestrial samples yield a mean δ57Fe/54Fe intermediate between the Moon and Mars. Student's t-tests show that the terrestrial mean is significantly different from the averages of Mars, Vesta and the Moon at a confidence level of more than 99%. These new Fe isotope measurements, combined with previous oxygen isotope data rule out alternative theories of the origin of the Moon through co-accretion, capture or fission from the proto-Earth. In contrast, vaporisation of bodies in space can generate kinetic isotope fractionation, leaving residues with a relatively heavier isotope signature. Hence, the Earth, and especially the Moon, can represent such heavy residues having lost part of their light iron through vaporisation. Only the Giant Impact can account for the energy required to partially melt and vaporise major portion of the Earth and the impactor. Rayleigh kinetic isotope calculations suggest that the Moon lost up to 1% of its iron, whereas the Earth lost up to 0.5% during partial vaporisation.

  20. Iron

    MedlinePlus

    ... Guidelines for Americans and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPlate . Where can I find out more about ... on food sources of iron: U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Nutrient Database Nutrient List for Iron ( ...

  1. Systems analysis of iron metabolism: the network of iron pools and fluxes

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Every cell of the mammalian organism needs iron as trace element in numerous oxido-reductive processes as well as for transport and storage of oxygen. The very versatility of ionic iron makes it a toxic entity which can catalyze the production of radicals that damage vital membranous and macromolecular assemblies in the cell. The mammalian organism maintains therefore a complex regulatory network of iron uptake, excretion and intra-body distribution. Intracellular regulation in different cell types is intertwined with a global hormonal signalling structure. Iron deficiency as well as excess of iron are frequent and serious human disorders. They can affect every cell, but also the organism as a whole. Results Here, we present a kinematic model of the dynamic system of iron pools and fluxes. It is based on ferrokinetic data and chemical measurements in C57BL6 wild-type mice maintained on iron-deficient, iron-adequate, or iron-loaded diet. The tracer iron levels in major tissues and organs (16 compartment) were followed for 28 days. The evaluation resulted in a whole-body model of fractional clearance rates. The analysis permits calculation of absolute flux rates in the steady-state, of iron distribution into different organs, of tracer-accessible pool sizes and of residence times of iron in the different compartments in response to three states of iron-repletion induced by the dietary regime. Conclusions This mathematical model presents a comprehensive physiological picture of mice under three different diets with varying iron contents. The quantitative results reflect systemic properties of iron metabolism: dynamic closedness, hierarchy of time scales, switch-over response and dynamics of iron storage in parenchymal organs. Therefore, we could assess which parameters will change under dietary perturbations and study in quantitative terms when those changes take place. PMID:20704761

  2. Complexation of iron hexacyanides by cytochrome c. Evidence for electron exchange at the exposed heme edge.

    PubMed

    Stellwagen, E; Cass, R D

    1975-03-25

    Electrostatic binding of at least two anionic iron hexacyanides to cationic horse heart cytochrome c was demonstrated by equilibrium dialysis measurements. No binding was detected following trifluoroacetylation of all of the 19 lysine residues. Replacement of the natural heme iron ligand methionine 80 by the alternative intrinsic ligand lysine 79 but not the extrinsic ligand imidazole resulted in the loss of one hexacyanide binding site. It is proposed that this site is located at the exposed heme edge and is functional in electron exchange.

  3. Obesity alters adipose tissue macrophage iron content and tissue iron distribution.

    PubMed

    Orr, Jeb S; Kennedy, Arion; Anderson-Baucum, Emily K; Webb, Corey D; Fordahl, Steve C; Erikson, Keith M; Zhang, Yaofang; Etzerodt, Anders; Moestrup, Søren K; Hasty, Alyssa H

    2014-02-01

    Adipose tissue (AT) expansion is accompanied by the infiltration and accumulation of AT macrophages (ATMs), as well as a shift in ATM polarization. Several studies have implicated recruited M1 ATMs in the metabolic consequences of obesity; however, little is known regarding the role of alternatively activated resident M2 ATMs in AT homeostasis or how their function is altered in obesity. Herein, we report the discovery of a population of alternatively activated ATMs with elevated cellular iron content and an iron-recycling gene expression profile. These iron-rich ATMs are referred to as MFe(hi), and the remaining ATMs are referred to as MFe(lo). In lean mice, ~25% of the ATMs are MFe(hi); this percentage decreases in obesity owing to the recruitment of MFe(lo) macrophages. Similar to MFe(lo) cells, MFe(hi) ATMs undergo an inflammatory shift in obesity. In vivo, obesity reduces the iron content of MFe(hi) ATMs and the gene expression of iron importers as well as the iron exporter, ferroportin, suggesting an impaired ability to handle iron. In vitro, exposure of primary peritoneal macrophages to saturated fatty acids also alters iron metabolism gene expression. Finally, the impaired MFe(hi) iron handling coincides with adipocyte iron overload in obese mice. In conclusion, in obesity, iron distribution is altered both at the cellular and tissue levels, with AT playing a predominant role in this change. An increased availability of fatty acids during obesity may contribute to the observed changes in MFe(hi) ATM phenotype and their reduced capacity to handle iron.

  4. Iron status and dietary iron intake of vegetarian children from Poland.

    PubMed

    Gorczyca, Daiva; Prescha, Anna; Szeremeta, Karolina; Jankowski, Adam

    2013-01-01

    In Poland, vegetarian diets are becoming more and more popular. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of iron intake on iron status in vegetarian children. Dietary iron intake, iron food sources, blood count, serum iron, ferritin level and total iron-binding capacity were estimated in two groups of children, namely vegetarians (n = 22) and omnivores (n = 18) of both sexes, aged from 2 to 18 years. Seven-day food records were used to assess their diet. Dietary iron intake in vegetarians and omnivores was low (up to 65.0 and 60.1% of the recommended dietary allowance). A significantly higher intake of vitamin C was observed in vegetarians compared with omnivores (p = 0.019). The main sources of iron in vegetarians were cereal products, followed by vegetables and mushroom products, then fruit. The prevalence of iron deficiency (ID) was higher in the vegetarian group (p = 0.023). The serum ferritin level and mean corpuscular volume in the vegetarians were also lower than in the omnivores (p = 0.01 and p = 0.014, respectively). Children who follow a vegetarian diet may suffer from ID in spite of having a high vitamin C intake. This indicates the need to introduce dietary education and iron status monitoring. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  5. Impact of high iron intake on cognition and neurodegeneration in humans and in animal models: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Agrawal, Sonal; Berggren, Kiersten L; Marks, Eileen; Fox, Jonathan H

    2017-06-01

    Accumulation of brain iron is linked to aging and protein-misfolding neurodegenerative diseases. High iron intake may influence important brain health outcomes in later life. The aim of this systematic review was to examine evidence from animal and human studies of the effects of high iron intake or peripheral iron status on adult cognition, brain aging, and neurodegeneration. MEDLINE, Scopus, CAB Abstracts, the Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials, and OpenGrey databases were searched. Studies investigating the effect of elevated iron intake at all postnatal life stages in mammalian models and humans on measures of adult brain health were included. Data were extracted and evaluated by two authors independently, with discrepancies resolved by discussion. Neurodegenerative disease diagnosis and/or behavioral/cognitive, biochemical, and brain morphologic findings were used to study the effects of iron intake or peripheral iron status on brain health. Risk of bias was assessed for animal and human studies. PRISMA guidelines for reporting systematic reviews were followed. Thirty-four preclinical and 14 clinical studies were identified from database searches. Thirty-three preclinical studies provided evidence supporting an adverse effect of nutritionally relevant high iron intake in neonates on brain-health-related outcomes in adults. Human studies varied considerably in design, quality, and findings; none investigated the effects of high iron intake in neonates/infants. Human studies are needed to verify whether dietary iron intake levels used in neonates/infants to prevent iron deficiency have effects on brain aging and neurodegenerative disease outcomes. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute.

  6. Intraoperative Active Bleeding in Endoscopic Surgery for Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage is Predicted by the Spot Sign.

    PubMed

    Miki, Koichi; Yagi, Kenji; Nonaka, Masani; Iwaasa, Mitsutoshi; Abe, Hiroshi; Morishita, Takashi; Arima, Hisatomi; Inoue, Tooru

    2018-05-30

    Endoscopic evacuation of hematoma (EEH) has recently been applied to treat patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH). Intraoperative active bleeding (IAB), which is occasionally observed in EEH, might lead to greater blood loss, further brain damage, and more postoperative recurrent hemorrhage. However, no definite predictor of IAB has been established. Because the spot sign is associated with other hemorrhagic complications, we aimed to evaluate whether it predicts IAB. We retrospectively assessed the incidence and risk factors of IAB, including the spot sign, in 127 sICH patients who underwent EEH within 6 hours after computed tomography angiography at our institution between June 2009 and December 2017. The study included 53 women and 74 men with an average age of 66.7 ± 11.8 years. IAB occurred in 40 (31.5%) of the 127 patients, and it was more frequent in patients with the spot sign than in patients without it (14/24 [58.3%] vs. 26/103 [25.2%]; P = 0.003). Multivariable regression analyses suggested that the spot sign was an independent predictor of IAB (odds ratio [OR], 3.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-8.30; P = 0.03). In addition, earlier surgery gradually increased the risk of IAB, and surgery within 4 hours of onset was an independent risk factor (OR, 4.34; 95% CI, 1.12-16.9; P = 0.03, referring to postonset 8 hours or more). The spot sign and early surgery were independent predictors of IAB in EEH for sICH. In patients with sICH and spot sign, complete treatment of IAB by electrocoagulation might be important for minimizing surgical complications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Iron deficiency anemia: pregnancy outcomes with or without iron supplementation.

    PubMed

    Bánhidy, Ferenc; Acs, Nándor; Puhó, Erzsébet H; Czeizel, Andrew E

    2011-01-01

    To estimate the efficacy of iron supplementation in anemic pregnant women on the basis of occurrence of pregnancy complications and birth outcomes. Comparison of the occurrence of medically recorded pregnancy complications and birth outcomes in pregnant women affected with medically recorded iron deficiency anemia and iron supplementation who had malformed fetuses/newborns (cases) and who delivered healthy babies (controls) in the population-based Hungarian Case-Control Surveillance System of Congenital Abnormalities. Of 22,843 cases with congenital abnormalities, 3242 (14.2%), while of 38,151 controls, 6358 (16.7%) had mothers with anemia. There was no higher rate of preterm births and low birth weight in the newborns of anemic pregnant women supplemented by iron. However, anemic pregnant women without iron treatment had a significantly shorter gestational age at delivery with a somewhat higher rate of preterm births but these adverse birth outcomes were prevented with iron supplementation. The rate of total and some congenital abnormalities was lower than expected and explained mainly by the healthier lifestyle and folic acid supplements. The secondary findings of the study showed a higher risk of constipation-related hemorrhoids and hypotension in anemic pregnant women with iron supplementation. A higher rate of preterm birth was found in anemic pregnant women without iron treatment but this adverse birth outcome was prevented with iron supplementation. There was no higher rate of congenital abnormalities in the offspring of anemic pregnant women supplemented with iron and/or folic acid supplements. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Iron homeostasis during pregnancy.

    PubMed

    Fisher, Allison L; Nemeth, Elizabeta

    2017-12-01

    During pregnancy, iron needs to increase substantially to support fetoplacental development and maternal adaptation to pregnancy. To meet these iron requirements, both dietary iron absorption and the mobilization of iron from stores increase, a mechanism that is in large part dependent on the iron-regulatory hormone hepcidin. In healthy human pregnancies, maternal hepcidin concentrations are suppressed in the second and third trimesters, thereby facilitating an increased supply of iron into the circulation. The mechanism of maternal hepcidin suppression in pregnancy is unknown, but hepcidin regulation by the known stimuli (i.e., iron, erythropoietic activity, and inflammation) appears to be preserved during pregnancy. Inappropriately increased maternal hepcidin during pregnancy can compromise the iron availability for placental transfer and impair the efficacy of iron supplementation. The role of fetal hepcidin in the regulation of placental iron transfer still remains to be characterized. This review summarizes the current understanding and addresses the gaps in knowledge about gestational changes in hematologic and iron variables and regulatory aspects of maternal, fetal, and placental iron homeostasis. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

  9. Iron balance and iron supplementation for the female athlete: A practical approach.

    PubMed

    Pedlar, Charles R; Brugnara, Carlo; Bruinvels, Georgie; Burden, Richard

    2018-03-01

    Maintaining a positive iron balance is essential for female athletes to avoid the effects of iron deficiency and anaemia and to maintain or improve performance. A major function of iron is in the production of the oxygen and carbon dioxide carrying molecule, haemoglobin, via erythropoiesis. Iron balance is under the control of a number of factors including the peptide hormone hepcidin, dietary iron intake and absorption, environmental stressors (e.g. altitude), exercise, menstrual blood loss and genetics. Menstruating females, particularly those with heavy menstrual bleeding are at an elevated risk of iron deficiency. Haemoglobin concentration [Hb] and serum ferritin (sFer) are traditionally used to identify iron deficiency, however, in isolation these may have limited value in athletes due to: (1) the effects of fluctuations in plasma volume in response to training or the environment on [Hb], (2) the influence of inflammation on sFer and (3) the absence of sport, gender and individually specific normative data. A more detailed and longitudinal examination of haematology, menstrual cycle pattern, biochemistry, exercise physiology, environmental factors and training load can offer a superior characterisation of iron status and help to direct appropriate interventions that will avoid iron deficiency or iron overload. Supplementation is often required in iron deficiency; however, nutritional strategies to increase iron intake, rest and descent from altitude can also be effective and will help to prevent future iron deficient episodes. In severe cases or where there is a time-critical need, such as major championships, iron injections may be appropriate.

  10. Mutations in TMPRSS6 cause iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia (IRIDA)

    PubMed Central

    Finberg, Karin E; Heeney, Matthew M; Campagna, Dean R; Aydınok, Yeşim; Pearson, Howard A; Hartman, Kip R; Mayo, Mary M; Samuel, Stewart M; Strouse, John J; Markianos, Kyriacos; Andrews, Nancy C; Fleming, Mark D

    2011-01-01

    Iron deficiency is usually attributed to chronic blood loss or inadequate dietary intake. Here, we show that iron deficiency anemia refractory to oral iron therapy can be caused by germline mutations in TMPRSS6, which encodes a type II transmembrane serine protease produced by the liver that regulates the expression of the systemic iron regulatory hormone hepcidin. These findings demonstrate that TMPRSS6 is essential for normal systemic iron homeostasis in humans. PMID:18408718

  11. Iron deficiency anaemia.

    PubMed

    Lopez, Anthony; Cacoub, Patrice; Macdougall, Iain C; Peyrin-Biroulet, Laurent

    2016-02-27

    Anaemia affects roughly a third of the world's population; half the cases are due to iron deficiency. It is a major and global public health problem that affects maternal and child mortality, physical performance, and referral to health-care professionals. Children aged 0-5 years, women of childbearing age, and pregnant women are particularly at risk. Several chronic diseases are frequently associated with iron deficiency anaemia--notably chronic kidney disease, chronic heart failure, cancer, and inflammatory bowel disease. Measurement of serum ferritin, transferrin saturation, serum soluble transferrin receptors, and the serum soluble transferrin receptors-ferritin index are more accurate than classic red cell indices in the diagnosis of iron deficiency anaemia. In addition to the search for and treatment of the cause of iron deficiency, treatment strategies encompass prevention, including food fortification and iron supplementation. Oral iron is usually recommended as first-line therapy, but the most recent intravenous iron formulations, which have been available for nearly a decade, seem to replenish iron stores safely and effectively. Hepcidin has a key role in iron homoeostasis and could be a future diagnostic and therapeutic target. In this Seminar, we discuss the clinical presentation, epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and acute management of iron deficiency anaemia, and outstanding research questions for treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Iron, ferritin, and nutrition.

    PubMed

    Theil, Elizabeth C

    2004-01-01

    Ferritin, a major form of endogenous iron in food legumes such as soybeans, is a novel and natural alternative for iron supplementation strategies where effectiveness is limited by acceptability, cost, or undesirable side effects. A member of the nonheme iron group of dietary iron sources, ferritin is a complex with Fe3+ iron in a mineral (thousands of iron atoms inside a protein cage) protected from complexation. Ferritin illustrates the wide range of chemical and biological properties among nonheme iron sources. The wide range of nonheme iron receptors matched to the structure of the iron complexes that occurs in microorganisms may, by analogy, exist in humans. An understanding of the chemistry and biology of each type of dietary iron source (ferritin, heme, Fe2+ ion, etc.), and of the interactions dependent on food sources, genes, and gender, is required to design diets that will eradicate global iron deficiency in the twenty-first century.

  13. Prognostic impact of posttransplantation iron overload after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

    PubMed

    Meyer, Sara C; O'Meara, Alix; Buser, Andreas S; Tichelli, André; Passweg, Jakob R; Stern, Martin

    2013-03-01

    In patients referred for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), iron overload is frequent and associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Both the evolution of iron overload after transplantation and its correlation with late posttransplantation events are unknown. We studied 290 patients undergoing myeloablative allogeneic HSCT between 2000 and 2009. Serum ferritin, transferrin saturation, transferrin, iron, and soluble transferrin receptor were determined regularly between 1 and 60 months after HSCT, and values were correlated with transplantation outcome. Ferritin levels peaked in the first 3 months posttransplantation and then decreased to normal values at 5 years. Transferrin saturation and iron behaved analogously, whereas transferrin and soluble transferrin receptor increased after an early nadir. Landmark survival analysis showed that hyperferritinemia had a detrimental effect on survival in all periods analyzed (0 to 6 months P < .001; 6 to 12 months P < .001; 1 to 2 years P = .02; 2 to 5 years P = .002). This effect was independent of red blood cell transfusion dependency and graft-versus-host disease. Similar trends were seen for other iron parameters. These data show the natural dynamics of iron parameters in the setting of allogeneic HSCT and provide evidence for a prognostic role of iron overload extending beyond the immediate posttransplantation period. Interventions to reduce excessive body iron might therefore be beneficial both before and after HSCT. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Genealogy of Iron and Pallasite Meteorites as Revealed by Cr Isotopes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sanborn, M.; Yin, Q. Z.; Ziegler, K. G.

    2017-12-01

    The parent bodies and/or chemical reservoirs from which iron and stony-iron meteorites originated are not very well understood. It is unclear if particular groups of iron or stony-iron meteorites originated from melting of already known chondritic parent bodies or are representating new chemical reservoirs. Potential connections between iron meteorites and pallasites and known parent bodies have been suggested based on oxygen isotopes. Proposed genetic relationships include the IVA irons with ordinary chondrites1 and the anomalous pallasite Eagle Station with the CV chondrites2. Here, we use the power of Cr isotopes to further resolve potential connections between IVA irons and pallasites and specific parent bodies. Our new measurements of Cr isotopic composition of silicate inclusions from two IVA irons, Steinbach and São João Nepomuceno, are shown to be indistinguishable from that of the ordinary chondrites. Coupling Cr with oxygen indicates the IVA irons likely originated from the same source as LL chondrites. In contrast with Eagle Station, the new Cr isotope measurements combined with oxygen indicates the MGP Brenham and Krasnojarsk sampled a source material similar to that of the anomalous HEDs. As with Eagle Station, the Milton pallasite exhibits a carbonaceous chondrite (CC) Cr isotope composition, indicating that Eagle Station was not the lone case of a pallasite originating from a CC reservoir. By establishing these genetic relationships using Cr isotopes, it is now evident that the differentiation activity sampled by IVA irons and pallasites represents processes occurring on a diverse set of parent bodies in the early Solar System. [1] Ruzicka and Hutson (2006) MAPS, 41, 1959. [2] Shukolyukov and Lugmair (2006) EPSL, 250, 200.

  15. Redox Transformations of Iron at Extremely Low pH: Fundamental and Applied Aspects.

    PubMed

    Johnson, D Barrie; Kanao, Tadayoshi; Hedrich, Sabrina

    2012-01-01

    Many different species of acidophilic prokaryotes, widely distributed within the domains Bacteria and Archaea, can catalyze the dissimilatory oxidation of ferrous iron or reduction of ferric iron, or can do both. Microbially mediated cycling of iron in extremely acidic environments (pH < 3) is strongly influenced by the enhanced chemical stability of ferrous iron and far greater solubility of ferric iron under such conditions. Cycling of iron has been demonstrated in vitro using both pure and mixed cultures of acidophiles, and there is considerable evidence that active cycling of iron occurs in acid mine drainage streams, pit lakes, and iron-rich acidic rivers, such as the Rio Tinto. Measurements of specific rates of iron oxidation and reduction by acidophilic microorganisms show that different species vary in their capacities for iron oxido-reduction, and that this is influenced by the electron donor provided and growth conditions used. These measurements, and comparison with corresponding data for oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds, also help explain why ferrous iron is usually used preferentially as an electron donor by acidophiles that can oxidize both iron and sulfur, even though the energy yield from oxidizing iron is much smaller than that available from sulfur oxidation. Iron-oxidizing acidophiles have been used in biomining (a technology that harness their abilities to accelerate the oxidative dissolution of sulfidic minerals and thereby facilitate the extraction of precious and base metals) for several decades. More recently they have also been used to simultaneously remediate iron-contaminated surface and ground waters and produce a useful mineral by-product (schwertmannite). Bioprocessing of oxidized mineral ores using acidophiles that catalyze the reductive dissolution of ferric iron minerals such as goethite has also recently been demonstrated, and new biomining technologies based on this approach are being developed.

  16. Redox Transformations of Iron at Extremely Low pH: Fundamental and Applied Aspects

    PubMed Central

    Johnson, D. Barrie; Kanao, Tadayoshi; Hedrich, Sabrina

    2012-01-01

    Many different species of acidophilic prokaryotes, widely distributed within the domains Bacteria and Archaea, can catalyze the dissimilatory oxidation of ferrous iron or reduction of ferric iron, or can do both. Microbially mediated cycling of iron in extremely acidic environments (pH < 3) is strongly influenced by the enhanced chemical stability of ferrous iron and far greater solubility of ferric iron under such conditions. Cycling of iron has been demonstrated in vitro using both pure and mixed cultures of acidophiles, and there is considerable evidence that active cycling of iron occurs in acid mine drainage streams, pit lakes, and iron-rich acidic rivers, such as the Rio Tinto. Measurements of specific rates of iron oxidation and reduction by acidophilic microorganisms show that different species vary in their capacities for iron oxido-reduction, and that this is influenced by the electron donor provided and growth conditions used. These measurements, and comparison with corresponding data for oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds, also help explain why ferrous iron is usually used preferentially as an electron donor by acidophiles that can oxidize both iron and sulfur, even though the energy yield from oxidizing iron is much smaller than that available from sulfur oxidation. Iron-oxidizing acidophiles have been used in biomining (a technology that harness their abilities to accelerate the oxidative dissolution of sulfidic minerals and thereby facilitate the extraction of precious and base metals) for several decades. More recently they have also been used to simultaneously remediate iron-contaminated surface and ground waters and produce a useful mineral by-product (schwertmannite). Bioprocessing of oxidized mineral ores using acidophiles that catalyze the reductive dissolution of ferric iron minerals such as goethite has also recently been demonstrated, and new biomining technologies based on this approach are being developed. PMID:22438853

  17. The role of iron-sulfides on cycling of organic carbon in the St Lawrence River system: Evidence of sulfur-promoted carbon sequestration?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balind, K.; Barber, A.; Gélinas, Y.

    2017-12-01

    The biogeochemical cycle of sulfur is intimately linked with that of carbon, as well as with that of iron through the formation of iron-sulfur complexes. Iron-sulfide minerals such as mackinawite (FeS) and greigite (Fe3S4) form below the oxic/anoxic redox boundary in marine and lacustrine sediments and soils. Reactive iron species, abundant in surface sediments, can undergo reductive dissolution leading to the formation of soluble Fe(II) which can then precipitate in the form of iron sulfur species. While sedimentary iron-oxides have been thoroughly explored in terms of their ability to sorb and sequester organic carbon (OC) (Lalonde et al.; 2012), the role of FeS in the long-term preservation of OC remains undefined. In this study, we present depth profiles for carbon, iron, and sulfur in the aqueous-phase, along with data from sequential extractions of sulfur speciation in the solid-phase collected from sediment cores from the St Lawrence River and estuarine system, demonstrating the transition from fresh to saltwater sediments. Additionally, we present synthetic iron sulfur sorption experiments using both model and natural organic molecules in order to assess the importance of FeS in sedimentary carbon storage.

  18. Dietary Factors Modulate Iron Uptake in Caco-2 Cells from an Iron Ingot Used as a Home Fortificant to Prevent Iron Deficiency

    PubMed Central

    Rodriguez-Ramiro, Ildefonso; Perfecto, Antonio; Fairweather-Tait, Susan J.

    2017-01-01

    Iron deficiency is a major public health concern and nutritional approaches are required to reduce its prevalence. The aim of this study was to examine the iron bioavailability of a novel home fortificant, the “Lucky Iron Fish™” (LIF) (www.luckyironfish.com/shop, Guelph, Canada) and the impact of dietary factors and a food matrix on iron uptake from LIF in Caco-2 cells. LIF released a substantial quantity of iron (about 1.2 mM) at pH 2 but this iron was only slightly soluble at pH 7 and not taken up by cells. The addition of ascorbic acid (AA) maintained the solubility of iron released from LIF (LIF-iron) at pH 7 and facilitated iron uptake by the cells in a concentration-dependent manner. In vitro digestion of LIF-iron in the presence of peas increased iron uptake 10-fold. However, the addition of tannic acid to the digestion reduced the cellular iron uptake 7.5-fold. Additionally, LIF-iron induced an overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), similar to ferrous sulfate, but this effect was counteracted by the addition of AA. Overall, our data illustrate the major influence of dietary factors on iron solubility and bioavailability from LIF, and demonstrate that the addition of AA enhances iron uptake and reduces ROS in the intestinal lumen. PMID:28895913

  19. Application Of Bacterial Iron Reduction For The Removal Of Iron Impurities From Industrial Silica Sand And Kaolin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zegeye, A.; Yahaya, S.; Fialips, C. I.; White, M.; Manning, D. A.; Gray, N.

    2008-12-01

    Biogeochemical evidence exists to support the potential importance of crystalline or amorphous Fe minerals as electron acceptor for Fe reducing bacteria in soils and subsurface sediments. This microbial metabolic activity can be exploited as alternative method in different industrial applications. For instance, the removal of ferric iron impurities from minerals for the glass and paper industries currently rely on physical and chemical treatments having substantial economical and environmental disadvantages. The ability to remove iron by other means, such as bacterial iron reduction, may reduce costs, allow lower grade material to be mined, and improve the efficiency of mineral processing. Kaolin clay and silica sand are used in a wide range of industrial applications, particularly in paper, ceramics and glass manufacturing. Depending on the geological conditions of deposition, they are often associated with iron (hydr)oxides that are either adsorbed to the mineral surfaces or admixed as separate iron bearing minerals. In this study, we have examined the Fe(III) removal efficiency from kaolin and silica sand by a series of iron- reducing bacteria from the Shewanella species (S. alga BrY, S. oneidensis MR-1, S. putrefaciens CN32 and S. putrefaciens ATCC 8071) in the presence of anthraquinone 2,6 disulfonate (AQDS). We have also investigated the effectiveness of a natural organic matter, extracted with the silica sand, as a substitute to AQDS for enhancing Fe(III) reduction kinetics. The microbial reduction of Fe(III) was achieved using batch cultures under non-growth conditions. The rate and the extent of Fe(III) reduction was monitored as a function of the initial Fe(III) content, Shewanella species and temperature. The bacterially- treated minerals were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to observe any textural and mineralogical transformation. The whiteness and ISO brightness of the kaolin was also measured by

  20. Impact of Fetal-Neonatal Iron Deficiency on Recognition Memory at 2 Months of Age.

    PubMed

    Geng, Fengji; Mai, Xiaoqin; Zhan, Jianying; Xu, Lin; Zhao, Zhengyan; Georgieff, Michael; Shao, Jie; Lozoff, Betsy

    2015-12-01

    To assess the effects of fetal-neonatal iron deficiency on recognition memory in early infancy. Perinatal iron deficiency delays or disrupts hippocampal development in animal models and thus may impair related neural functions in human infants, such as recognition memory. Event-related potentials were used in an auditory recognition memory task to compare 2-month-old Chinese infants with iron sufficiency or deficiency at birth. Fetal-neonatal iron deficiency was defined 2 ways: high zinc protoporphyrin/heme ratio (ZPP/H > 118 μmol/mol) or low serum ferritin (<75 μg/L) in cord blood. Late slow wave was used to measure infant recognition of mother's voice. Event related potentials patterns differed significantly for fetal-neonatal iron deficiency as defined by high cord ZPP/H but not low ferritin. Comparing 35 infants with iron deficiency (ZPP/H > 118 μmol/mol) to 92 with lower ZPP/H (iron-sufficient), only infants with iron sufficiency showed larger late slow wave amplitude for stranger's voice than mother's voice in frontal-central and parietal-occipital locations, indicating the recognition of mother's voice. Infants with iron sufficiency showed electrophysiological evidence of recognizing their mother's voice, whereas infants with fetal-neonatal iron deficiency did not. Their poorer auditory recognition memory at 2 months of age is consistent with effects of fetal-neonatal iron deficiency on the developing hippocampus. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Nitrate-Dependent Iron Oxidation: A Potential Mars Metabolism

    PubMed Central

    Price, Alex; Pearson, Victoria K.; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Miot, Jennyfer; Olsson-Francis, Karen

    2018-01-01

    This work considers the hypothetical viability of microbial nitrate-dependent Fe2+ oxidation (NDFO) for supporting simple life in the context of the early Mars environment. This draws on knowledge built up over several decades of remote and in situ observation, as well as recent discoveries that have shaped current understanding of early Mars. Our current understanding is that certain early martian environments fulfill several of the key requirements for microbes with NDFO metabolism. First, abundant Fe2+ has been identified on Mars and provides evidence of an accessible electron donor; evidence of anoxia suggests that abiotic Fe2+ oxidation by molecular oxygen would not have interfered and competed with microbial iron metabolism in these environments. Second, nitrate, which can be used by some iron oxidizing microorganisms as an electron acceptor, has also been confirmed in modern aeolian and ancient sediment deposits on Mars. In addition to redox substrates, reservoirs of both organic and inorganic carbon are available for biosynthesis, and geochemical evidence suggests that lacustrine systems during the hydrologically active Noachian period (4.1–3.7 Ga) match the circumneutral pH requirements of nitrate-dependent iron-oxidizing microorganisms. As well as potentially acting as a primary producer in early martian lakes and fluvial systems, the light-independent nature of NDFO suggests that such microbes could have persisted in sub-surface aquifers long after the desiccation of the surface, provided that adequate carbon and nitrates sources were prevalent. Traces of NDFO microorganisms may be preserved in the rock record by biomineralization and cellular encrustation in zones of high Fe2+ concentrations. These processes could produce morphological biosignatures, preserve distinctive Fe-isotope variation patterns, and enhance preservation of biological organic compounds. Such biosignatures could be detectable by future missions to Mars with appropriate

  2. Nitrate-Dependent Iron Oxidation: A Potential Mars Metabolism.

    PubMed

    Price, Alex; Pearson, Victoria K; Schwenzer, Susanne P; Miot, Jennyfer; Olsson-Francis, Karen

    2018-01-01

    This work considers the hypothetical viability of microbial nitrate-dependent Fe 2+ oxidation (NDFO) for supporting simple life in the context of the early Mars environment. This draws on knowledge built up over several decades of remote and in situ observation, as well as recent discoveries that have shaped current understanding of early Mars. Our current understanding is that certain early martian environments fulfill several of the key requirements for microbes with NDFO metabolism. First, abundant Fe 2+ has been identified on Mars and provides evidence of an accessible electron donor; evidence of anoxia suggests that abiotic Fe 2+ oxidation by molecular oxygen would not have interfered and competed with microbial iron metabolism in these environments. Second, nitrate, which can be used by some iron oxidizing microorganisms as an electron acceptor, has also been confirmed in modern aeolian and ancient sediment deposits on Mars. In addition to redox substrates, reservoirs of both organic and inorganic carbon are available for biosynthesis, and geochemical evidence suggests that lacustrine systems during the hydrologically active Noachian period (4.1-3.7 Ga) match the circumneutral pH requirements of nitrate-dependent iron-oxidizing microorganisms. As well as potentially acting as a primary producer in early martian lakes and fluvial systems, the light-independent nature of NDFO suggests that such microbes could have persisted in sub-surface aquifers long after the desiccation of the surface, provided that adequate carbon and nitrates sources were prevalent. Traces of NDFO microorganisms may be preserved in the rock record by biomineralization and cellular encrustation in zones of high Fe 2+ concentrations. These processes could produce morphological biosignatures, preserve distinctive Fe-isotope variation patterns, and enhance preservation of biological organic compounds. Such biosignatures could be detectable by future missions to Mars with appropriate

  3. Oral sucrosomial iron versus intravenous iron in anemic cancer patients without iron deficiency receiving darbepoetin alfa: a pilot study.

    PubMed

    Mafodda, Antonino; Giuffrida, D; Prestifilippo, A; Azzarello, D; Giannicola, R; Mare, M; Maisano, R

    2017-09-01

    Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are often used in treatment of patients with chemotherapy-induced anemia. Many studies have demonstrated an improved hemoglobin (Hb) response when ESA is combined with intravenous iron supplementation and a higher effectiveness of intravenous iron over traditional oral iron formulations. A new formulation of oral sucrosomial iron featuring an increased bioavailability compared to traditional oral formulations has recently become available and could provide a valid alternative to those by intravenous (IV) route. Our study evaluated the performance of sucrosomial iron versus intravenous iron in increasing hemoglobin in anemic cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and darbepoetin alfa, as well as safety, need of transfusion, and quality of life (QoL). The present study considered a cohort of 64 patients with chemotherapy-related anemia (Hb >8 g/dL <10 g/dL) and no absolute or functional iron deficiency, scheduled to receive chemotherapy and darbepoetin. All patients received darbepoetin alfa 500 mcg once every 3 weeks and were randomly assigned to receive 8 weeks of IV ferric gluconate 125 mg weekly or oral sucrosomial iron 30 mg daily. The primary endpoint was to demonstrate the performance of oral sucrosomial iron in improving Hb response, compared to intravenous iron. The Hb response was defined as the Hb increase ≥2 g/dL from baseline or the attainment Hb ≥ 12 g/dL. There was no difference in the Hb response rate between the two treatment arms. Seventy one percent of patients treated with IV iron achieved an erythropoietic response, compared to 70% of patients treated with oral iron. By conventional criteria, this difference is considered to be not statistically significant. There were also no differences in the proportion of patients requiring red blood cell transfusions and changes in QoL. Sucrosomial oral iron was better tolerated. In cancer patients with chemotherapy-related anemia receiving

  4. Second-Degree Interatrial Block in Hemodialysis Patients

    PubMed Central

    Enriquez, Andres; D'Amato, Anna; de Luna, Antoni Bayes; Baranchuk, Adrian

    2015-01-01

    Interatrial conduction delays manifest as a prolonged P-wave duration on surface ECG and the term interatrial block (IAB) has been coined. They are usually fixed, but cases of intermittent IAB have been described, suggesting functional conduction block at the Bachmann bundle region. We report 2 cases of patients on chronic hemodialysis therapy presenting with intermittent IAB. PMID:25755895

  5. 35. GREY IRON TUMBLERS, IN THE GREY IRON FOUNDRY ROTATE ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    35. GREY IRON TUMBLERS, IN THE GREY IRON FOUNDRY ROTATE CASTINGS WITH SHOT TO REMOVE AND SURFACE OXIDES AND REMAINING EXCESS METALS. - Stockham Pipe & Fittings Company, Grey Iron Foundry, 4000 Tenth Avenue North, Birmingham, Jefferson County, AL

  6. Ultrastructural study of iron oxide precipitates: implications for the search for biosignatures in the Meridiani hematite concretions, Mars.

    PubMed

    Souza-Egipsy, Virginia; Ormö, Jens; Beitler Bowen, Brenda; Chan, Marjorie A; Komatsu, Goro

    2006-08-01

    Two terrestrial environments that have been proposed as analogs for the iron oxide precipitation in the Meridiani Planum region of Mars include the Rio Tinto precipitates and southern Utah marble concretions. Samples of two typical Utah iron oxide concretions and iron oxide precipitates in contact with biofilms from Rio Tinto have been studied to determine whether evidence could be found for biomediation in the precipitation process and to identify likely locations for fossil microorganisms. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were used to search for biosignatures in the Utah marbles. The precipitation of iron oxides resembles known biosignatures, though organic compounds could not be confirmed with GC-MS analysis. In contrast, textural variations induced by biological activity are abundant in the modern Rio Tinto samples. Although no compelling evidence of direct or indirect biomediation was found in the Utah marbles, the ultrastructure of the iron oxide cement in the concretion suggests an inward growth during concretion precipitation from an initially spherical redox front. No indication for growth from a physical nucleus was found.

  7. Iron and vegetarian diets.

    PubMed

    Saunders, Angela V; Craig, Winston J; Baines, Surinder K; Posen, Jennifer S

    2013-08-19

    Vegetarians who eat a varied and well balanced diet are not at any greater risk of iron deficiency anaemia than non-vegetarians. A diet rich in wholegrains, legumes, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, iron-fortified cereals and green leafy vegetables provides an adequate iron intake. Vitamin C and other organic acids enhance non-haem iron absorption, a process that is carefully regulated by the gut. People with low iron stores or higher physiological need for iron will tend to absorb more iron and excrete less. Research to date on iron absorption has not been designed to accurately measure absorption rates in typical Western vegetarians with low ferritin levels.

  8. Managing iron overload in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes with oral deferasirox therapy.

    PubMed

    Jabbour, Elias; Garcia-Manero, Guillermo; Taher, Ali; Kantarjian, Hagop M

    2009-05-01

    Patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) often require chronic RBC transfusions, which can lead to iron overload. Without adequate management, this may cause progressive damage to hepatic, endocrine, and cardiac organs, significantly affecting overall survival. Recent retrospective analyses have suggested that iron chelation provides a survival advantage in iron-overloaded patients with MDS who are given chelation therapy compared with those who are not. Nonetheless, it is evident that iron overload in many patients with MDS is not adequately managed. Clinical evaluation of the once-daily, oral iron chelator deferasirox in MDS populations has indicated that it provides dose-dependent reductions in body iron burden and is generally well tolerated, with a manageable safety profile in adult and pediatric patients. The most common treatment-related adverse events (AEs) included transient, mild-to-moderate gastrointestinal disturbances and skin rash, which rarely required drug discontinuation and resolved spontaneously in most cases. Adequate management of AEs and practical approaches such as patient education and counseling are necessary to ensure that patients remain compliant with therapy. Regular monitoring of serum ferritin levels is key to identifying patients who require iron chelation therapy, and to ensure maintenance of iron levels below the critical level of 1,000 microg/l. The flexible dosing regimen of deferasirox allows dose adjustments to be made in response to trends in serum ferritin, to changes in a patient's transfusional iron intake, and to the objectives of treatment, allowing the full benefit of transfusion therapy without the risks associated with iron overload.

  9. Nitrosative Stress and Apoptosis by Intravenous Ferumoxytol, Iron Isomaltoside 1000, Iron Dextran, Iron Sucrose, and Ferric Carboxymaltose in a Nonclinical Model.

    PubMed

    Toblli, J E; Cao, G; Giani, J F; Dominici, F P; Angerosa, M

    2015-07-01

    Iron is involved in the formation as well as in the scavenging of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Thus, iron can induce as well as inhibit both oxidative and nitrosative stress. It also has a key role in reactive oxygen and nitrogen species-mediated apoptosis. We assessed the differences in tyrosine nitration and caspase 3 expression in the liver, heart, and kidneys of rats treated weekly with intravenous ferumoxytol, iron isomaltoside 1000, iron dextran, iron sucrose and ferric carboxymaltose (40 mg iron/kg body weight) for 5 weeks. Nitrotyrosine was quantified in tissue homogenates by Western blotting and the distribution of nitrotyrosine and caspase 3 was assessed in tissue sections by immunohistochemistry. Ferric carboxymaltose and iron sucrose administration did not result in detectable levels of nitrotyrosine or significant levels of caspase 3 vs. control in any of the tissue studied. Nitrotyrosine and caspase 3 levels were significantly (p<0.01) increased in all assessed organs of animals treated with iron dextran and iron isomaltoside 1000, as well as in the liver and kidneys of ferumoxytol-treated animals compared to isotonic saline solution (control). Nitrotyrosine and caspase 3 levels were shown to correlate positively with the amount of Prussian blue-detectable iron(III) deposits in iron dextran- and iron isomaltoside 1000-treated rats but not in ferumoxytol-treated rats, suggesting that iron dextran, iron isomaltoside 1000 and ferumoxytol induce nitrosative (and oxidative) stress as well as apoptosis via different mechanism(s). © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  10. Evidence of synsedimentary microbial activity and iron deposition in ferruginous crusts of the Late Cenomanian Utrillas Formation (Iberian Basin, central Spain)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    García-Hidalgo, José F.; Elorza, Javier; Gil-Gil, Javier; Herrero, José M.; Segura, Manuel

    2018-02-01

    Ferruginous sandstones and crusts are prominent sedimentary features throughout the continental (braided)-coastal siliciclastic (estuarine-tidal) wedges of the Late Cenomanian Utrillas Formation in the Iberian Basin. Crust types recognized are: Ferruginous sandy crusts (Fsc) with oxides-oxyhydroxides (hematite and goethite) concentrated on sandstone tops presenting a fibro-radial internal structure reminding organic structures that penetrate different mineral phases, suggesting the existence of bacterial activity in crust development; Ferruginous muddy crusts (Fmc) consisting of wavy, laminated, microbial mats, being composed mainly of hematite. On the other hand, a more dispersed and broader mineralization included as Ferruginous sandstones with iron oxides and oxyhydroxides (hematite and goethite) representing a limited cement phase on these sediments. The presence of microbial remains, ferruginous minerals, Microbially-induced sedimentary structures, microbial laminites and vertebrate tracks preserved due to the presence of biofilms suggest firstly a direct evidence of syn-depositional microbial activity in these sediments; and, secondly, that iron accumulation and ferruginous crusts development occurred immediately after deposition of the host, still soft sediments. Ferruginous crusts cap sedimentary cycles and they represent the gradual development of hard substrate conditions, and the development of a discontinuity surface at the top of the parasequence sets, related to very low sedimentary rates; the overlying sediments record subsequent flooding of underlying shallower environments; crusts are, consequently, interpreted as boundaries for these higher-order cycles in the Iberian Basin.

  11. Manganese oxide shuttling in pre-GOE oceans - evidence from molybdenum and iron isotopes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kurzweil, Florian; Wille, Martin; Gantert, Niklas; Beukes, Nicolas J.; Schoenberg, Ronny

    2016-10-01

    The local occurrence of oxygen-rich shallow marine water environments has been suggested to significantly predate atmospheric oxygenation, which occurred during the Great Oxidation Event (GOE) ca. 2.4 billion years ago. However, the potential influence of such 'oxygen oases' on the mobility, distribution and isotopic composition of redox sensitive elements remains poorly understood. Here, we provide new molybdenum and iron isotopic data from shallow marine carbonate and silicate iron formations of the Koegas Subgroup, South Africa, that confirm local ocean redox stratification prior to the GOE. Mn concentrations correlate negatively with both δ98 Mo and δ56 Fe values, which highlights the substantial role of particulate manganese for the cycling of Mo and Fe in the Paleoproterozoic oceans. Based on these trends we propose that pore water molybdate was recharged (1) by the diffusional transport of seawater molybdate with high δ98 Mo and (2) by the re-liberation of adsorbed molybdate with low δ98 Mo during Mn oxide dissolution within the sediment. The relative contribution of isotopically light Mo is highest close to a Mn chemocline, where the flux of Mn oxides is largest, causing the negative correlation of Mn concentrations and δ98 Mo values in the Koegas sediments. The negative correlation between δ56 Fe values and Mn concentrations is likely related to Fe isotope fractionation during Fe(II) oxidation by Mn oxides, resulting in lower δ56 Fe values in the uppermost water column close to a Mn chemocline. We argue that the preservation of these signals within Paleoproterozoic sediments implies the existence of vertically extended chemoclines with a smoother gradient, probably as a result of low atmospheric oxygen concentrations. Furthermore, we suggest that abiotic oxidation of Fe(II) by a Mn oxide particle shuttle might have promoted the deposition of the Koegas iron formations.

  12. Breastfeeding, Mixed, or Formula Feeding at 9 Months of Age and the Prevalence of Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia in Two Cohorts of Infants in China.

    PubMed

    Clark, Katy M; Li, Ming; Zhu, Bingquan; Liang, Furong; Shao, Jie; Zhang, Yueyang; Ji, Chai; Zhao, Zhengyan; Kaciroti, Niko; Lozoff, Betsy

    2017-02-01

    To assess associations between breastfeeding and iron status at 9 months of age in 2 samples of Chinese infants. Associations between feeding at 9 months of age (breastfed as sole milk source, mixed fed, or formula fed) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA), iron deficiency, and iron sufficiency were determined in infants from Zhejiang (n = 142) and Hebei (n= 813) provinces. Iron deficiency was defined as body iron < 0 mg/kg, and IDA as iron deficiency + hemoglobin < 110 g/L. Multiple logistic regression assessed associations between feeding pattern and iron status. Breastfeeding was associated with iron status (P < .001). In Zhejiang, 27.5% of breastfed infants had IDA compared with 0% of formula-fed infants. The odds of iron deficiency/IDA were increased in breastfed and mixed-fed infants compared with formula-fed infants: breastfed vs formula-fed OR, 28.8 (95% CI, 3.7-226.4) and mixed-fed vs formula-fed OR, 11.0 (95% CI, 1.2-103.2). In Hebei, 44.0% of breastfed infants had IDA compared with 2.8% of formula-fed infants. With covariable adjustment, odds of IDA were increased in breastfed and mixed-fed groups: breastfed vs formula-fed OR, 78.8 (95% CI, 27.2-228.1) and mixed-fed vs formula-fed OR, 21.0 (95% CI, 7.3-60.9). In both cohorts, the odds of iron deficiency/IDA at 9 months of age were increased in breastfed and mixed-fed infants, and iron deficiency/IDA was common. Although the benefits of breastfeeding are indisputable, these findings add to the evidence that breastfeeding in later infancy identifies infants at risk for iron deficiency/IDA in many settings. Protocols for detecting and preventing iron deficiency/IDA in breastfed infants are needed. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00642863 and NCT00613717. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Fractional solubility of aerosol iron: Synthesis of a global-scale data set

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sholkovitz, Edward R.; Sedwick, Peter N.; Church, Thomas M.; Baker, Alexander R.; Powell, Claire F.

    2012-07-01

    Aerosol deposition provides a major input of the essential micronutrient iron to the open ocean. A critical parameter with respect to biological availability is the proportion of aerosol iron that enters the oceanic dissolved iron pool - the so-called fractional solubility of aerosol iron (%FeS). Here we present a global-scale compilation of total aerosol iron loading (FeT) and estimated %FeS values for ∼1100 samples collected over the open ocean, the coastal ocean, and some continental sites, including a new data set from the Atlantic Ocean. Despite the wide variety of methods that have been used to define 'soluble' aerosol iron, our global-scale compilation reveals a remarkably consistent trend in the fractional solubility of aerosol iron as a function of total aerosol iron loading, with the great bulk of the data defining an hyperbolic trend. The hyperbolic trends that we observe for both global- and regional-scale data are adequately described by a simple two-component mixing model, whereby the fractional solubility of iron in the bulk aerosol reflects the conservative mixing of 'lithogenic' mineral dust (high FeT and low %FeS) and non-lithogenic 'combustion' aerosols (low FeT and high %FeS). An increasing body of empirical and model-based evidence points to anthropogenic fuel combustion as the major source of these non-lithogenic 'combustion' aerosols, implying that human emissions are a major determinant of the fractional solubility of iron in marine aerosols. The robust global-scale relationship between %FeS and FeT provides a simple heuristic method for estimating aerosol iron solubility at the regional to global scale.

  14. Characterization of a Novel Iron Acquisition Activity That Coordinates the Iron Response with Population Density under Iron-Replete Conditions in Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Roy, Emily M; Griffith, Kevin L

    2017-01-01

    Iron is an essential micronutrient required for the viability of many organisms. Under oxidizing conditions, ferric iron is highly insoluble (∼10 -9 to 10 -18 M), yet bacteria typically require ∼10 -6 M for survival. To overcome this disparity, many bacteria have adopted the use of extracellular iron-chelating siderophores coupled with specific iron-siderophore uptake systems. In the case of Bacillus subtilis, undomesticated strains produce the siderophore bacillibactin. However, many laboratory strains, e.g., JH642, have lost the ability to produce bacillibactin during the process of domestication. In this work, we identified a novel iron acquisition activity from strain JH642 that accumulates in the growth medium and coordinates the iron response with population density. The molecule(s) responsible for this activity was named elemental Fe(II/III) (Efe) acquisition factor because efeUOB (ywbLMN) is required for its activity. Unlike most iron uptake molecules, including siderophores and iron reductases, Efe acquisition factor is present under iron-replete conditions and is regulated independently of Fur repressor. Restoring bacillibactin production in strain JH642 inhibits the activity of Efe acquisition factor, presumably by sequestering available iron. A similar iron acquisition activity is produced from a mutant of Escherichia coli unable to synthesize the siderophore enterobactin. Given the conservation of efeUOB and its regulation by catecholic siderophores in B. subtilis and E. coli, we speculate that Efe acquisition factor is utilized by many bacteria, serves as an alternative to Fur-mediated iron acquisition systems, and provides cells with biologically available iron that would normally be inaccessible during aerobic growth under iron-replete conditions. Iron is an essential micronutrient required for a variety of biological processes, yet ferric iron is highly insoluble during aerobic growth. In this work, we identified a novel iron acquisition

  15. Deferasirox for managing iron overload in people with thalassaemia.

    PubMed

    Bollig, Claudia; Schell, Lisa K; Rücker, Gerta; Allert, Roman; Motschall, Edith; Niemeyer, Charlotte M; Bassler, Dirk; Meerpohl, Joerg J

    2017-08-15

    ) comparing deferasirox to placebo (n = 47) in people with transfusion-dependent thalassaemia showed that deferasirox leads to net iron excretion. In these studies, safety was acceptable and further investigation in phase II and phase III studies was warranted.Nine studies (1251 participants) provided data for deferasirox versus standard treatment with deferoxamine. Data suggest that a similar efficacy can be achieved depending on the ratio of doses of deferoxamine and deferasirox being compared. In the phase III study, similar or superior efficacy for the intermediate markers ferritin and liver iron concentration (LIC) could only be achieved in the highly iron-overloaded subgroup at a mean ratio of 1 mg of deferasirox to 1.8 mg of deferoxamine corresponding to a mean dose of 28.2 mg per day and 51.6 mg per day respectively. The pooled effects across the different dosing ratios are: serum ferritin, mean difference (MD) 454.42 ng/mL (95% confidence interval (CI) 337.13 to 571.71) (moderate quality evidence); LIC evaluated by biopsy or SQUID, MD 2.37 mg Fe/g dry weight (95% CI 1.68 to 3.07) (moderate quality evidence) and responder analysis, LIC 1 to < 7 mg Fe/g dry weight, risk ratio (RR) 0.80 (95% CI 0.69 to 0.92) (moderate quality evidence). The substantial heterogeneity observed could be explained by the different dosing ratios. Data on mortality (low quality evidence) and on safety at the presumably required doses for effective chelation therapy are limited. Patient satisfaction was better with deferasirox among those who had previously received deferoxamine treatment, RR 2.20 (95% CI 1.89 to 2.57) (moderate quality evidence). The rate of discontinuations was similar for both drugs (low quality evidence).For the remaining comparisons in people with transfusion-dependent thalassaemia, the quality of the evidence for outcomes assessed was low to very low, mainly due to the very small number of participants included. Four studies (205 participants) compared deferasirox to

  16. Tracing the secular evolution of the UCC using the iron isotope composition of ancient glacial diamictites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, X. M.; Gaschnig, R. M.; Rudnick, R. L.; Hazen, R. M.; Shahar, A.

    2014-12-01

    Iron is the fourth most abundant element in the continental crust and influences global climate and biogeochemical cycles in the ocean1. Continental inputs, including river waters, sediments and atmospheric dust are dominant sources (>95%) of iron into the ocean2. Therefore, understanding how continental inputs may have changed through time is important in understanding the secular evolution of the marine Fe cycle. We analysed the Fe isotopic composition of twenty-four glacial diamictite composites, upper continental crust (UCC) proxies, with ages ranging from the Mesoarchean to the Paleozoic eras to characterize the secular evolution of the UCC. The diamictites all have elevated chemical index of alteration (CIA) and other characteristics of weathered regolith (e.g., strong depletion in soluble elements such as Sr), which they inherited from their upper crustal source region3. δ56Fe in the diamictite composites range from -0.59 to +0.23‰, however, most diamictites cluster with an average δ56Fe of 0.11± 0.20 (2s), overlapping juvenile continental material such as island arc basalts (IABs), which show a narrow range in δ56Fe from -0.04 to +0.14 ‰4. There is no obvious correlation between δ56Fe of the glacial diamictites and the CIA, except that the diamictite with the lowest δ56Fe at -0.59 ‰ also has the highest CIA = 89 (the Paleoproterozoic Makganyene Fm.). The data suggest that the Fe isotope compositions in the upper continental crust did not vary throughout Earth history. Interestingly, chemical weathering and sedimentary transport likely play only a minor role in producing Fe isotope variations in the upper continental crust. Anoxic weathering pre-GOE (Great Oxidation Event) does not seem to generate different Fe isotopic signatures from the post-GOE oxidative weathering environment in the upper continental crust. Therefore, large Fe isotopic fractionations observed in various marine sedimentary records are likely due to other processes occurring

  17. Tracing the secular evolution of the UCC using the iron isotope composition of ancient glacial diamictites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, X. M.; Gaschnig, R. M.; Rudnick, R. L.; Hazen, R. M.; Shahar, A.

    2015-12-01

    Iron is the fourth most abundant element in the continental crust and influences global climate and biogeochemical cycles in the ocean1. Continental inputs, including river waters, sediments and atmospheric dust are dominant sources (>95%) of iron into the ocean2. Therefore, understanding how continental inputs may have changed through time is important in understanding the secular evolution of the marine Fe cycle. We analysed the Fe isotopic composition of twenty-four glacial diamictite composites, upper continental crust (UCC) proxies, with ages ranging from the Mesoarchean to the Paleozoic eras to characterize the secular evolution of the UCC. The diamictites all have elevated chemical index of alteration (CIA) and other characteristics of weathered regolith (e.g., strong depletion in soluble elements such as Sr), which they inherited from their upper crustal source region3. δ56Fe in the diamictite composites range from -0.59 to +0.23‰, however, most diamictites cluster with an average δ56Fe of 0.11± 0.20 (2s), overlapping juvenile continental material such as island arc basalts (IABs), which show a narrow range in δ56Fe from -0.04 to +0.14 ‰4. There is no obvious correlation between δ56Fe of the glacial diamictites and the CIA, except that the diamictite with the lowest δ56Fe at -0.59 ‰ also has the highest CIA = 89 (the Paleoproterozoic Makganyene Fm.). The data suggest that the Fe isotope compositions in the upper continental crust did not vary throughout Earth history. Interestingly, chemical weathering and sedimentary transport likely play only a minor role in producing Fe isotope variations in the upper continental crust. Anoxic weathering pre-GOE (Great Oxidation Event) does not seem to generate different Fe isotopic signatures from the post-GOE oxidative weathering environment in the upper continental crust. Therefore, large Fe isotopic fractionations observed in various marine sedimentary records are likely due to other processes occurring

  18. Current understanding of iron homeostasis.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Gregory J; Frazer, David M

    2017-12-01

    Iron is an essential trace element, but it is also toxic in excess, and thus mammals have developed elegant mechanisms for keeping both cellular and whole-body iron concentrations within the optimal physiologic range. In the diet, iron is either sequestered within heme or in various nonheme forms. Although the absorption of heme iron is poorly understood, nonheme iron is transported across the apical membrane of the intestinal enterocyte by divalent metal-ion transporter 1 (DMT1) and is exported into the circulation via ferroportin 1 (FPN1). Newly absorbed iron binds to plasma transferrin and is distributed around the body to sites of utilization with the erythroid marrow having particularly high iron requirements. Iron-loaded transferrin binds to transferrin receptor 1 on the surface of most body cells, and after endocytosis of the complex, iron enters the cytoplasm via DMT1 in the endosomal membrane. This iron can be used for metabolic functions, stored within cytosolic ferritin, or exported from the cell via FPN1. Cellular iron concentrations are modulated by the iron regulatory proteins (IRPs) IRP1 and IRP2. At the whole-body level, dietary iron absorption and iron export from the tissues into the plasma are regulated by the liver-derived peptide hepcidin. When tissue iron demands are high, hepcidin concentrations are low and vice versa. Too little or too much iron can have important clinical consequences. Most iron deficiency reflects an inadequate supply of iron in the diet, whereas iron excess is usually associated with hereditary disorders. These disorders include various forms of hemochromatosis, which are characterized by inadequate hepcidin production and, thus, increased dietary iron intake, and iron-loading anemias whereby both increased iron absorption and transfusion therapy contribute to the iron overload. Despite major recent advances, much remains to be learned about iron physiology and pathophysiology. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

  19. Pathogenic Mechanisms Underlying Iron Deficiency and Iron Overload: New Insights for Clinical Application

    PubMed Central

    van Velden, DP; van Rensburg, SJ; Erasmus, R

    2009-01-01

    Iron uptake, utilisation, release and storage occur at the gene level. Individuals with variant forms of genes involved in iron metabolism may have different requirements for iron and are likely to respond differently to the same amount of iron in the diet, a concept termed nutrigenetics. Iron deficiency, iron overload and the anemia of inflammation are the commonest iron-related disorders. While at least four types of hereditary iron overload have been identified to date, our knowledge of the genetic basis and consequences of inherited iron deficiency remain limited. The importance of genetic risk factors in relation to iron overload was highlighted with the identification of the HFE gene in 1996. Deleterious mutations in this gene account for 80-90% of inherited iron overload and are associated with loss of iron homeostasis, alterations in inflammatory responses, oxidative stress and in its most severe form, the disorder hereditary haemochromatosis (HH). Elucidation of the genetic basis of HH has led to rapid clinical benefit through drastic reduction in liver biopsies performed as part of the diagnostic work-up of affected patients. Today, detection of a genetic predisposition in the presence of high serum ferritin and transferrin saturation levels is usually sufficient to diagnose HH, thereby addressing the potential danger of inherited iron overload which starts with the same symptoms as iron deficiency, namely chronic fatigue. This review provides the scientific back-up for application of pathology supported genetic testing, a new test concept that is well placed for optimizing clinical benefit to patients with regard to iron status. PMID:27683335

  20. Iron and iron-related proteins in asbestosis.

    EPA Science Inventory

    ABSTRACT: We tested the postulate that iron homeostasis is altered among patients diagnosed to have asbestosis. Lung tissue from six individuals diagnosed to have had asbestosis at autopsy was stained for iron, ferritin, divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1), and ferroportin 1 (FP...

  1. Glutathione, Glutaredoxins, and Iron.

    PubMed

    Berndt, Carsten; Lillig, Christopher Horst

    2017-11-20

    Glutathione (GSH) is the most abundant cellular low-molecular-weight thiol in the majority of organisms in all kingdoms of life. Therefore, functions of GSH and disturbed regulation of its concentration are associated with numerous physiological and pathological situations. Recent Advances: The function of GSH as redox buffer or antioxidant is increasingly being questioned. New functions, especially functions connected to the cellular iron homeostasis, were elucidated. Via the formation of iron complexes, GSH is an important player in all aspects of iron metabolism: sensing and regulation of iron levels, iron trafficking, and biosynthesis of iron cofactors. The variety of GSH coordinated iron complexes and their functions with a special focus on FeS-glutaredoxins are summarized in this review. Interestingly, GSH analogues that function as major low-molecular-weight thiols in organisms lacking GSH resemble the functions in iron homeostasis. Since these iron-related functions are most likely also connected to thiol redox chemistry, it is difficult to distinguish between mechanisms related to either redox or iron metabolisms. The ability of GSH to coordinate iron in different complexes with or without proteins needs further investigation. The discovery of new Fe-GSH complexes and their physiological functions will significantly advance our understanding of cellular iron homeostasis. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 27, 1235-1251.

  2. Markers of iron deficiency in patients with polycythemia vera receiving ruxolitinib or best available therapy.

    PubMed

    Verstovsek, Srdan; Harrison, Claire N; Kiladjian, Jean-Jacques; Miller, Carole; Naim, Ahmad B; Paranagama, Dilan C; Habr, Dany; Vannucchi, Alessandro M

    2017-05-01

    Polycythemia vera (PV) is characterized by erythropoiesis and JAK2-activating mutations, with increased risks of morbidity and mortality. Most patients with PV are iron deficient, and treatment often includes hematocrit control with phlebotomy, which may exacerbate iron deficiency-associated complications. The phase 3 RESPONSE trial evaluated the JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor ruxolitinib (n=110) versus best available therapy (BAT; n=112) in patients with PV who were hydroxyurea-resistant/intolerant. Ruxolitinib was superior to BAT for hematocrit control, reduction in splenomegaly, and blood count normalization. This exploratory analysis, the first to evaluate iron status in a prospective study of patients with PV, investigated ruxolitinib effects on 7 serum iron markers and iron deficiency-related patient-reported outcomes (PRO). Among patients with evidence of baseline iron deficiency, ruxolitinib was associated with normalization of iron marker levels, compared with lesser improvement with BAT. Iron levels remained stable in ruxolitinib patients with normal iron levels at baseline. Regardless of baseline iron status, treatment with ruxolitinib was associated with improvements in concentration problems, cognitive function, dizziness, fatigue, headaches, and inactivity, although improvements were generally greater among patients with baseline iron deficiency. The improvements in iron deficiency markers and PROs observed with ruxolitinib are suggestive of clinical benefits that warrant further exploration. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  3. Iron-heme-Bach1 axis is involved in erythroblast adaptation to iron deficiency.

    PubMed

    Kobayashi, Masahiro; Kato, Hiroki; Hada, Hiroshi; Itoh-Nakadai, Ari; Fujiwara, Tohru; Muto, Akihiko; Inoguchi, Yukihiro; Ichiyanagi, Kenji; Hojo, Wataru; Tomosugi, Naohisa; Sasaki, Hiroyuki; Harigae, Hideo; Igarashi, Kazuhiko

    2017-03-01

    Iron plays the central role in oxygen transport by erythrocytes as a constituent of heme and hemoglobin. The importance of iron and heme is also to be found in their regulatory roles during erythroblast maturation. The transcription factor Bach1 may be involved in their regulatory roles since it is deactivated by direct binding of heme. To address whether Bach1 is involved in the responses of erythroblasts to iron status, low iron conditions that induced severe iron deficiency in mice were established. Under iron deficiency, extensive gene expression changes and mitophagy disorder were induced during maturation of erythroblasts. Bach1 -/- mice showed more severe iron deficiency anemia in the developmental phase of mice and a retarded recovery once iron was replenished when compared with wild-type mice. In the absence of Bach1, the expression of globin genes and Hmox1 (encoding heme oxygenase-1) was de-repressed in erythroblasts under iron deficiency, suggesting that Bach1 represses these genes in erythroblasts under iron deficiency to balance the levels of heme and globin. Moreover, an increase in genome-wide DNA methylation was observed in erythroblasts of Bach1 -/- mice under iron deficiency. These findings reveal the principle role of iron as a regulator of gene expression in erythroblast maturation and suggest that the iron-heme-Bach1 axis is important for a proper adaptation of erythroblast to iron deficiency to avoid toxic aggregates of non-heme globin. Copyright© Ferrata Storti Foundation.

  4. Phosphogenesis in the 2460 and 2728 million-year-old banded iron formations as evidence for biological cycling of phosphate in the early biosphere

    PubMed Central

    Li, Yi-Liang; Sun, Si; Chan, Lung S

    2013-01-01

    The banded iron formation deposited during the first 2 billion years of Earth's history holds the key to understanding the interplay between the geosphere and the early biosphere at large geological timescales. The earliest ore-scale phosphorite depositions formed almost at ∼2.0–2.2 billion years ago bear evidence for the earliest bloom of aerobic life. The cycling of nutrient phosphorus and how it constrained primary productivity in the anaerobic world of Archean–Palaeoproterozoic eons are still open questions. The controversy centers about whether the precipitation of ultrafine ferric oxyhydroxide due to the microbial Fe(II) oxidation in oceans earlier than 1.9 billion years substantially sequestrated phosphate, and whether this process significantly limited the primary productivity of the early biosphere. In this study, we report apatite radial flowers of a few micrometers in the 2728 million-year-old Abitibi banded iron formation and the 2460 million-year-old Kuruman banded iron formation and their similarities to those in the 535 million-year-old Lower Cambrian phosphorite. The lithology of the 535 Million-year-old phosphorite as a biosignature bears abundant biomarkers that reveal the possible similar biogeochemical cycling of phosphorus in the Later Archean and Palaeoproterozoic oceans. These apatite radial flowers represent the primary precipitation of phosphate derived from the phytoplankton blooms in the euphotic zones of Neoarchean and Palaoeproterozoic oceans. The unbiased distributions of the apatite radial flowers within sub-millimeter bands do not support the idea of an Archean Crisis of Phosphate. This is the first report of the microbial mediated mineralization of phosphorus before the Great Oxidation Event when the whole biosphere was still dominated by anaerobic microorganisms. PMID:23404127

  5. Phosphogenesis in the 2460 and 2728 million-year-old banded iron formations as evidence for biological cycling of phosphate in the early biosphere.

    PubMed

    Li, Yi-Liang; Sun, Si; Chan, Lung S

    2012-01-01

    The banded iron formation deposited during the first 2 billion years of Earth's history holds the key to understanding the interplay between the geosphere and the early biosphere at large geological timescales. The earliest ore-scale phosphorite depositions formed almost at ∼2.0-2.2 billion years ago bear evidence for the earliest bloom of aerobic life. The cycling of nutrient phosphorus and how it constrained primary productivity in the anaerobic world of Archean-Palaeoproterozoic eons are still open questions. The controversy centers about whether the precipitation of ultrafine ferric oxyhydroxide due to the microbial Fe(II) oxidation in oceans earlier than 1.9 billion years substantially sequestrated phosphate, and whether this process significantly limited the primary productivity of the early biosphere. In this study, we report apatite radial flowers of a few micrometers in the 2728 million-year-old Abitibi banded iron formation and the 2460 million-year-old Kuruman banded iron formation and their similarities to those in the 535 million-year-old Lower Cambrian phosphorite. The lithology of the 535 Million-year-old phosphorite as a biosignature bears abundant biomarkers that reveal the possible similar biogeochemical cycling of phosphorus in the Later Archean and Palaeoproterozoic oceans. These apatite radial flowers represent the primary precipitation of phosphate derived from the phytoplankton blooms in the euphotic zones of Neoarchean and Palaoeproterozoic oceans. The unbiased distributions of the apatite radial flowers within sub-millimeter bands do not support the idea of an Archean Crisis of Phosphate. This is the first report of the microbial mediated mineralization of phosphorus before the Great Oxidation Event when the whole biosphere was still dominated by anaerobic microorganisms.

  6. Differential Roles of Iron Storage Proteins in Maintaining the Iron Homeostasis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

    PubMed Central

    Tyagi, Anil K.

    2017-01-01

    Ferritins and bacterioferritins are iron storage proteins that represent key players in iron homeostasis. Several organisms possess both forms of ferritins, however, their relative physiological roles are less understood. Mycobacterium tuberculosis possesses both ferritin (BfrB) and bacterioferritin (BfrA), playing an essential role in its pathogenesis as reported by us earlier. This study provides insights into the role of these two proteins in iron homeostasis by employing M. tuberculosis bfr mutants. Our data suggests that BfrA is required for efficient utilization of stored iron under low iron conditions while BfrB plays a crucial role as the major defense protein under excessive iron conditions. We show that these two proteins provide protection against oxidative stress and hypoxia. Iron incorporation study showed that BfrB has higher capacity for storing iron than BfrA, which augurs well for efficient iron quenching under iron excess conditions. Moreover, iron release assay demonstrated that BfrA has 3 times superior ability to release stored iron emphasizing its requirement for efficient iron release under low iron conditions, facilitated by the presence of heme. Thus, for the first time, our observations suggest that the importance of BfrA or BfrB separately might vary depending upon the iron situation faced by the cell. PMID:28060867

  7. Comparison of food habits, iron intake and iron status in adolescents before and after the withdrawal of the general iron fortification in Sweden.

    PubMed

    Sjöberg, A; Hulthén, L

    2015-04-01

    Sifted flour was fortified with carbonyl iron for 50 years in Sweden. This study evaluates changes in food habits, intake of iron, factors affecting iron absorption and iron status after the discontinuation of the general iron fortification in adolescents with the highest requirements. A total of 2285 15- to 16-year-old students in 1994 (634 girls and 611 boys) and in 2000 (534 girls and 486 boys) in 13 schools in Gothenburg, Sweden, were included in two cross-sectional surveys assessing food habits with diet history interviews and iron deficiency defined with serum ferritin stores ⩽ 15 μg/l and no preceding infection. In girls, iron deficiency increased from 37 to 45%, while in boys, it was stable at 23%. Total iron intake decreased from 15.7 to 9.5 mg/day and 22.5 to 13.9 mg/day in girls and boys, respectively. Cereals were the main iron source. Among girls, the increase of fish and decrease of calcium intake may not counteract the effect of decreased intake of fortification iron. Among boys, more meat, less calcium and more vitamin C may have favoured the bioavailability of iron. The discontinuation of the general iron fortification resulted in a 39% decrease in total iron intake and iron deficiency increased substantially in girls. However, in boys no change in iron deficiency was observed. Whether this was a result of changed bioavailability of dietary iron or simultaneous changes of non-dietary factors remains to be explored.

  8. Empire Without A Voice Phoenician Iron Metallurgy and Imperial Strategy at Carthage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaufman, Brett Sanford

    The role of iron in the emergence of Iron Age states in North Africa and the Near East has been poorly understood due to a paucity of contemporary, diachronic ferrous archaeometallurgical data. Excavations at Phoenician and Punic Carthage in the 2000s recovered one of the largest and most diverse corpora of Iron Age iron production material culture from North Africa and the Near East, spanning the entire history of Carthage from its Tyrian colonial foundations to its destruction by Rome (historical dates 814--146 BC). Analysis of the materials employing metallography, portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (pXRF), and variable pressure scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy x-ray dispersive spectroscopy (VPSEM-EDS) indicates that Carthaginian smiths were smelting and smithing wrought iron and steel as an exchange good or tribute commodity to Tyre and the Assyrian empire, as well as producing, refining, and consuming tin and arsenical bronzes, leaded bronzes, lead, and cobalt. Archaeological evidence demonstrates a state industry of iron production, including the commissioning, decommissioning, and outsourcing of metallurgical precincts. There is an overwhelming difference exhibited between output capacity at industrial and household production sites. Epigraphic evidence in Punic illustrates the inherent economic and familial affiliations between the Carthaginian state and metalworkers. Ironsmiths, bronze casters, and goldsmiths were privileged engineers of one of the state's most strategic industries, and were stratified in a hierarchy of technical specialties and ranks. In order to conserve fuel and succeed in properly vitrifying ore or bloom impurities into slag, they recycled industrial byproducts in the form of murex shells from purple dye production as a metallurgical flux and lined the furnaces with quartz-rich heat insulation. Carthage was one colony in the Phoenician commodity procurement network, whose task it was to convert iron blooms into

  9. Iron and Prochlorococcus

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-06-01

    greatly influenced by the sources of iron to the marine environment, which include riverine input, hydrothermal upwelling, and atmospheric...deposition (Jickells et al, 2005). While the amount of iron introduced to the oceans from riverine and hydrothermal sources is high, precipitation occurs...rapidly in both cases and removes iron from seawater, minimizing the impact of hydrothermal and riverine sources on the concentration of iron in the

  10. The glucose sensor Snf1 and the transcription factors Msn2 and Msn4 regulate transcription of the vacuolar iron importer gene CCC1 and iron resistance in yeast.

    PubMed

    Li, Liangtao; Kaplan, Jerry; Ward, Diane M

    2017-09-15

    The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae stores iron in the vacuole, which is a major resistance mechanism against iron toxicity. One key protein involved in vacuolar iron storage is the iron importer Ccc1, which facilitates iron entry into the vacuole. Transcription of the CCC1 gene is largely regulated by the binding of iron-sulfur clusters to the activator domain of the transcriptional activator Yap5. Additional evidence, however, suggests that Yap5-independent transcriptional activation of CCC1 also contributes to iron resistance. Here, we demonstrate that components of the signaling pathway involving the low-glucose sensor Snf1 regulate CCC1 transcription and iron resistance. We found that SNF1 deletion acts synergistically with YAP5 deletion to regulate CCC1 transcription and iron resistance. A kinase-dead mutation of Snf1 lowered iron resistance as did deletion of SNF4 , which encodes a partner protein of Snf1. Deletion of all three alternative partners of Snf1 encoded by SIT1 , SIT2 , and GAL83 decreased both CCC1 transcription and iron resistance. The Snf1 complex is known to activate the general stress transcription factors Msn2 and Msn4. We show that Msn2 and Msn4 contribute to Snf1-mediated CCC1 transcription. Of note, SNF1 deletion in combination with MSN2 and MSN4 deletion resulted in additive effects on CCC1 transcription, suggesting that other activators contribute to the regulation of CCC1 transcription. In conclusion, we show that yeast have developed multiple transcriptional mechanisms to regulate Ccc1 expression and to protect against high cytosolic iron toxicity. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  11. MYB10 and MYB72 are required for growth under iron-limiting conditions.

    PubMed

    Palmer, Christine M; Hindt, Maria N; Schmidt, Holger; Clemens, Stephan; Guerinot, Mary Lou

    2013-11-01

    Iron is essential for photosynthesis and is often a limiting nutrient for plant productivity. Plants respond to conditions of iron deficiency by increasing transcript abundance of key genes involved in iron homeostasis, but only a few regulators of these genes have been identified. Using genome-wide expression analysis, we searched for transcription factors that are induced within 24 hours after transferring plants to iron-deficient growth conditions. Out of nearly 100 transcription factors shown to be up-regulated, we identified MYB10 and MYB72 as the most highly induced transcription factors. Here, we show that MYB10 and MYB72 are functionally redundant and are required for plant survival in alkaline soil where iron availability is greatly restricted. myb10myb72 double mutants fail to induce transcript accumulation of the nicotianamine synthase gene NAS4. Both myb10myb72 mutants and nas4-1 mutants have reduced iron concentrations, chlorophyll levels, and shoot mass under iron-limiting conditions, indicating that these genes are essential for proper plant growth. The double myb10myb72 mutant also showed nickel and zinc sensitivity, similar to the nas4 mutant. Ectopic expression of NAS4 rescues myb10myb72 plants, suggesting that loss of NAS4 is the primary defect in these plants and emphasizes the importance of nicotianamine, an iron chelator, in iron homeostasis. Overall, our results provide evidence that MYB10 and MYB72 act early in the iron-deficiency regulatory cascade to drive gene expression of NAS4 and are essential for plant survival under iron deficiency.

  12. [Iron nutrition in Mapuche infants fed with human milk (2d phase)].

    PubMed

    Franco, E; Hertrampf, E; Rodríguez, E; Illanes, J C; Palacios, L; Llaguno, S; Lettelier, A

    1990-01-01

    Blood hemoglobin, serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC) and serum ferritin were measured in 140 healthy rural mapuche (southern Chile's indigenous ethnic group) infants aged 8 to 15 months: 90 had been exclusively breast fed for the first 5 or 6 months of life, then solid foods were introduced but cow's milk was never given to them. The remaining 50, which were all weaned at nearly 4 months of age and then given cow's milk and solid foods at the corresponding age, were designated as controls. Anemia was detected in 4.5% of breast fed infants and in 38% of controls. Evidence of iron deficient erythropoiesis was found in 5% and 81% of cases and controls, respectively. Human milk apparently protects this ethnic group from iron deficiency anemia and this protection seems to be better in mapuche infants than in other groups of chilean infants, because these late have shown 30% incidence of anemia around the first year of life in other studies. More studies on differences in iron nutritional state among mapuche and non mapuche are needed and are under way.

  13. The Causes of Death in Iron and Steel Workers (Non-foundry)

    PubMed Central

    McLaughlin, A. I. G.; Harding, H. E.

    1961-01-01

    Few studies have been made of the pathology associated with the iron and steel trades other than foundries. We review here the clinical, occupational, and pathological (post-mortem) findings in 10 grinders and 16 other non-foundry workers in iron and steel. Grinding is evidently a less dangerous trade than it was 100 or even 50 years ago, but silicosis and/or mixed dust fibrosis is still found amongst them. The risk of the onset of pneumoconiosis in other workers in these trades is small, but not absent. Images PMID:13774071

  14. Effects of digoxin on cardiac iron content in rat model of iron overload.

    PubMed

    Nasri, Hamid Reza; Shahouzehi, Beydolah; Masoumi-Ardakani, Yaser; Iranpour, Maryam

    2016-07-01

    Plasma iron excess can lead to iron accumulation in heart, kidney and liver. Heart failure is a clinical widespread syndrome. In thalassemia, iron overload cardiomyopathy is caused by iron accumulation in the heart that leads to cardiac damage and heart failure. Digoxin increases the intracellular sodium concentration by inhibition of Na+/K+-ATPase that affects Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX), which raises intracellular calcium and thus attenuates heart failure. The mechanism of iron uptake into cardiomyocytes is not exactly understood. We assessed the effect of different concentrations of digoxin on cardiac iron content in rat model of iron overload. Digoxin had been administrated intraperitoneally (IP) for one week before main study began to assure increased digoxin levels. Group 1 received four IP injections of iron-dextran (12.5mg/100g body weight) every 5 days evenly distributed over 20 days. Groups 2-4 received 0.5, 1 and 5 mg/kg/day IP digoxin, respectively. Last three groups 5-7 received iron-dextran as group 1 and digoxin concentrations 0.5, 1 and 5 mg/kg/day, respectively. Cardiac iron contents were significantly higher in iron overload groups that received different concentrations (0.5, 1 and 5 mg/kg/day) of digoxin than their counterparts in control groups and this pattern was also observed in pathology assessment. It seems that digoxin plays an important role in iron transport into heart in iron overload state but exact mechanism of this phenomenon is not clear. L-type Ca2+ channels are good candidates that probably could be involved in iron accumulation in cardiomyocytes. Thus it would be better to reconsider digoxin administration in thalassemia and iron overload conditions.

  15. Maternal iron status during pregnancy and respiratory and atopic outcomes in the offspring: a Mendelian randomisation study

    PubMed Central

    Bédard, Annabelle; Lewis, Sarah J; Burgess, Stephen; Henderson, A John; Shaheen, Seif O

    2018-01-01

    Introduction Limited evidence from birth cohort studies suggests that lower prenatal iron status may be a risk factor for childhood respiratory and atopic outcomes, but these observational findings may be confounded. Mendelian randomisation (MR) can potentially provide unconfounded estimates of causal effects by using common genetic variants as instrumental variables. We aimed to study the relationship between prenatal iron status and respiratory and atopic outcomes in the offspring using MR. Methods In the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children birth cohort, we constructed four maternal genotypic risk scores by summing the total number of risk alleles (associated with lower iron status) across single nucleotide polymorphisms known to be associated with at least one of four iron biomarkers (serum iron, ferritin, transferrin and transferrin saturation). We used MR to study their associations with respiratory and atopic outcomes in children aged 7–9 years (n=6002). Results When analyses were restricted to mothers without iron supplementation during late pregnancy, negative associations were found between the maternal transferrin saturation score and childhood forced expiratory volume in 1 s and forced vital capacity (difference in age, height and gender-adjusted SD units per SD increase in genotypic score: −0.05 (−0.09, −0.01) p=0.03, and −0.04 (−0.08, 0.00) p=0.04, respectively). Conclusion Using MR we have found weak evidence suggesting that low maternal iron status during pregnancy may cause impaired childhood lung function. PMID:29636978

  16. Tubular iron deposition and iron handling proteins in human healthy kidney and chronic kidney disease.

    PubMed

    Raaij, Sanne van; Swelm, Rachel van; Bouman, Karlijn; Cliteur, Maaike; Heuvel, Marius van den; Pertijs, Jeanne; Patel, Dominic; Bass, Paul; Goor, Harry van; Unwin, Robert; Srai, Surjit Kaila; Swinkels, Dorine

    2018-06-19

    Iron is suggested to play a detrimental role in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The kidney recycles iron back into the circulation. However, the localization of proteins relevant for physiological tubular iron handling and their potential role in CKD remain unclear. We examined associations between iron deposition, expression of iron handling proteins and tubular injury in kidney biopsies from CKD patients and healthy controls using immunohistochemistry. Iron was deposited in proximal (PT) and distal tubules (DT) in 33% of CKD biopsies, predominantly in pathologies with glomerular dysfunction, but absent in controls. In healthy kidney, PT contained proteins required for iron recycling including putative iron importers ZIP8, ZIP14, DMT1, iron storage proteins L- and H-ferritin and iron exporter ferroportin, while DT only contained ZIP8, ZIP14, and DMT1. In CKD, iron deposition associated with increased intensity of iron importers (ZIP14, ZIP8), storage proteins (L-, H-ferritin), and/or decreased ferroportin abundance. This demonstrates that tubular iron accumulation may result from increased iron uptake and/or inadequate iron export. Iron deposition associated with oxidative injury as indicated by heme oxygenase-1 abundance. In conclusion, iron deposition is relatively common in CKD, and may result from altered molecular iron handling and may contribute to renal injury.

  17. Deficiency of a alpha-1-antitrypsin influences systemic iron homeostasis

    EPA Science Inventory

    Abstract Background: There is evidence that proteases and anti-proteases participate in the iron homeostasis of cells and living systems. We tested the postulate that alpha-1 antitrypsin (A1AT) polymorphism and the consequent deficiency of this anti-protease in humans are asso...

  18. Iron deficiency anaemia: with the conclusion of a need for iron reader

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lim, Wai Feng; Yap, Boon Kar; Lai, Mei I.; Talik, Noorazrina; Nasser, Ammar Ahmed; Al-Haiqi, Ahmed Mubarak Ahmed; Sankar Krishnan, Prajindra

    2017-10-01

    In our bloodstream, there are plenty of red blood cells (RBC), which function as an important oxygen carrier in our bodies. Each RBC consists of millions of haemoglobin (Hb), which is made up from globin and iron. If any deficiency/malfunction of any globin, it will lead to anaemia as indicated in low Hb level while iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is anaemic due to the lacking of iron as indicated in low Hb and ferritin levels. IDA affects almost two billion people globally while anaemia without iron deficiency, such as thalassaemia, affects almost 4.5% in Malaysian population. These anaemic conditions have similar clinical symptoms like fatigue, dizziness, in which disturb their cognitive development and productivity in workplace. In areas without proper medical access, many anaemic individuals were misdiagnosed and treated with iron tablets because they were thought to have iron deficiency anaemia due to low Hb content. But, excess iron is toxic to the body. Misdiagnosis can be avoided by iron status assessment. We hereby review the currently available iron status parameters in laboratory and field study with the conclusion of demonstrating the importance of a need for iron reader, in the effort to reduce the prevalence of IDA globally.

  19. Adrenaline and triiodothyronine modify the iron handling in the freshwater air-breathing fish Anabas testudineus Bloch: role of ferric reductase in iron acquisition.

    PubMed

    Rejitha, V; Peter, M C Subhash

    2013-01-15

    , has a vital role in Fe(II) and Fe(III) iron handling in this fish. Our data also provide evidence that adrenaline, T(3) and the feeding status are the vital factors that can regulate the storage and handling of iron in fish. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. The Shaw chondrite. I - The case of the missing metal

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rambaldi, E. R.; Larimer, J. W.

    1976-01-01

    The mineralogy as well as the elemental and isotopic composition of the Shaw meteorite indicate that it is a highly metamorphosed L-group chondrite which has lost a portion of its metal and sulfide. The metal which remains has an unusual composition relative to that in other L-group chondrites. It is enriched in Ga, Ge, Ir, Mo, Os, Pt, Re, and Ru but depleted in As, Au, Cu, and Sb. A comparison of the relative enrichments and depletions in Shaw with those observed in San Cristobal, the extreme end-member of group IAB iron meteorites, shows that the metal phases in these two meteorites have complementary compositions. This implies that the metal in Shaw represents the residual solid of a partial melting process while the missing metal, which drained away, may have gone to form an iron meteorite, like San Cristobal.

  1. Characterization and accumulation of ferritin in hepatocyte nuclei of mice with iron overload

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Smith, A.G.; Carthew, P.; Francis, J.E.

    1990-12-01

    After a single subcutaneous dose of iron-dextran (600 mg of iron/kg), iron overload developed in C57BL/10ScSn mice. At 4, 24 and 78 wk liver nonheme iron concentrations were 67-, 42- and 21-fold higher than controls, respectively. Much of the iron was in macrophages, but hepatocytes were also strongly positive for Perls' stainable iron. One feature was the development of iron-positive nuclear inclusions in hepatocytes. After a delay of at least 8 wk when no stainable iron was evident, a maximum of 37% of periportal hepatocytes contained inclusions by 24 wk. Although this proportion remained constant for the remainder of themore » study, the size of the inclusions (which were not membrane-limited) increased to greater than 3 microns in diameter, occupying greater than 25% of the nuclear volume. The presence of iron in the inclusions was confirmed by energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis. Immunocytochemical studies showed that the iron was present as aggregates of ferritin. Quantitation of nonaggregated ferritin molecules by image analyses after electron microscopy demonstrated that within 4 wk ferritin levels in cytoplasm and nucleoplasm had greatly increased but that there was a concentration gradient of approximately one order of magnitude across the nuclear envelope. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that in iron-loaded mouse hepatocytes there is a slow passage of ferritin-molecules through the nuclear pores; the gradient is maintained by the continual aggregation of ferritin within the nucleus. Intranuclear ferritin may provide a source of iron for catalyzing hydroxyl radical formation in nuclei during some toxic, carcinogenic and aging processes.« less

  2. Salivary proline-rich protein may reduce tannin-iron chelation: a systematic narrative review.

    PubMed

    Delimont, Nicole M; Rosenkranz, Sara K; Haub, Mark D; Lindshield, Brian L

    2017-01-01

    Tannins are often cited for antinutritional effects, including chelation of non-heme iron. Despite this, studies exploring non-heme iron bioavailability inhibition with long-term consumption have reported mixed results. Salivary proline-rich proteins (PRPs) may mediate tannin-antinutritional effects on non-heme iron bioavailability. To review evidence regarding biochemical binding mechanisms and affinity states between PRPs and tannins, as well as effects of PRPs on non-heme iron bioavailability with tannin consumption in vivo. Narrative systematic review and meta-analysis. Common themes in biochemical modeling and affinity studies were collated for summary and synthesis; data were extracted from in vivo experiments for meta-analysis. Thirty-two studies were included in analysis. Common themes that positively influenced tannin-PRP binding included specificity of tannin-PRP binding, PRP and tannin stereochemistry. Hydrolyzable tannins have different affinities than condensed tannins when binding to PRPs. In vivo, hepatic iron stores and non-heme iron absorption are not significantly affected by tannin consumption ( d  = -0.64-1.84; -2.7-0.13 respectively), and PRP expression may increase non-heme iron bioavailability with tannin consumption. In vitro modeling suggests that tannins favor PRP binding over iron chelation throughout digestion. Hydrolyzable tannins are not representative of tannin impact on non-heme iron bioavailability in food tannins because of their unique structural properties and PRP affinities. With tannin consumption, PRP production is increased, and may be an initial line of defense against tannin-non-heme iron chelation in vivo . More research is needed to compare competitive binding of tannin-PRP to tannin-non-heme iron complexes, and elucidate PRPs' role in adaption to non-heme iron bioavailability in vivo.

  3. Iron oxide surfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Parkinson, Gareth S.

    2016-03-01

    known with a high degree of precision and the major defects and properties are well characterised. A major factor in this is that a termination at the Feoct-O plane can be reproducibly prepared by a variety of methods, as long as the surface is annealed in 10-7-10-5 mbar O2 in the final stage of preparation. Such straightforward preparation of a monophase termination is generally not the case for iron oxide surfaces. All available evidence suggests the oft-studied (√2×√2)R45° reconstruction results from a rearrangement of the cation lattice in the outermost unit cell in which two octahedral cations are replaced by one tetrahedral interstitial, a motif conceptually similar to well-known Koch-Cohen defects in Fe1-xO. The cation deficiency results in Fe11O16 stoichiometry, which is in line with the chemical potential in ultra-high vacuum (UHV), which is close to the border between the Fe3O4 and Fe2O3 phases. The Fe3O4(111) surface is also much studied, but two different surface terminations exist close in energy and can coexist, which makes sample preparation and data interpretation somewhat tricky. Both the Fe3O4(100) and Fe3O4(111) surfaces exhibit Fe-rich terminations as the sample selvedge becomes reduced. The Fe3O4(110) surface forms a one-dimensional (1×3) reconstruction linked to nanofaceting, which exposes the more stable Fe3O4(111) surface. α-Fe2O3(0001) is the most studied haematite surface, but difficulties preparing stoichiometric surfaces under UHV conditions have hampered a definitive determination of the structure. There is evidence for at least three terminations: a bulk-like termination at the oxygen plane, a termination with half of the cation layer, and a termination with ferryl groups. When the surface is reduced the so-called "bi-phase" structure is formed, which eventually transforms to a Fe3O4(111)-like termination. The structure of the bi-phase surface is controversial; a largely accepted model of coexisting Fe1-xO and α-Fe2O3(0001) islands

  4. Disruption of the Hepcidin/Ferroportin Regulatory System Causes Pulmonary Iron Overload and Restrictive Lung Disease.

    PubMed

    Neves, Joana; Leitz, Dominik; Kraut, Simone; Brandenberger, Christina; Agrawal, Raman; Weissmann, Norbert; Mühlfeld, Christian; Mall, Marcus A; Altamura, Sandro; Muckenthaler, Martina U

    2017-06-01

    Emerging evidence suggests that pulmonary iron accumulation is implicated in a spectrum of chronic lung diseases. However, the mechanism(s) involved in pulmonary iron deposition and its role in the in vivo pathogenesis of lung diseases remains unknown. Here we show that a point mutation in the murine ferroportin gene, which causes hereditary hemochromatosis type 4 (Slc40a1 C326S ), increases iron levels in alveolar macrophages, epithelial cells lining the conducting airways and lung parenchyma, and in vascular smooth muscle cells. Pulmonary iron overload is associated with oxidative stress, restrictive lung disease with decreased total lung capacity and reduced blood oxygen saturation in homozygous Slc40a1 C326S/C326S mice compared to wild-type controls. These findings implicate iron in lung pathology, which is so far not considered a classical iron-related disorder. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Pituitary iron and volume predict hypogonadism in transfusional iron overload.

    PubMed

    Noetzli, Leila J; Panigrahy, Ashok; Mittelman, Steven D; Hyderi, Aleya; Dongelyan, Ani; Coates, Thomas D; Wood, John C

    2012-02-01

    Hypogonadism is the most common morbidity in patients with transfusion-dependent anemias such as thalassemia major. We used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure pituitary R2 (iron) and volume to determine at what age these patients develop pituitary iron overload and volume loss. We recruited 56 patients (47 with thalassemia major, five with chronically transfused thalassemia intermedia and four with Blackfan-Diamond syndrome) to have pituitary MRIs to measure pituitary R2 and volume. Hypogonadism was defined clinically based on the timing of secondary sexual characteristics or the need for sex hormone replacement therapy. Patients with transfusional iron overload begin to develop pituitary iron overload in the first decade of life; however, clinically significant volume loss was not observed until the second decade of life. Severe pituitary iron deposition (Z > 5) and volume loss (Z < -2.5) were independently predictive of hypogonadism. Pituitary R2 correlated significantly with serum ferritin as well as liver, pancreatic, and cardiac iron deposition by MRI. Log pancreas R2* was the best single predictor for pituitary iron, with an area under the receiving operator characteristic curve of 0.88, but log cardiac R2* and ferritin were retained on multivariate regression with a combined r(2) of 0.71. Pituitary iron overload and volume loss were independently predictive of hypogonadism. Many patients with moderate-to-severe pituitary iron overload retained normal gland volume and function, representing a potential therapeutic window. The subset of hypogonadal patients having preserved gland volumes may also explain improvements in pituitary function observed following intensive chelation therapy. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Advanced interatrial block predicts new-onset atrial fibrillation and ischemic stroke in patients with heart failure: The "Bayes' Syndrome-HF" study.

    PubMed

    Escobar-Robledo, Luis Alberto; Bayés-de-Luna, Antoni; Lupón, Josep; Baranchuk, Adrian; Moliner, Pedro; Martínez-Sellés, Manuel; Zamora, Elisabet; de Antonio, Marta; Domingo, Mar; Cediel, Germán; Núñez, Julio; Santiago-Vacas, Evelyn; Bayés-Genís, Antoni

    2018-05-18

    Advanced interatrial block (IAB) is characterized by a prolonged (≥120 ms) and bimodal P wave in the inferior leads. The association between advanced IAB and atrial fibrillation (AF) is known as "Bayes' Syndrome", and there is scarce information about it in heart failure (HF). We examined the prevalence of IAB and whether advanced IAB could predict new-onset AF and/or stroke in HF patients. The prospective observational "Bayes' Syndrome-HF" study included consecutive outpatients with chronic HF. The primary endpoints were new-onset AF, ischemic stroke, and the composite of both. A secondary endpoint included all-cause death alone or in combination with the primary endpoint. Comprehensive multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed. Among 1050 consecutive patients, 536 (51.0%) were in sinus rhythm, 464 with a measurable P wave are the focus of this study. Two-hundred and sixty patients (56.0%) had normal atrial conduction, 95 (20.5%) partial IAB, and 109 (23.5%) advanced IAB. During a mean follow-up of 4.5 ± 2.1 years, 235 patients experienced all-cause death, new-onset AF, or stroke. In multivariable comprehensive Cox regression analyses, advanced IAB was associated with new-onset AF (HR 2.71 [1.61-4.56], P < 0.001), ischemic stroke (HR 3.02 [1.07-8.53], P = 0.04), and the composite of both (HR 2.42 [1.41-4.15], P < 0.001). In patients with HF advanced IAB predicts new-onset AF and ischemic stroke. Future studies must assess whether anticoagulant treatment in Bayes' Syndrome leads to better outcomes in HF. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. A Strain of Bacillus sphaericus Causes Slower Development of Resistance in Culex quinquefasciatus

    PubMed Central

    Pei, Guofeng; Oliveira, Cláudia M. F.; Yuan, Zhiming; Nielsen-LeRoux, Christina; Silva-Filha, Maria Helena; Yan, Jianpin; Regis, Lêda

    2002-01-01

    Two field-collected Culex quinquefasciatus colonies were subjected to selection pressure by three strains of Bacillus sphaericus, C3-41, 2362, and IAB59, under laboratory conditions. After 13 and 18 generations of exposure to high concentrations of C3-41 and IAB59, a field-collected low-level-resistant colony developed >144,000- and 46.3-fold resistance to strains C3-41 and IAB59, respectively. A field-collected susceptible colony was selected with 2362 and IAB59 for 46 and 12 generations and attained >162,000- and 5.7-fold resistance to the two agents, respectively. The pattern of resistance evolution in mosquitoes depended on continuous selection pressure, and the stronger the selection pressure, the more quickly resistance developed. The resistant colonies obtained after selection with B. sphaericus C3-41 and 2362 showed very high levels of cross-resistance to B. sphaericus 2362 and C3-41, respectively, but they displayed only low-level cross-resistance to IAB59. On the other hand, the IAB59-selected colonies had high cross-resistance to both strains C3-41 and 2362. Additionally, the slower evolution of resistance against strain IAB59 may be explained by the presence of another larvicidal factor. This is in agreement with the nontoxicity of the cloned and purified binary toxin (Bin1) of IAB59 for 2362-resistant larvae. We also verified that all the B. sphaericus-selected colonies showed no cross-resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis, suggesting that it would be a promising alternative in managing resistance to B. sphaericus in C. quinquefasciatus larvae. PMID:12039761

  8. Iron homeostasis in the liver

    PubMed Central

    Anderson, Erik R; Shah, Yatrik M

    2014-01-01

    Iron is an essential nutrient that is tightly regulated. A principal function of the liver is the regulation of iron homeostasis. The liver senses changes in systemic iron requirements and can regulate iron concentrations in a robust and rapid manner. The last 10 years have led to the discovery of several regulatory mechanisms in the liver which control the production of iron regulatory genes, storage capacity, and iron mobilization. Dysregulation of these functions leads to an imbalance of iron, which is the primary causes of iron-related disorders. Anemia and iron overload are two of the most prevalent disorders worldwide and affect over a billion people. Several mutations in liver-derived genes have been identified, demonstrating the central role of the liver in iron homeostasis. During conditions of excess iron, the liver increases iron storage and protects other tissues, namely the heart and pancreas from iron-induced cellular damage. However, a chronic increase in liver iron stores results in excess reactive oxygen species production and liver injury. Excess liver iron is one of the major mechanisms leading to increased steatohepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. PMID:23720289

  9. Mechanisms of mammalian iron homeostasis

    PubMed Central

    Pantopoulos, Kostas; Porwal, Suheel Kumar; Tartakoff, Alan; Devireddy, L.

    2012-01-01

    Iron is vital for almost all organisms because of its ability to donate and accept electrons with relative ease. It serves as a cofactor for many proteins and enzymes necessary for oxygen and energy metabolism, as well as for several other essential processes. Mammalian cells utilize multiple mechanisms to acquire iron. Disruption of iron homeostasis is associated with various human diseases: iron deficiency resulting from defects in acquisition or distribution of the metal causes anemia; whereas iron surfeit resulting from excessive iron absorption or defective utilization causes abnormal tissue iron deposition, leading to oxidative damage. Mammals utilize distinct mechanisms to regulate iron homeostasis at the systemic and cellular levels. These involve the hormone hepcidin and iron regulatory proteins, which collectively ensure iron balance. This review outlines recent advances in iron regulatory pathways, as well as in mechanisms underlying intracellular iron trafficking, an important but less-studied area of mammalian iron homeostasis. PMID:22703180

  10. Regulation of cellular iron metabolism

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Jian; Pantopoulos, Kostas

    2011-01-01

    Iron is an essential but potentially hazardous biometal. Mammalian cells require sufficient amounts of iron to satisfy metabolic needs or to accomplish specialized functions. Iron is delivered to tissues by circulating transferrin, a transporter that captures iron released into the plasma mainly from intestinal enterocytes or reticuloendothelial macrophages. The binding of iron-laden transferrin to the cell-surface transferrin receptor 1 results in endocytosis and uptake of the metal cargo. Internalized iron is transported to mitochondria for the synthesis of haem or iron–sulfur clusters, which are integral parts of several metalloproteins, and excess iron is stored and detoxified in cytosolic ferritin. Iron metabolism is controlled at different levels and by diverse mechanisms. The present review summarizes basic concepts of iron transport, use and storage and focuses on the IRE (iron-responsive element)/IRP (iron-regulatory protein) system, a well known post-transcriptional regulatory circuit that not only maintains iron homoeostasis in various cell types, but also contributes to systemic iron balance. PMID:21348856

  11. Iron Biology, Immunology, Aging, and Obesity: Four Fields Connected by the Small Peptide Hormone Hepcidin12

    PubMed Central

    Dao, Maria Carlota; Meydani, Simin Nikbin

    2013-01-01

    Iron status and immune response become impaired in situations that involve chronic inflammation, such as obesity or aging. Little is known, however, about the additional burden that obesity may place on the iron status and immune response in the elderly. This question is relevant given the rising numbers of elderly obese (BMI >30 kg/m2) individuals and the high prevalence of iron deficiency worldwide. Iron is necessary for proper function of both the innate and adaptive immune system. Hepcidin, a peptide hormone that regulates cellular iron export, is essential for the maintenance of iron homeostasis. Therefore, since immune cells require iron for proper function hepcidin may also play an important role in immune response. In this review, we summarize the evidence for hepcidin as a link between the fields of gerontology, obesity, iron biology, and immunology. We also identify several gaps in knowledge and unanswered questions pertaining to iron homeostasis and immunity in obese populations. Finally, we review studies that have shown the impact of weight loss, focusing on calorie restriction, iron homeostasis, and immunity. These studies are important both in elucidating mechanistic links between obesity and health impairments and identifying possible approaches to target immune impairment and iron deficiency as comorbidities of obesity. PMID:24228190

  12. Cellular iron transport.

    PubMed

    Garrick, Michael D; Garrick, Laura M

    2009-05-01

    Iron has a split personality as an essential nutrient that also has the potential to generate reactive oxygen species. We discuss how different cell types within specific tissues manage this schizophrenia. The emphasis in enterocytes is on regulating the body's supply of iron by regulating transport into the blood stream. In developing red blood cells, adaptations in transport manage the body's highest flux of iron. Hepatocytes buffer the body's stock of iron. Macrophage recycle the iron from effete red cells among other iron management tasks. Pneumocytes provide a barrier to prevent illicit entry that, when at risk of breaching, leads to a need to handle the dangers in a fashion essentially shared with macrophage. We also discuss or introduce cell types including renal cells, neurons, other brain cells, and more where our ignorance, currently still vast, needs to be removed by future research.

  13. Debye–Waller coefficient of heavily deformed nanocrystalline iron

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Scardi, P.; Rebuffi, L.; Abdellatief, M.

    2017-02-17

    Synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns from an extensively ball-milled iron alloy powder were collected at 100, 200 and 300 K. The results were analysed together with those using extended X-ray absorption fine structure, measured on the same sample at liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K) and at room temperature (300 K), to assess the contribution of static disorder to the Debye–Waller coefficient (B iso). Both techniques give an increase of ~20% with respect to bulk reference iron, a noticeably smaller difference than reported by most of the literature for similar systems. Besides good quality XRD patterns, proper consideration of themore » temperature diffuse scattering seems to be the key to accurate values of the Debye–Waller coefficient. Molecular dynamics simulations of nanocrystalline iron aggregates, mapped on the evidence provided by XRD in terms of domain size distribution, shed light on the origin of the observedB isoincrease. The main contribution to the static disorder is given by the grain boundary, while line and point defects have a much smaller effect.« less

  14. High-dose intravenously administered iron versus orally administered iron in blood donors with iron deficiency: study protocol for a randomised, controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Macher, Susanne; Drexler, Camilla; Lindenau, Ines; Sareban, Nazanin; Schlenke, Peter; Amrein, Karin

    2016-10-28

    About 2-3 % of the population participates in blood donation programmes. Each whole blood donation or ten apheresis donations cause a loss of 200-250 mg of iron. As a result, one of the most common risks of regular blood donors is iron deficiency. Although this has been known for decades, in most countries, iron status is currently not assessed or treated in this population. Premenopausal women are particularly affected, as they have lower iron reserves and higher daily requirements. Besides anaemia, iron deficiency may lead to fatigue and impaired cognitive and physical performance. Current iron preparations for intravenous administration are well tolerated and allow for application of large doses up to 1 g in one visit. Our hypothesis is that in blood donors with iron deficiency, intravenously administered iron is more efficient and as safe as oral iron supplementation. Since anaemia is one of the most frequent reasons for permanent or intermittent donor deferral, maintaining an iron-replete donor pool may help to prevent shortages in blood supply and to avoid iron deficiency-related comorbidities. In this randomised clinical trial we include male and female blood donors aged ≥18 and ≤65 years with a ferritin value of ≤30 ng/ml. Stratified by gender, participants are randomized with a web-based randomisation tool in a 1:1 ratio to either 1 g of intravenously administered ferric carboxymaltose or 10 g of iron fumarate supplements at one to two daily doses of 100 mg each. Eight to 12 weeks after the first visit, iron status, blood count and symptoms are assessed in both groups. The primary endpoint is the difference in transferrin saturation (%) following the intervention between both groups. Secondary endpoints include other parameters of iron metabolism and red blood cell count, the number of patients with drug-related adverse events, and subjective symptoms including those of the restless legs syndrome, quality of life, and fatigue. Iron

  15. Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation: update on pathogenic mechanisms

    PubMed Central

    Levi, Sonia; Finazzi, Dario

    2014-01-01

    Perturbation of iron distribution is observed in many neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, but the comprehension of the metal role in the development and progression of such disorders is still very limited. The combination of more powerful brain imaging techniques and faster genomic DNA sequencing procedures has allowed the description of a set of genetic disorders characterized by a constant and often early accumulation of iron in specific brain regions and the identification of the associated genes; these disorders are now collectively included in the category of neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA). So far 10 different genetic forms have been described but this number is likely to increase in short time. Two forms are linked to mutations in genes directly involved in iron metabolism: neuroferritinopathy, associated to mutations in the FTL gene and aceruloplasminemia, where the ceruloplasmin gene product is defective. In the other forms the connection with iron metabolism is not evident at all and the genetic data let infer the involvement of other pathways: Pank2, Pla2G6, C19orf12, COASY, and FA2H genes seem to be related to lipid metabolism and to mitochondria functioning, WDR45 and ATP13A2 genes are implicated in lysosomal and autophagosome activity, while the C2orf37 gene encodes a nucleolar protein of unknown function. There is much hope in the scientific community that the study of the NBIA forms may provide important insight as to the link between brain iron metabolism and neurodegenerative mechanisms and eventually pave the way for new therapeutic avenues also for the more common neurodegenerative disorders. In this work, we will review the most recent findings in the molecular mechanisms underlining the most common forms of NBIA and analyze their possible link with brain iron metabolism. PMID:24847269

  16. Curcumin and Turmeric Modulate the Tumor-Promoting Effects of Iron In Vitro.

    PubMed

    Messner, Donald J; Robinson, Todd; Kowdley, Kris V

    2017-04-01

    Free or loosely chelated iron has tumor-promoting properties in vitro. Curcumin, a polyphenol derived from the food spice turmeric (Curcuma longa), is a potent antioxidant that binds iron. The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether curcuminoids prevent tumor-promoting effects of iron in T51B cells, a non-neoplastic rat liver epithelial cell line. Purified curcuminoids (curcumin) or a standardized turmeric extract similarly reduced oxidative stress and cytotoxicity associated with iron overload (IC 50 values near 10 μM, P < 0.05). Inhibition of iron-induced tumor promotion (seen upon treatment with 200 μM ferric ammonium citrate ± curcumin/turmeric for 16 wk in culture; subsequently assayed by soft agar colony formation) was nearly complete at 20 μM of total curcuminoids (P < 0.05), a concentration predicted to only partially chelate the added iron. Surprisingly, lower curcumin concentrations (10 μM) increased tumor promotion (P < 0.01). Curcuminoids delivered as a standardized turmeric extract were taken up better by cells, had a longer half-life, and appeared more effective in blocking tumor promotion (P < 0.01), suggesting enhanced curcuminoid delivery to cells in culture. The primary finding that curcuminoids can inhibit tumor promotion caused by iron in T51B cells is tempered by evidence for an underlying increase in neoplastic transformation at lower concentrations.

  17. Curcumin and Turmeric Modulate the Tumor-Promoting Effects of Iron In Vitro

    PubMed Central

    Messner, Donald J.; Robinson, Todd; Kowdley, Kris V.

    2018-01-01

    Free or loosely chelated iron has tumor-promoting properties in vitro. Curcumin, a polyphenol derived from the food spice turmeric (Curcuma longa), is a potent antioxidant that binds iron. The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether curcuminoids prevent tumor-promoting effects of iron in T51B cells, a non-neoplastic rat liver epithelial cell line. Purified curcuminoids (curcumin) or a standardized turmeric extract similarly reduced oxidative stress and cytotoxicity associated with iron overload (IC50 values near 10 μM, P < 0.05). Inhibition of iron-induced tumor promotion (seen upon treatment with 200 μM ferric ammonium citrate ± curcumin/turmeric for 16 wk in culture; subsequently assayed by soft agar colony formation) was nearly complete at 20 μM of total curcuminoids (P < 0.05), a concentration predicted to only partially chelate the added iron. Surprisingly, lower curcumin concentrations (10 μM) increased tumor promotion (P < 0.01). Curcuminoids delivered as a standardized turmeric extract were taken up better by cells, had a longer half-life, and appeared more effective in blocking tumor promotion (P < 0.01), suggesting enhanced curcuminoid delivery to cells in culture. The primary finding that curcuminoids can inhibit tumor promotion caused by iron in T51B cells is tempered by evidence for an underlying increase in neoplastic transformation at lower concentrations. PMID:28129008

  18. New perspectives on the regulation of iron absorption via cellular zinc concentrations in humans.

    PubMed

    Knez, Marija; Graham, Robin D; Welch, Ross M; Stangoulis, James C R

    2017-07-03

    Iron deficiency is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency, affecting more than 30% of the total world's population. It is a major public health problem in many countries around the world. Over the years various methods have been used with an effort to try and control iron-deficiency anemia. However, there has only been a marginal reduction in the global prevalence of anemia. Why is this so? Iron and zinc are essential trace elements for humans. These metals influence the transport and absorption of one another across the enterocytes and hepatocytes, due to similar ionic properties. This paper describes the structure and roles of major iron and zinc transport proteins, clarifies iron-zinc interactions at these sites, and provides a model for the mechanism of these interactions both at the local and systemic level. This review provides evidence that much of the massive extent of iron deficiency anemia in the world may be due to an underlying deficiency of zinc. It explains the reasons for predominance of cellular zinc status in determination of iron/zinc interactions and for the first time thoroughly explains mechanisms by which zinc brings about these changes.

  19. In vitro evaluation of iron solubility and dialyzability of various iron fortificants and of iron-fortified milk products targeted for infants and toddlers.

    PubMed

    Kapsokefalou, Maria; Alexandropoulou, Isidora; Komaitis, Michail; Politis, Ioannis

    2005-06-01

    The objectives of the present study were: to compare the solubility and dialyzability of various iron fortificants (iron pyrophosphate, ferrous bis-glycinate, ferrous gluconate, ferrous lactate, ferrous sulfate) added, in the presence of ascorbic acid, to pasteurized milk samples produced under laboratory conditions; and to compare the solubility and dialyzability of iron in commercial pasteurized, UHT and condensed milk products available in the Greek market fortified with various vitamins and minerals including iron and targeted towards infants (6-12 months old) and toddlers. Iron solubility and dialyzability were determined using a simulated gastrointestinal digestive system. Ferrous dialyzable iron (molecular weight lower than 8000) was used as an index for prediction of iron bioavailability. Ferrous dialyzable iron in pasteurized milk samples fortified with iron pyrophosphate, ferrous lactate and ferrous bis-glycinate was higher (P < 0.05) than that in milk samples fortified with ferrous sulfate and ferrous gluconate. In commercial liquid pasteurized or UHT milk products, formation of ferrous dialyzable iron in products fortified with ferrous lactate was not different (P > 0.05) from those fortified with ferrous sulfate. Ferrous dialyzable iron in four condensed commercial milk products was higher (P < 0.05) than the corresponding values of the liquid UHT milk samples fortified with the same fortificant (ferrous sulfate). Ferrous dialyzable iron was higher (P < 0.05) in products targeted for infants compared with those targeted for toddlers. In conclusion, the type of iron source, milk processing and the overall product composition affect formation of ferrous dialyzable iron and may determine the success and effectiveness of iron fortification of milk.

  20. Management of transfusional iron overload - differential properties and efficacy of iron chelating agents.

    PubMed

    Kwiatkowski, Janet L

    2011-01-01

    Regular red cell transfusion therapy ameliorates disease-related morbidity and can be lifesaving in patients with various hematological disorders. Transfusion therapy, however, causes progressive iron loading, which, if untreated, results in endocrinopathies, cardiac arrhythmias and congestive heart failure, hepatic fibrosis, and premature death. Iron chelation therapy is used to prevent iron loading, remove excess accumulated iron, detoxify iron, and reverse some of the iron-related complications. Three chelators have undergone extensive testing to date: deferoxamine, deferasirox, and deferiprone (although the latter drug is not currently licensed for use in North America where it is available only through compassionate use programs and research protocols). These chelators differ in their modes of administration, pharmacokinetics, efficacy with regard to organ-specific iron removal, and adverse-effect profiles. These differential properties influence acceptability, tolerability and adherence to therapy, and, ultimately, the effectiveness of treatment. Chelation therapy, therefore, must be individualized, taking into account patient preferences, toxicities, ongoing transfusional iron intake, and the degree of cardiac and hepatic iron loading.

  1. Soybean Ferritin Expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Modulates Iron Accumulation and Resistance to Elevated Iron Concentrations

    PubMed Central

    de Llanos, Rosa; Martínez-Garay, Carlos Andrés; Fita-Torró, Josep; Romero, Antonia María; Martínez-Pastor, María Teresa

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Fungi, including the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, lack ferritin and use vacuoles as iron storage organelles. This work explored how plant ferritin expression influenced baker's yeast iron metabolism. Soybean seed ferritin H1 (SFerH1) and SFerH2 genes were cloned and expressed in yeast cells. Both soybean ferritins assembled as multimeric complexes, which bound yeast intracellular iron in vivo and, consequently, induced the activation of the genes expressed during iron scarcity. Soybean ferritin protected yeast cells that lacked the Ccc1 vacuolar iron detoxification transporter from toxic iron levels by reducing cellular oxidation, thus allowing growth at high iron concentrations. Interestingly, when simultaneously expressed in ccc1Δ cells, SFerH1 and SFerH2 assembled as heteropolymers, which further increased iron resistance and reduced the oxidative stress produced by excess iron compared to ferritin homopolymer complexes. Finally, soybean ferritin expression led to increased iron accumulation in both wild-type and ccc1Δ yeast cells at certain environmental iron concentrations. IMPORTANCE Iron deficiency is a worldwide nutritional disorder to which women and children are especially vulnerable. A common strategy to combat iron deficiency consists of dietary supplementation with inorganic iron salts, whose bioavailability is very low. Iron-enriched yeasts and cereals are alternative strategies to diminish iron deficiency. Animals and plants possess large ferritin complexes that accumulate, detoxify, or buffer excess cellular iron. However, the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae lacks ferritin and uses vacuoles as iron storage organelles. Here, we explored how soybean ferritin expression influenced yeast iron metabolism, confirming that yeasts that express soybean seed ferritin could be explored as a novel strategy to increase dietary iron absorption. PMID:26969708

  2. OPT3 Is a Phloem-Specific Iron Transporter That Is Essential for Systemic Iron Signaling and Redistribution of Iron and Cadmium in Arabidopsis.

    PubMed

    Zhai, Zhiyang; Gayomba, Sheena R; Jung, Ha-Il; Vimalakumari, Nanditha K; Piñeros, Miguel; Craft, Eric; Rutzke, Michael A; Danku, John; Lahner, Brett; Punshon, Tracy; Guerinot, Mary Lou; Salt, David E; Kochian, Leon V; Vatamaniuk, Olena K

    2014-05-01

    Iron is essential for both plant growth and human health and nutrition. Knowledge of the signaling mechanisms that communicate iron demand from shoots to roots to regulate iron uptake as well as the transport systems mediating iron partitioning into edible plant tissues is critical for the development of crop biofortification strategies. Here, we report that OPT3, previously classified as an oligopeptide transporter, is a plasma membrane transporter capable of transporting transition ions in vitro. Studies in Arabidopsis thaliana show that OPT3 loads iron into the phloem, facilitates iron recirculation from the xylem to the phloem, and regulates both shoot-to-root iron signaling and iron redistribution from mature to developing tissues. We also uncovered an aspect of crosstalk between iron homeostasis and cadmium partitioning that is mediated by OPT3. Together, these discoveries provide promising avenues for targeted strategies directed at increasing iron while decreasing cadmium density in the edible portions of crops and improving agricultural productivity in iron deficient soils. © 2014 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved.

  3. [Growth characteristics and control of iron bacteria on cast iron in drinking water distribution systems].

    PubMed

    Wang, Yang; Zhang, Xiao-Jian; Chen, Yu-Qiao; Lu, Pin-Pin; Chen, Chao

    2009-11-01

    This study investigated the growth characteristics of iron bacteria on cast iron and relationship between suspended and attached iron bacteria. The steady-state growth of iron bacteria would need 12 d and iron bacteria level in effluents increased 1 lg. Hydraulics influence on iron bacteria level and detachment rate of steady-state attached iron bacteria was not significant. But it could affect the time of attached iron bacteria on cast-iron coupons reaching to steady state. When the chlorine residual was 0.3 mg/L, the iron bacteria growth could be controlled effectively and suspended and attached iron bacteria levels both decreased 1 lg. When the chlorine residual was more than 1.0 mg/L, it could not inactivate the iron bacteria of internal corrosion scale yet. There was little effect on inhibiting the iron bacteria growth that the chlorine residual was 0.05 mg/L in drinking water quality standard of China. The iron bacteria on coupons reached to steady state without disinfectant and then increased the chlorine residual to 1.25 mg/L, the attached iron bacteria level could decrease 2 lg to 3 lg. Under steady-state, the suspended iron bacteria levels were linearly dependent on the attached iron bacteria. The control of iron bacteria in drinking water distribution systems was advanced: maintaining the chlorine residual (0.3 mg/L), flushing the pipeline with high dosage disinfectant, adopting corrosion-resistant pipe materials and renovating the old pipe loop.

  4. Iron Catalyzed Hydroformylation of Alkenes under Mild Conditions: Evidence of an Fe(II) Catalyzed Process.

    PubMed

    Pandey, Swechchha; Raj, K Vipin; Shinde, Dinesh R; Vanka, Kumar; Kashyap, Varchaswal; Kurungot, Sreekumar; Vinod, C P; Chikkali, Samir H

    2018-03-28

    Earth abundant, first row transition metals offer a cheap and sustainable alternative to the rare and precious metals. However, utilization of first row metals in catalysis requires harsh reaction conditions, suffers from limited activity, and fails to tolerate functional groups. Reported here is a highly efficient iron catalyzed hydroformylation of alkenes under mild conditions. This protocol operates at 10-30 bar syngas pressure below 100 °C, utilizes readily available ligands, and applies to an array of olefins. Thus, the iron precursor [HFe(CO) 4 ] - [Ph 3 PNPPh 3 ] + (1) in the presence of triphenyl phosphine catalyzes the hydroformylation of 1-hexene (S2), 1-octene (S1), 1-decene (S3), 1-dodecene (S4), 1-octadecene (S5), trimethoxy(vinyl)silane (S6), trimethyl(vinyl)silane (S7), cardanol (S8), 2,3-dihydrofuran (S9), allyl malonic acid (S10), styrene (S11), 4-methylstyrene (S12), 4- iBu-styrene (S13), 4- tBu-styrene (S14), 4-methoxy styrene (S15), 4-acetoxy styrene (S16), 4-bromo styrene (S17), 4-chloro styrene (S18), 4-vinylbenzonitrile (S19), 4-vinylbenzoic acid (S20), and allyl benzene (S21) to corresponding aldehydes in good to excellent yields. Both electron donating and electron withdrawing substituents could be tolerated and excellent conversions were obtained for S11-S20. Remarkably, the addition of 1 mol % acetic acid promotes the reaction to completion within 16-24 h. Detailed mechanistic investigations revealed in situ formation of an iron-dihydride complex [H 2 Fe(CO) 2 (PPh 3 ) 2 ] (A) as an active catalytic species. This finding was further supported by cyclic voltammetry investigations and intermediacy of an Fe(0)-Fe(II) species was established. Combined experimental and computational investigations support the existence of an iron-dihydride as the catalyst resting state, which then follows a Fe(II) based catalytic cycle to produce aldehyde.

  5. Prion Protein Promotes Kidney Iron Uptake via Its Ferrireductase Activity*

    PubMed Central

    Haldar, Swati; Tripathi, Ajai; Qian, Juan; Beserra, Amber; Suda, Srinivas; McElwee, Matthew; Turner, Jerrold; Hopfer, Ulrich; Singh, Neena

    2015-01-01

    Brain iron-dyshomeostasis is an important cause of neurotoxicity in prion disorders, a group of neurodegenerative conditions associated with the conversion of prion protein (PrPC) from its normal conformation to an aggregated, PrP-scrapie (PrPSc) isoform. Alteration of iron homeostasis is believed to result from impaired function of PrPC in neuronal iron uptake via its ferrireductase activity. However, unequivocal evidence supporting the ferrireductase activity of PrPC is lacking. Kidney provides a relevant model for this evaluation because PrPC is expressed in the kidney, and ∼370 μg of iron are reabsorbed daily from the glomerular filtrate by kidney proximal tubule cells (PT), requiring ferrireductase activity. Here, we report that PrPC promotes the uptake of transferrin (Tf) and non-Tf-bound iron (NTBI) by the kidney in vivo and mainly NTBI by PT cells in vitro. Thus, uptake of 59Fe administered by gastric gavage, intravenously, or intraperitoneally was significantly lower in PrP-knock-out (PrP−/−) mouse kidney relative to PrP+/+ controls. Selective in vivo radiolabeling of plasma NTBI with 59Fe revealed similar results. Expression of exogenous PrPC in immortalized PT cells showed localization on the plasma membrane and intracellular vesicles and increased transepithelial transport of 59Fe-NTBI and to a smaller extent 59Fe-Tf from the apical to the basolateral domain. Notably, the ferrireductase-deficient mutant of PrP (PrPΔ51–89) lacked this activity. Furthermore, excess NTBI and hemin caused aggregation of PrPC to a detergent-insoluble form, limiting iron uptake. Together, these observations suggest that PrPC promotes retrieval of iron from the glomerular filtrate via its ferrireductase activity and modulates kidney iron metabolism. PMID:25572394

  6. Chemical classification of iron meteorites. XI - Multi-element studies of 38 new irons and the high abundance of ungrouped irons from Antarctica

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wasson, John T.; Ouyang, Xinwei; Wang, Jianmin; Jerde, Eric

    1989-01-01

    Concentrations of 14 elements in the metal of 38 iron meteorites and a pallasite are reported. Three samples are paired with previously classified irons, raising the number of well-classified, independent iron meteorites to 598. Several of the new irons are from Antarctica. Of 24 independent irons from Antarctica, eight are ungrouped, a much higher fraction than that among all classified irons. The difference is probably related to the fact that the median mass of Antarctic irons is about two orders of magnitude smaller than that of non-Antarctic irons. Smaller meteoroids may tend to sample a larger number of asteroidal source regions, perhaps because small meteoroids tend to have higher ejection velocities or because they have random-walked a greater increment of orbital semimajor axis away from that of the parent body.

  7. Iron Absorption in Drosophila melanogaster

    PubMed Central

    Mandilaras, Konstantinos; Pathmanathan, Tharse; Missirlis, Fanis

    2013-01-01

    The way in which Drosophila melanogaster acquires iron from the diet remains poorly understood despite iron absorption being of vital significance for larval growth. To describe the process of organismal iron absorption, consideration needs to be given to cellular iron import, storage, export and how intestinal epithelial cells sense and respond to iron availability. Here we review studies on the Divalent Metal Transporter-1 homolog Malvolio (iron import), the recent discovery that Multicopper Oxidase-1 has ferroxidase activity (iron export) and the role of ferritin in the process of iron acquisition (iron storage). We also describe what is known about iron regulation in insect cells. We then draw upon knowledge from mammalian iron homeostasis to identify candidate genes in flies. Questions arise from the lack of conservation in Drosophila for key mammalian players, such as ferroportin, hepcidin and all the components of the hemochromatosis-related pathway. Drosophila and other insects also lack erythropoiesis. Thus, systemic iron regulation is likely to be conveyed by different signaling pathways and tissue requirements. The significance of regulating intestinal iron uptake is inferred from reports linking Drosophila developmental, immune, heat-shock and behavioral responses to iron sequestration. PMID:23686013

  8. X-ray structure of the metcyano form of dehaloperoxidase from Amphitrite ornata: evidence for photoreductive dissociation of the iron-cyanide bond

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    de Serrano, V.S.; Davis, M.F.; Gaff, J.F.

    X-ray crystal structures of the metcyano form of dehaloperoxidase-hemoglobin (DHP A) from Amphitrite ornata (DHPCN) and the C73S mutant of DHP A (C73SCN) were determined using synchrotron radiation in order to further investigate the geometry of diatomic ligands coordinated to the heme iron. The DHPCN structure was also determined using a rotating-anode source. The structures show evidence of photoreduction of the iron accompanied by dissociation of bound cyanide ion (CN{sup -}) that depend on the intensity of the X-ray radiation and the exposure time. The electron density is consistent with diatomic molecules located in two sites in the distal pocketmore » of DHPCN. However, the identities of the diatomic ligands at these two sites are not uniquely determined by the electron-density map. Consequently, density functional theory calculations were conducted in order to determine whether the bond lengths, angles and dissociation energies are consistent with bound CN{sup -} or O{sub 2} in the iron-bound site. In addition, molecular-dynamics simulations were carried out in order to determine whether the dynamics are consistent with trapped CN{sup -} or O{sub 2} in the second site of the distal pocket. Based on these calculations and comparison with a previously determined X-ray crystal structure of the C73S-O{sub 2} form of DHP [de Serrano et al. (2007), Acta Cryst. D63, 1094-1101], it is concluded that CN{sup -} is gradually replaced by O{sub 2} as crystalline DHP is photoreduced at 100 K. The ease of photoreduction of DHP A is consistent with the reduction potential, but suggests an alternative activation mechanism for DHP A compared with other peroxidases, which typically have reduction potentials that are 0.5 V more negative. The lability of CN{sup -} at 100 K suggests that the distal pocket of DHP A has greater flexibility than most other hemoglobins.« less

  9. Efficacy of iron supplementation may be misinterpreted using conventional measures of iron status in iron-depleted, nonanemic women undergoing aerobic exercise training.

    PubMed

    Pompano, Laura M; Haas, Jere D

    2017-12-01

    Background: Despite its known detrimental effects, iron deficiency remains the most common micronutrient deficiency in the world. Many interventions that aim to improve iron status involve physically active populations. Intense aerobic exercise training negatively affects iron status; however, the impact of regular moderate aerobic exercise on the effectiveness of iron supplementation remains unclear. Objective: This study aimed to determine whether aerobic training modifies the assessment of the effectiveness of iron supplementation in improving conventional iron status measures. Design: Seventy-two iron-depleted, nonanemic Chinese women [serum ferritin (sFer) <25 μg/L and hemoglobin >110 g/L] were included in an 8-wk, partially blinded, randomized controlled trial with a 2 × 2 factorial design including iron supplements (42 mg elemental Fe/d) or placebo and aerobic training (five 25-min sessions/wk at 75-85% of maximum heart rate) or no training. Linear mixed models were used to evaluate the relation between supplement type, training, and changes in iron status over time, measured by sFer, hemoglobin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), and estimated total body iron. Results: After treatment, both the iron-supplemented trained and untrained groups showed significantly improved sFer, sTfR, and body iron values compared with either of the placebo groups. Similarly, trained participants had significantly higher aerobic fitness measures than untrained participants. Training modified the sFer response to supplementation (training by supplement interaction, P = 0.07), with the iron-supplemented trained group having significantly lower sFer than the iron-supplemented untrained group at week 8 (mean ± SD: 31.8 ± 13.5 and 47.6 ± 15.7 μg/L, respectively; P = 0.042), whereas there was no significant difference between the placebo trained and untrained groups (21.3 ± 12.2 and 20.3 ± 7.0 μg/L, respectively; P = 1.00). Conclusions: Regular aerobic training reduces

  10. On Intensive Late Holocene Iron Mining and Production in the Northern Congo Basin and the Environmental Consequences Associated with Metallurgy in Central Africa.

    PubMed

    Lupo, Karen D; Schmitt, Dave N; Kiahtipes, Christopher A; Ndanga, Jean-Paul; Young, D Craig; Simiti, Bernard

    2015-01-01

    An ongoing question in paleoenvironmental reconstructions of the central African rainforest concerns the role that prehistoric metallurgy played in shaping forest vegetation. Here we report evidence of intensive iron-ore mining and smelting in forested regions of the northern Congo Basin dating to the late Holocene. Volumetric estimates on extracted iron-ore and associated slag mounds from prehistoric sites in the southern Central African Republic suggest large-scale iron production on par with other archaeological and historically-known iron fabrication areas. These data document the first evidence of intensive iron mining and production spanning approximately 90 years prior to colonial occupation (circa AD 1889) and during an interval of time that is poorly represented in the archaeological record. Additional site areas pre-dating these remains by 3-4 centuries reflect an earlier period of iron production on a smaller scale. Microbotanical evidence from a sediment core collected from an adjacent riparian trap shows a reduction in shade-demanding trees in concert with an increase in light-demanding species spanning the time interval associated with iron intensification. This shift occurs during the same time interval when many portions of the Central African witnessed forest transgressions associated with a return to moister and more humid conditions beginning 500-100 years ago. Although data presented here do not demonstrate that iron smelting activities caused widespread vegetation change in Central Africa, we argue that intense mining and smelting can have localized and potentially regional impacts on vegetation communities. These data further demonstrate the high value of pairing archeological and paleoenvironmental analyses to reconstruct regional-scale forest histories.

  11. Ironing Out the Unconventional Mechanisms of Iron Acquisition and Gene Regulation in Chlamydia

    PubMed Central

    Pokorzynski, Nick D.; Thompson, Christopher C.; Carabeo, Rey A.

    2017-01-01

    The obligate intracellular pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis, along with its close species relatives, is known to be strictly dependent upon the availability of iron. Deprivation of iron in vitro induces an aberrant morphological phenotype termed “persistence.” This persistent phenotype develops in response to various immunological and nutritional insults and may contribute to the development of sub-acute Chlamydia-associated chronic diseases in susceptible populations. Given the importance of iron to Chlamydia, relatively little is understood about its acquisition and its role in gene regulation in comparison to other iron-dependent bacteria. Analysis of the genome sequences of a variety of chlamydial species hinted at the involvement of unconventional mechanisms, being that Chlamydia lack many conventional systems of iron homeostasis that are highly conserved in other bacteria. Herein we detail past and current research regarding chlamydial iron biology in an attempt to provide context to the rapid progress of the field in recent years. We aim to highlight recent discoveries and innovations that illuminate the strategies involved in chlamydial iron homeostasis, including the vesicular mode of acquiring iron from the intracellular environment, and the identification of a putative iron-dependent transcriptional regulator that is synthesized as a fusion with a ABC-type transporter subunit. These recent findings, along with the noted absence of iron-related homologs, indicate that Chlamydia have evolved atypical approaches to the problem of iron homeostasis, reinvigorating research into the iron biology of this pathogen. PMID:28951853

  12. Daily supplementation with iron increases lipid peroxidation in young women with low iron stores.

    PubMed

    King, Sarah M; Donangelo, Carmen M; Knutson, Mitchell D; Walter, Patrick B; Ames, Bruce N; Viteri, Fernando E; King, Janet C

    2008-06-01

    The aim of this study was to determine whether women with low iron stores (plasma ferritin iron supplement for 8 wks at a level commonly used to treat poor iron status develop increased lipid peroxidation as measured by ethane exhalation rates and plasma malondialdehyde. The women served as their own control as pre- and post-supplementation periods were compared. Twelve women participated in the study for a 70-day period and consumed daily iron supplements (98 mg of iron as ferrous sulfate) from day 14 to day 70. Baseline blood and expired air samples were obtained on days 1 and 14; measurements during supplementation were performed on days 56 and 70, that is at 6 and 8 weeks of supplementation. Iron status improved during the iron supplementation period; biochemical indicators of lipid peroxidation also increased. After 6 wks of iron supplementation, serum ferritin almost doubled and body iron more than doubled. Hemoglobin levels increased slightly and other indicators of iron status became normal. However, plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and breath ethane exhalation rates (BEER) increased by more than 40% between baseline and 6 wks of supplementation; these increases correlated significantly with plasma iron and ferritin levels. MDA was positively correlated with BEER. BEER increased further after 8 wks of iron supplementation. The increased indicators of lipid peroxidation with duration of supplementation and as iron status improved suggest that providing daily nearly 100 mg iron may not be a totally innocuous regimen for correcting iron depletion in women.

  13. Iron losses in sweat

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Brune, M.; Magnusson, B.; Persson, H.

    The losses of iron in whole body cell-free sweat were determined in eleven healthy men. A new experimental design was used with a very careful cleaning procedure of the skin and repeated consecutive sampling periods of sweat in a sauna. The purpose was to achieve a steady state of sweat iron losses with minimal influence from iron originating from desquamated cells and iron contaminating the skin. A steady state was reached in the third sauna period (second sweat sampling period). Iron loss was directly related to the volume of sweat lost and amounted to 22.5 micrograms iron/l sweat. The findingsmore » indicate that iron is a physiological constituent of sweat and derived not only from contamination. Present results imply that variations in the amount of sweat lost will have only a marginal effect on the variation in total body iron losses.« less

  14. Iron-Air Rechargeable Battery

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Narayan, Sri R. (Inventor); Kindler, Andrew (Inventor); Prakash, G.K. Surya (Inventor)

    2014-01-01

    Embodiments include an iron-air rechargeable battery having a composite electrode including an iron electrode and a hydrogen electrode integrated therewith. An air electrode is spaced from the iron electrode and an electrolyte is provided in contact with the air electrode and the iron electrodes. Various additives and catalysts are disclosed with respect to the iron electrode, air electrode, and electrolyte for increasing battery efficiency and cycle life.

  15. Involvement of cytosolic and mitochondrial iron in iron overload cardiomyopathy: an update.

    PubMed

    Gordan, Richard; Wongjaikam, Suwakon; Gwathmey, Judith K; Chattipakorn, Nipon; Chattipakorn, Siriporn C; Xie, Lai-Hua

    2018-04-19

    Iron overload cardiomyopathy (IOC) is a major cause of death in patients with diseases associated with chronic anemia such as thalassemia or sickle cell disease after chronic blood transfusions. Associated with iron overload conditions, there is excess free iron that enters cardiomyocytes through both L- and T-type calcium channels thereby resulting in increased reactive oxygen species being generated via Haber-Weiss and Fenton reactions. It is thought that an increase in reactive oxygen species contributes to high morbidity and mortality rates. Recent studies have, however, suggested that it is iron overload in mitochondria that contributes to cellular oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, cardiac arrhythmias, as well as the development of cardiomyopathy. Iron chelators, antioxidants, and/or calcium channel blockers have been demonstrated to prevent and ameliorate cardiac dysfunction in animal models as well as in patients suffering from cardiac iron overload. Hence, either a mono-therapy or combination therapies with any of the aforementioned agents may serve as a novel treatment in iron-overload patients in the near future. In the present article, we review the mechanisms of cytosolic and/or mitochondrial iron load in the heart which may contribute synergistically or independently to the development of iron-associated cardiomyopathy. We also review available as well as potential future novel treatments.

  16. Ictal affective symptoms in temporal lobe epilepsy are related to gender and age.

    PubMed

    Toth, Vanda; Fogarasi, Andras; Karadi, Kazmer; Kovacs, Norbert; Ebner, Alois; Janszky, Jozsef

    2010-07-01

    We systematically analyzed the video-recorded and patient-reported, as well as positive and negative ictal affective symptoms (IAS) in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Our aim was to assess (1) frequency, (2) gender effect, (3) lateralizing significance, (4) localizing value, and (5) prognostic significance in epilepsy surgery of IAS in patients with video-registered seizures. We reviewed ictal video recordings of 184 patients (99 women, aged 16-63). All patients had surgery for intractable TLE with video-recorded complex partial seizures (CPS) due to temporal lobe lesions visualized by high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Affective auras (AAs) were categorized into two groups: positive or negative. We registered AAs in 18% of patients: positive in 3%, negative in 15%. We saw ictal affective behavior (IAB) in 22% of patients; 10% had positive, whereas 14% had negative IAB. Two patients had both positive and negative IAB. AAs showed an association with IAB in case of fear expression versus fear auras (p = 0.018). IAB, especially negative IAB, occurred more often in women than in men. Patients with negative IAB were younger than others. We could not demonstrate an association between IAS and the localization, lateralization, or hemispheric dominance. Surgical outcome did not associate with IAS. Patient-reported and video-recorded negative-but not positive-affective signs are related to each other. Video-recorded negative AAs occur more often in women and young patients.

  17. Mitochondria and Iron: Current Questions

    PubMed Central

    Paul, Bibbin T.; Manz, David H.; Torti, Frank M.; Torti, Suzy V.

    2017-01-01

    Introduction Mitochondria are cellular organelles that perform numerous bioenergetic, biosynthetic, and regulatory functions and play a central role in iron metabolism. Extracellular iron is taken up by cells and transported to the mitochondria, where it is utilized for synthesis of cofactors essential to the function of enzymes involved in oxidation-reduction reactions, DNA synthesis and repair, and a variety of other cellular processes. Areas Covered This article reviews the trafficking of iron to the mitochondria and normal mitochondrial iron metabolism, including heme synthesis and iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis. Much of our understanding of mitochondrial iron metabolism has been revealed by pathologies that disrupt normal iron metabolism. These conditions affect not only iron metabolism but mitochondrial function and systemic health. Therefore, this article also discusses these pathologies, including conditions of systemic and mitochondrial iron dysregulation as well as cancer. Literature covering these areas was identified via PubMed searches using keywords: Iron, mitochondria, Heme Synthesis, Iron-sulfur Cluster, and Cancer. References cited by publications retrieved using this search strategy were also consulted. Expert Commentary While much has been learned about mitochondrial iron, key questions remain. Developing a better understanding of mitochondrial iron regulation will be paramount in developing therapies for syndromes that affect mitochondrial iron. PMID:27911100

  18. Iron deposition is independent of cellular inflammation in a cerebral model of multiple sclerosis

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    evidence against the hypothesis that iron deposits account for inflammatory cell infiltrates observed in MS. PMID:21699685

  19. Cytosolic iron chaperones: Proteins delivering iron cofactors in the cytosol of mammalian cells.

    PubMed

    Philpott, Caroline C; Ryu, Moon-Suhn; Frey, Avery; Patel, Sarju

    2017-08-04

    Eukaryotic cells contain hundreds of metalloproteins that are supported by intracellular systems coordinating the uptake and distribution of metal cofactors. Iron cofactors include heme, iron-sulfur clusters, and simple iron ions. Poly(rC)-binding proteins are multifunctional adaptors that serve as iron ion chaperones in the cytosolic/nuclear compartment, binding iron at import and delivering it to enzymes, for storage (ferritin) and export (ferroportin). Ferritin iron is mobilized by autophagy through the cargo receptor, nuclear co-activator 4. The monothiol glutaredoxin Glrx3 and BolA2 function as a [2Fe-2S] chaperone complex. These proteins form a core system of cytosolic iron cofactor chaperones in mammalian cells. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  20. Iron absorption from beans with different contents of iron, evaluated by stable isotopes.

    PubMed

    Junqueira-Franco, Márcia Varella Morandi; Dutra de Oliveira, José Eduardo; Nutti, Marilia Regini; Pereira, Helton Santos; Carvalho, José Luiz Vianna de; Abrams, Steven A; Brandão, Camila Fernanda Cunha; Marchini, Júlio Sérgio

    2018-06-01

    The introduction of biofortified foods such as beans with higher iron content may be a useful tool in preventing iron deficiency. The biofortification aims to reach the root of the problem of malnutrition, targets the neediest population, uses embedded distribution mechanisms, is scientifically feasible and effective in terms of cost, and complements other ongoing interventions to control micronutrient deficiency. However, to ensure effectiveness, measurement of the absorption of minerals is essential. The objective of this study was to evaluate the iron bioavailability of common bean BRS Pontal (PO), targeted for biofortification, compared with common bean BRS Estilo in man through reliable techniques that have not been previously used in Brazil. The study included 29 young adult volunteers divided into 2 groups: Group CB (13 subjects) received 100 g of common beans (BRS-Estilo) cooked labeled with iron-58 ( 58 Fe) and Group TBB (16 patients) received 100 g common bean target for iron biofortification (BRS-Pontal), cooked and labeled with iron58 ( 58 Fe). The next day they received the reference dose of ferrous sulfate enriched iron-57 ( 57 Fe). Isotopic evaluation of iron for measurement of iron incorporation into erythrocytes was performed 14 days after consumption. The beans used, were produced, through conventional breeding program, by EMBRAPA/Rice and Beans. The iron absorption was evaluated by assessing the isotopic enrichment of the stable isotope. Mean iron absorption from the meal with common beans was 0.409% (±0.040%) and mean iron incorporation from the meal with target beans for biofortification 0.407% (±0.038%) and did not differ between the groups. This study tested the iron absorption from a single bean meal in healthy volunteers or non anemics, In the present study the iron absorption ratio from common bean Pontal (PO), targeted for biofortification and compared with common bean BRS Estilo was not significantly different. The iron concentration

  1. Reactive Iron and Iron-Reducing Bacteria in Louisiana Continental Shelf Sediments

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers release sediments containing 15 x 106 t of iron onto the Louisiana continental shelf (LCS) each year. Iron oxides reaching the seafloor may be utilized as electron acceptors by iron-reducing bacteria for organic matter oxidation or become r...

  2. Long-term in vivo corrosion behavior, biocompatibility and bioresorption mechanism of a bioresorbable nitrided iron scaffold.

    PubMed

    Lin, Wenjiao; Qin, Li; Qi, Haiping; Zhang, Deyuan; Zhang, Gui; Gao, Runlin; Qiu, Hong; Xia, Ying; Cao, Ping; Wang, Xiang; Zheng, Wei

    2017-05-01

    Pure iron as a potential bioresorbable material for bioresorbable coronary scaffold has major disadvantages of slow corrosion and bioresorption. However, so far, there are neither quantitative data of long-term in vivo corrosion nor direct experimental evidence for bioresorption of pure iron and its alloys, which are fundamental and vital for developing novel Fe-based alloys overcoming the intrinsic drawbacks of pure iron. This work systemically investigated scaffold performance, long-term in vivo corrosion behavior and biocompatibility of a nitrided iron coronary scaffold and explored its bioresorption mechanism. It was found that the 70μm Fe-based scaffold was superior to a state of the art Co-Cr alloy stent (Xience Prime™) in terms of crossing profile, recoil and radial strength. Mass loss was 76.0±8.5wt% for the nitrided iron scaffold and 44.2±11.4wt% for the pure iron scaffold after 36months implantation in rabbit abdominal aorta (p<0.05). The Fe-based scaffold showed good long-term biocompatibility in both rabbit and porcine model. Its insoluble corrosion products were demonstrated biosafe and could be cleared away by macrophages from in situ to adventitia to be indiscernible by Micro Computed Tomography and probably finally enter the lymphatics and travel to lymph nodes after 53months implantion in porcine coronary artery. The results indicate that the nitrided iron scaffold with further improvements shall be promising for coronary application. Pure iron as a potential bioresorbable material has major disadvantages of slow corrosion and bioresorption. However, so far, there are neither quantitative data of long-term in vivo corrosion nor direct experimental evidence for bioresorption of pure iron and its alloys. Only this work systemically investigated long-term in vivo corrosion behavior and biocompatibility of a nitrided iron coronary scaffold up to 53months after implantation and explored its bioresorption mechanism. These are fundamental and vital

  3. Iron-tolerant Cyanobacteria as a Tool to Study Terrestrial and Extraterrestrial Iron Deposition

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Brown, I. I.; Mummey, D.; Cooksey, K. E.; McKay, D. S.

    2005-01-01

    We are investigating biological mechanisms of terrestrial iron deposition as analogs for Martian hematite recently confirmed by. Possible terrestrial analogs include iron oxide hydrothermal deposits, rock varnish, iron-rich laterites, ferricrete soils, moki balls, and banded iron formations (BIFs). With the discovery of recent volcanic activity in the summit craters of five Martian volcanoes, renewed interest in the iron dynamics of terrestrial hydrothermal environments and associated microorganisms is warranted. In this study we describe a new genus and species of CB exhibiting elevated dissolved iron tolerance and the ability to precipitate hematite on the surface of their exopolymeric sheathes.

  4. Iron and infection: An investigation of the optimal iron hypothesis in Lima, Peru.

    PubMed

    Dorsey, Achsah F; Thompson, Amanda L; Kleinman, Ronald E; Duggan, Christopher P; Penny, Mary E

    2018-02-19

    This article explores the optimal iron hypothesis through secondary data analysis of the association between hemoglobin levels and morbidity among children living in Canto Grande, a peri-urban community located on the outskirts of Lima, Peru. Risk ratios were used to test whether lower iron status, assessed using the HemoCue B-Hemoglobin System, was associated with an increased relative risk of morbidity symptoms compared to iron replete status, controlling for infant age, sex, weight for height z-score, maternal education, and repeated measures in 515 infants aged 6-12 months. Infants with fewer current respiratory and diarrheal morbidity symptoms had a lower risk of low iron deficiency compared to participants who were iron replete (P < .10). Infants with fewer current respiratory infection symptoms had a statistically significant (P < .05) reduction in risk of moderate iron deficiency compared to infants who were iron replete. In this study, morbidity status was not predictive of iron deficient status over a six-month interval period, but nonreplete iron status was shown to be associated with current morbidity symptoms. These results support investigating iron status as an allostatic system that responds to infection adaptively, rather than expecting an optimal preinfection value. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Ferroportin (Q248H) mutations in African families with dietary iron overload.

    PubMed

    McNamara, Lynne; Gordeuk, Victor R; MacPhail, A Patrick

    2005-12-01

    Dietary iron overload found in sub-Saharan Africa might be caused by an interaction between dietary iron and an iron-loading gene. Caucasian people with ferroportin gene mutations have iron overload histologically similar to that found in African patients with iron overload. Ferroportin is also implicated in the hypoferremic response to inflammation. The prevalence of the ferroportin Q248H mutation, unique to African people, and its association with dietary iron overload, mean cell volume (MCV) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were examined in 19 southern African families. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction enzyme digestion were used to identify the Q248H mutation. Statistical analysis was carried out to correlate the presence of the mutation with markers of iron overload and inflammation. We identified three (1.4%) Q248H homozygotes and 53 (24.1%) heterozygotes in the families examined in the present study. There was no increased prevalence of the mutation in index subjects or their families. Logistic regression showed significantly higher serum ferritin concentrations with the mutation. The mean cell volume (MCV) was significantly lower, and the serum CRP significantly higher in subjects who carried the mutation. The present study of 19 families with African iron overload failed to show evidence that the ferroportin (Q248H) mutation is responsible for the condition. Logistic regression, correcting for factors influencing iron status, did show increased ferritin levels in individuals with the mutation. The strong association with low MCV suggests the possibility that the ferroportin (Q248H) mutation might interfere with iron supply, whereas the elevated serum CRP might indicate that the ferroportin mutation influences the inflammatory response in African populations. Copyright 2005 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  6. P-wave and interatrial block: New predictor for atrial high rate episodes in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices.

    PubMed

    Rubio Campal, José M; Benezet-Mazuecos, Juan; Iglesias Bravo, José Antonio; Sánchez Borque, Pepa; Miracle Blanco, Ángel; de la Vieja Alarcón, Juan José; Martínez Mariscal, Jaime; Baranchuk, Adrian M; Farré Muncharaz, Jerónimo

    2018-01-12

    The presence of interatrial block (IAB) is associated with the development of atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this study was to determine whether P-wave duration and presence of IAB before the implantation of a cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) are associated with the presence of atrial high rate episodes (AHRE), during long-term follow-up. 380 patients (57% men; 75 ± 10 years) were included. IAB was defined according to the International Consensus Criteria. AHRE was defined as an episode of atrial rate ≥225 beats/min with a minimum duration of 5 minutes. Documented paroxysmal AF before the implantation was present in 24% of the patients; 80% had hypertension and 32% structural heart disease. Mean P-wave duration was 123 ± 23 ms, and 39% of the patients had IAB (32% partial, 7% advanced). After a mean follow-up of 18 ± 12 months, 33% of the patients presented AHRE. Patients with AHRE had a P-wave duration significantly longer (130 ± 24 ms vs 119 ± 21 ms; P < 0.001) and a greater prevalence of IAB (53% vs 32%; P < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, predictors of AHRE were: IAB (odds ratio [OR] 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.3-3.4], P < 0.001) and previous paroxysmal AF (OR 2.6; 95% CI [1.5-4.3], P < 0.001). In patients without previous AF, the presence of IAB was also a significant predictor of AHRE (OR 3.1; 95% CI [1.8-5.5], P < 0.001). IAB is a strong predictor of AHRE in patients with CIED. This finding is independent of the presence of prior paroxysmal AF. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Evidence for a Broad Relativistic Iron Line from the Neutron Star LMXB Ser X-1

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bhattacharyya, Sudip; Strohmayer, Tod E.

    2007-01-01

    We report on an analysis of XMM-Newton data from the neutron star low mass X-ray binary (LMXB) Serpens X-1 (Ser X-1). Spectral analysis of EPIC PN data indicates that the previously known broad iron Ka emission line in this source has a significantly skewed structure with a moderately extended red wing. The asymmetric shape of the line is well described with the laor and diskline models in XSPEC, which strongly supports an inner accretion disk origin of the line. To our knowledge this is the first strong evidence for a relativistic line in a neutron star LMXB. This finding suggests that the broad lines seen in other neutron star LMXBs likely originate from the inner disk as well. Detailed study of such lines opens up a new way to probe neutron star parameters and their strong gravitational fields. The laor model describes the line from Ser X-1 somewhat better than diskline, and suggests that the inner accretion disk radius is less than 6GM/c(exp 2). This is consistent with the weak magnetic fields of LMXBs, and may point towards a high compactness and rapid spin of the neutron star. Finally, the inferred source inclination angle in the approximate range 50-60 deg is consistent with the lack of dipping from Ser X-1.

  8. Retention of iron by infants.

    PubMed

    Fomon, S J; Nelson, S E; Ziegler, E E

    2000-01-01

    Throughout the world, the most common nutritional deficiency disorder of infants is iron deficiency. Developing effective strategies for preventing iron deficiency requires detailed knowledge of iron retention under ordinary living conditions. For the adult population, such knowledge is at an advanced stage, but relatively little is known about infants. Many reports of iron retention by infants have been based on the assumption that, as in normal and iron-deficient adults, 80%-100% of newly absorbed iron is promptly incorporated into circulating erythrocytes, but this assumption is not supported by available data. This communication presents a review of iron retention by term and preterm infants, as determined by metabolic balance studies or (59)Fe whole-body counting studies, and it explores the relationship between iron retention and postnatal age, iron nutritional status, iron intake (or dose), and type of feeding.

  9. The effect of nutrition knowledge and dietary iron intake on iron status in young women.

    PubMed

    Leonard, Alecia J; Chalmers, Kerry A; Collins, Clare E; Patterson, Amanda J

    2014-10-01

    Previous research on the relationships between general nutrition knowledge and dietary intake, and dietary iron intake and iron status has produced inconsistent results. Currently, no study has focused on knowledge of dietary iron and its effect on dietary iron intake. This study aimed to determine whether nutrition knowledge of iron is related to dietary iron intake in young women, and subsequently whether greater knowledge and intake translates into better iron status. A cross-sectional assessment of nutrition knowledge of iron, dietary iron intake and iron status was conducted in women aged 18-35 years living in Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Iron status was assessed by serum ferritin, haemoglobin, soluble transferrin receptor and alpha-1-glycoprotein. One hundred and seven women (27.8 ± 4.7 years) completed the nutrition knowledge questionnaire and FFQ. Of these, 74 (70%) also had biomarkers of iron status measured. Mean iron intake was 11.2 ± 3.8 mg/day. There was no association between nutrition knowledge score and whether the women met the RDI for iron (F (1, 102) = .40, P = .53). A positive correlation was shown between nutrition knowledge score and iron intake (mg/day) (r = 0.25, P = .01). Serum ferritin was positively associated with the frequency of flesh food intake (r = .27 P = .02). Vegetarians (including partial vegetarians) had significantly lower serum ferritin levels than non-vegetarians (F (1, 71) = 7.44, P = .01). Significant positive correlations found between higher flesh food intake and biomarkers of iron status suggest that educating non-vegetarians about the benefits of increased flesh food consumption and vegetarians about dietary iron enhancers and inhibitors may have potential for addressing the high rates of iron deficiency among young women. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Iron metabolism and the role of the iron-regulating hormone hepcidin in health and disease.

    PubMed

    Daher, Raed; Manceau, Hana; Karim, Zoubida

    2017-12-01

    Although iron is vital, its free form is likely to be involved in oxidation-reduction reactions, leading to the formation of free radicals and oxidative stress. Living organisms have developed protein systems to transport free iron through the cell membranes and biological fluids and store it in a non-toxic and readily mobilizable form to avoid iron toxicity. Hepcidin plays a crucial role in maintaining iron homeostasis. Hepcidin expression is directly regulated by variations in iron intake and its repression leads to an increase in bioavailable serum iron level. However, in pathological situations, prolonged repression often leads to pathological iron overload. In this review, we describe the different molecular mechanisms responsible for the maintenance of iron metabolism and the consequences of iron overload. Indeed, genetic hemochromatosis and post-transfusional siderosis are the two main conditions responsible for iron overload. Long-term iron overload is deleterious, and treatment relies on venesection therapy for genetic hemochromatosis and chelation therapy for iron overload resulting from multiple transfusions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  11. Combined Therapy of Iron Chelator and Antioxidant Completely Restores Brain Dysfunction Induced by Iron Toxicity

    PubMed Central

    Sripetchwandee, Jirapas; Pipatpiboon, Noppamas; Chattipakorn, Nipon; Chattipakorn, Siriporn

    2014-01-01

    Background Excessive iron accumulation leads to iron toxicity in the brain; however the underlying mechanism is unclear. We investigated the effects of iron overload induced by high iron-diet consumption on brain mitochondrial function, brain synaptic plasticity and learning and memory. Iron chelator (deferiprone) and antioxidant (n-acetyl cysteine) effects on iron-overload brains were also studied. Methodology Male Wistar rats were fed either normal diet or high iron-diet consumption for 12 weeks, after which rats in each diet group were treated with vehicle or deferiprone (50 mg/kg) or n-acetyl cysteine (100 mg/kg) or both for another 4 weeks. High iron-diet consumption caused brain iron accumulation, brain mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired brain synaptic plasticity and cognition, blood-brain-barrier breakdown, and brain apoptosis. Although both iron chelator and antioxidant attenuated these deleterious effects, combined therapy provided more robust results. Conclusion In conclusion, this is the first study demonstrating that combined iron chelator and anti-oxidant therapy completely restored brain function impaired by iron overload. PMID:24400127

  12. Intravenous iron treatments for iron deficiency anemia in inflammatory bowel disease: a budget impact analysis of iron isomaltoside 1000 (Monofer) in the UK.

    PubMed

    Pollock, R F; Muduma, G

    2017-12-01

    Iron deficiency is the leading cause of anemia in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Intravenous iron is the first-line treatment for clinically active IBD or previous oral iron intolerance. The aim of the present study was to develop a comparative model of iron deficiency and delivery for iron isomaltoside (IIM), ferric carboxymaltose (FCM), low molecular weight iron dextran (LMWID), and iron sucrose (IS) in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia associated with IBD. Areas covered: A model was developed to evaluate iron delivery characteristics, resource use and costs associated with IIM, FCM, LMWID and IS. Iron deficiency was modeled using dosing tables and retreatments were modeled based on a pooled retrospective analysis. The analyses were conducted over 5 years in patients with IBD with mean bodyweight of 75.4 kg and hemoglobin levels of 10.77 g/dL based on observational data. Expert opinion: The modeling analysis showed that using IIM required 1.2 infusions (per treatment) to correct the mean iron deficit, compared with 1.6, 1.2, and 7.1 with FCM, LMWID and IS, respectively. Costs were estimated to be 2,518 pounds sterling (GBP) per patient with IIM or LMWID, relative to GBP 3,309 with FCM or GBP 14,382 with IS.

  13. Iron acquisition by Haemophilus influenzae.

    PubMed Central

    Pidcock, K A; Wooten, J A; Daley, B A; Stull, T L

    1988-01-01

    The mechanisms for acquisition of iron by Haemophilus influenzae and their role in pathogenesis are not known. Heme and nonheme sources of iron were evaluated for their effect on growth of type b and nontypable strains of H. influenzae in an iron-restricted, defined medium. All 13 strains acquired iron from heme, hemoglobin, hemoglobin-haptoglobin, and heme-hemopexin. Among nonheme sources of protein-bound iron, growth of H. influenzae was enhanced by partially saturated human transferrin but not by lactoferrin or ferritin. Purified ferrienterochelin and ferridesferrioxamine failed to provide iron to H. influenzae, and the supernatants of H. influenzae E1a grown in iron-restricted medium failed to enhance iron-restricted growth of siderophore-dependent strains of Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, and Arthrobacter terregens. Marked alterations in the profile of outer membrane proteins of H. influenzae were observed when the level of free iron was varied between 1 microM and 1 mM. Catechols were not detected in the supernatants of strain E1a; however, iron-related hydroxamate production was detected by two biochemical assays. We conclude that the sources of iron for H. influenzae are diverse. The significance of hydroxamate production and iron-related outer membrane proteins to H. influenzae iron acquisition is not yet clear. Images PMID:2964410

  14. Method for reducing iron losses in an iron smelting process

    DOEpatents

    Sarma, B.; Downing, K.B.

    1999-03-23

    A process of smelting iron that comprises the steps of: (a) introducing a source of iron oxide, oxygen, nitrogen, and a source of carbonaceous fuel to a smelting reactor, at least some of said oxygen being continuously introduced through an overhead lance; (b) maintaining conditions in said reactor to cause (1) at least some of the iron oxide to be chemically reduced, (2) a bath of molten iron to be created and stirred in the bottom of the reactor, surmounted by a layer of slag, and (3) carbon monoxide gas to rise through the slag; (c) causing at least some of said carbon monoxide to react in the reactor with the incoming oxygen, thereby generating heat for reactions taking place in the reactor; and (d) releasing from the reactor an offgas effluent, is run in a way that keeps iron losses in the offgas relatively low. After start-up of the process is complete, steps (a) and (b) are controlled so as to: (1) keep the temperature of the molten iron at or below about 1550 C and (2) keep the slag weight at or above about 0.8 ton per square meter. 13 figs.

  15. Method for reducing iron losses in an iron smelting process

    DOEpatents

    Sarma, Balu; Downing, Kenneth B.

    1999-01-01

    A process of smelting iron that comprises the steps of: a) introducing a source of iron oxide, oxygen, nitrogen, and a source of carbonaceous fuel to a smelting reactor, at least some of said oxygen being continuously introduced through an overhead lance; b) maintaining conditions in said reactor to cause (i) at least some of the iron oxide to be chemically reduced, (ii) a bath of molten iron to be created and stirred in the bottom of the reactor, surmounted by a layer of slag, and (iii) carbon monoxide gas to rise through the slag; c) causing at least some of said carbon monoxide to react in the reactor with the incoming oxygen, thereby generating heat for reactions taking place in the reactor; and d) releasing from the reactor an offgas effluent, is run in a way that keeps iron losses in the offgas relatively low. After start-up of the process is complete, steps (a) and (b) are controlled so as to: e) keep the temperature of the molten iron at or below about 1550.degree. C. and f) keep the slag weight at or above about 0.8 tonne per square meter.

  16. Effectiveness of iron-fortified infant cereal in prevention of iron deficiency anemia.

    PubMed

    Walter, T; Dallman, P R; Pizarro, F; Velozo, L; Peña, G; Bartholmey, S J; Hertrampf, E; Olivares, M; Letelier, A; Arredondo, M

    1993-05-01

    Iron deficiency continues to be a common problem among infants throughout the world. Iron-fortified formula is effective in preventing iron deficiency but the benefit of iron-fortified cereal is controversial. We compared iron-fortified rice cereal to unfortified rice cereal in infants who were exclusively breast-fed for more than 4 months and to iron-fortified formula in infants who were weaned to formula before 4 months of age. The design was double blind in respect to the presence or absence of fortification iron in the cereal or formula and included 515 infants who were followed on the protocol from 4 to 15 months of age. Rice cereal was fortified with 55 mg of electrolytic iron per 100 g of dry cereal and infant formula with 12 mg of ferrous sulfate per 100 g of dry powder, levels approximating those in use in the United States. Measures of iron status were obtained at 8, 12, and 15 months. Infants with hemoglobin levels of < 105 g/L were excluded from the study and treated. Consumption of cereal reached plateaus at means of about 30 g/d after 6 months of age in the formula-fed groups and 26 g/d after 8 months in the breast-fed groups; these amounts are higher than the 19-g/d mean intake by the 73% of infants who consume such cereal in the United States. Among infants weaned to formula before 4 months, the cumulative percentages of infants excluded for anemia by 15 months were 8%, 24%, and 4%, respectively, in the fortified cereal, unfortified cereal and formula, and fortified formula groups (P < .01 unfortified vs either fortified group; the difference between the two fortified groups was not significant). In infants breast-fed for more than 4 months, the corresponding values were 13% and 27%, respectively, in the fortified and unfortified cereal groups (P < .05). Mean hemoglobin level and other iron status measures were in accord with these findings. Iron-fortified infant rice cereal can contribute substantially to preventing iron deficiency anemia.

  17. Mineral ecophysiological evidence for biogeochemical cycles in 2461-2495 million year old banded iron formations (BIF).

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Li, Y; Konhauser, Dr, Kurt; Cole, David

    2011-01-01

    The phosphorus composition of banded-iron formations (BIFs) has been used as a proxy for Precambrian seawater composition and the paleoeredox state of Earth's surface environment. However, it is unclear whether the phosphorus in BIFs originally entered the sediment as a sorbed component of the iron oxyhydroxide particles, or whether it was incorporated into the biomass of marine phytoplankton. We conducted high-resolution mineral analyses and report here the first detection of an Fe(III) acetate salt, as well as nanocrystals of apatite in association with magnetite, in the 2.48 Ga Dales Gorge Member of the Brockman Iron Formation (a BIF), Hamersley, Westernmore » Australia. The clusters of apatite are similar in size and morphology to biogenic apatite crystals resulting from biomass decay in Phanerozoic marine sediments, while the formation of an Fe(III) acetate salt and magnetite not only implies the original presence of biomass in the BIF sediments, but also that organic carbon likely served as an electron donor during bacterial Fe(III) reduction. This study is important because it suggests that phytoplankton may have played a key role in the transfer of phosphorus (and other trace elements) from the photic zone to the seafloor.« less

  18. Brain iron homeostasis, the choroid plexus, and localization of iron transport proteins.

    PubMed

    Rouault, Tracey A; Zhang, De-Liang; Jeong, Suh Young

    2009-12-01

    Maintenance of appropriate iron homeostasis in the brain is important, but the mechanisms involved in brain iron uptake are incompletely understood. Here, we have analyzed where messenger RNAs that encode iron transport proteins are expressed in the brain, using the Allen Brain atlas, and we conclude that several important iron transporters are highly expressed in the choroid plexus. Based on recent estimates of the surface area of the choroid plexus and on MRI imaging studies of manganese uptake in the brain, we propose that the choroid plexus may have a much greater role than has been previously appreciated in brain iron transport.

  19. Intestinal HIF2α promotes tissue-iron accumulation in disorders of iron overload with anemia

    PubMed Central

    Anderson, Erik R.; Taylor, Matthew; Xue, Xiang; Ramakrishnan, Sadeesh K.; Martin, Angelical; Xie, Liwei; Bredell, Bryce X.; Gardenghi, Sara; Rivella, Stefano; Shah, Yatrik M.

    2013-01-01

    Several distinct congenital disorders can lead to tissue-iron overload with anemia. Repeated blood transfusions are one of the major causes of iron overload in several of these disorders, including β-thalassemia major, which is characterized by a defective β-globin gene. In this state, hyperabsorption of iron is also observed and can significantly contribute to iron overload. In β-thalassemia intermedia, which does not require blood transfusion for survival, hyperabsorption of iron is the leading cause of iron overload. The mechanism of increased iron absorption in β-thalassemia is unclear. We definitively demonstrate, using genetic mouse models, that intestinal hypoxia-inducible factor-2α (HIF2α) and divalent metal transporter-1 (DMT1) are activated early in the pathogenesis of β-thalassemia and are essential for excess iron accumulation in mouse models of β-thalassemia. Moreover, thalassemic mice with established iron overload had significant improvement in tissue-iron levels and anemia following disruption of intestinal HIF2α. In addition to repeated blood transfusions and increased iron absorption, chronic hemolysis is the major cause of tissue-iron accumulation in anemic iron-overload disorders caused by hemolytic anemia. Mechanistic studies in a hemolytic anemia mouse model demonstrated that loss of intestinal HIF2α/DMT1 signaling led to decreased tissue-iron accumulation in the liver without worsening the anemia. These data demonstrate that dysregulation of intestinal hypoxia and HIF2α signaling is critical for progressive iron overload in β-thalassemia and may be a novel therapeutic target in several anemic iron-overload disorders. PMID:24282296

  20. Deferasirox for the treatment of chronic iron overload in transfusional hemosiderosis.

    PubMed

    Shashaty, George; Frankewich, Raymond; Chakraborti, Tamal; Choudary, Jasti; Al-Fayoumi, Suliman; Kacuba, Alice; Castillo, Sonia; Robie-Suh, Kathy; Rieves, Dwaine; Weiss, Karen; Pazdur, Richard

    2006-12-01

    This report describes the Food and Drug Administration's review of data and analyses leading to the approval of the oral iron chelator, deferasirox for the treatment of chronic iron overload due to transfusional hemosiderosis. The FDA reviewed findings of a controlled, open-label, randomized multicenter phase III study of deferasirox vs. deferoxamine in 586 patients with beta-thalessemia and transfusional hemosiderosis. The study results as well as the results of the FDA review of chemistry, preclinical pharmacology, and supportive studies are described. Following 48 weeks of treatment in the phase III study, patients' liver iron concentrations (a key endpoint variable) had decreased an average of 2.4 mg of iron (Fe)/g dry weight (dw) and 2.9 mg Fe/g dw in the deferasirox and deferoxamine groups, respectively, despite continued blood transfusions in both cohorts. Deferasirox was associated with serum creatinine increases in approximately a third of patients. Common adverse events included gastrointestinal symptoms and skin rash. Other data provided supportive evidence of deferasirox safety and efficacy. The FDA granted deferasirox accelerated approval on November 2, 2005, for use in treating chronic iron overload due to transfusional hemosiderosis in patients > or =2 years of age. The sponsor must obtain clinical data demonstrating the drug's long-term safety and effectiveness.

  1. Mitochondrial Iron-Sulfur Cluster Activity and Cytosolic Iron Regulate Iron Traffic in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    PubMed

    Wofford, Joshua D; Lindahl, Paul A

    2015-11-06

    An ordinary differential equation-based mathematical model was developed to describe trafficking and regulation of iron in growing fermenting budding yeast. Accordingly, environmental iron enters the cytosol and moves into mitochondria and vacuoles. Dilution caused by increasing cell volume is included. Four sites are regulated, including those in which iron is imported into the cytosol, mitochondria, and vacuoles, and the site at which vacuolar Fe(II) is oxidized to Fe(III). The objective of this study was to determine whether cytosolic iron (Fecyt) and/or a putative sulfur-based product of iron-sulfur cluster (ISC) activity was/were being sensed in regulation. The model assumes that the matrix of healthy mitochondria is anaerobic, and that in ISC mutants, O2 diffuses into the matrix where it reacts with nonheme high spin Fe(II) ions, oxidizing them to nanoparticles and generating reactive oxygen species. This reactivity causes a further decline in ISC/heme biosynthesis, which ultimately gives rise to the diseased state. The ordinary differential equations that define this model were numerically integrated, and concentrations of each component were plotted versus the concentration of iron in the growth medium and versus the rate of ISC/heme biosynthesis. Model parameters were optimized by fitting simulations to literature data. The model variant that assumed that both Fecyt and ISC biosynthesis activity were sensed in regulation mimicked observed behavior best. Such "dual sensing" probably arises in real cells because regulation involves assembly of an ISC on a cytosolic protein using Fecyt and a sulfur species generated in mitochondria during ISC biosynthesis and exported into the cytosol. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  2. Iron deficiency, but not anemia, upregulates iron absorption in breast-fed peruvian infants.

    PubMed

    Hicks, Penni D; Zavaleta, Nelly; Chen, Zhensheng; Abrams, Steven A; Lönnerdal, Bo

    2006-09-01

    Iron absorption in adults is regulated by homeostatic mechanisms that decrease absorption when iron status is high. There are few data, however, regarding the existence of a similar homeostatic regulation in infants. We studied 2 groups of human milk-fed infants using (57)Fe (given as ferrous sulfate without any milk) and (58)Fe (given at the time of a breast-milk feeding) stable isotopes to determine whether healthy infants at risk for iron deficiency would regulate their iron absorption based on their iron status. We studied 20 Peruvian infants at 5-6 mo of age and 18 infants at 9-10 mo of age. We found no effect of infant hemoglobin concentration on iron absorption with 5-6 mo-old infants absorbing 19.2 +/- 2.1% and 9- to 10-mo-old infants absorbing 25.8 +/- 2.6% of the (57)Fe dose. For (58)Fe, 5- to 6-mo-old infants absorbed 42.6 +/- 5.0% and 9 to 10-mo-old infants absorbed 51.9 +/- 10.3%. Following log transformation, iron absorption from (57)Fe (r = -0.61, P = < 0.001) and (58)Fe (r = -0.61, P = < 0.001) were inversely correlated to serum ferritin (S-Ft). For both the (57)Fe and (58)Fe doses, infants with S-Ft <12 mg/L (n = 11) had significantly higher iron absorption than those with S-Ft >12 mg/L. We concluded that iron absorption in infants is related to iron status as assessed by serum ferritin but not hemoglobin concentration. Infants with low iron status upregulate iron absorption from breast milk at both 5-6 and 9-10 mo of age.

  3. Modelling Systemic Iron Regulation during Dietary Iron Overload and Acute Inflammation: Role of Hepcidin-Independent Mechanisms.

    PubMed

    Enculescu, Mihaela; Metzendorf, Christoph; Sparla, Richard; Hahnel, Maximilian; Bode, Johannes; Muckenthaler, Martina U; Legewie, Stefan

    2017-01-01

    Systemic iron levels must be maintained in physiological concentrations to prevent diseases associated with iron deficiency or iron overload. A key role in this process plays ferroportin, the only known mammalian transmembrane iron exporter, which releases iron from duodenal enterocytes, hepatocytes, or iron-recycling macrophages into the blood stream. Ferroportin expression is tightly controlled by transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms in response to hypoxia, iron deficiency, heme iron and inflammatory cues by cell-autonomous and systemic mechanisms. At the systemic level, the iron-regulatory hormone hepcidin is released from the liver in response to these cues, binds to ferroportin and triggers its degradation. The relative importance of individual ferroportin control mechanisms and their interplay at the systemic level is incompletely understood. Here, we built a mathematical model of systemic iron regulation. It incorporates the dynamics of organ iron pools as well as regulation by the hepcidin/ferroportin system. We calibrated and validated the model with time-resolved measurements of iron responses in mice challenged with dietary iron overload and/or inflammation. The model demonstrates that inflammation mainly reduces the amount of iron in the blood stream by reducing intracellular ferroportin transcription, and not by hepcidin-dependent ferroportin protein destabilization. In contrast, ferroportin regulation by hepcidin is the predominant mechanism of iron homeostasis in response to changing iron diets for a big range of dietary iron contents. The model further reveals that additional homeostasis mechanisms must be taken into account at very high dietary iron levels, including the saturation of intestinal uptake of nutritional iron and the uptake of circulating, non-transferrin-bound iron, into liver. Taken together, our model quantitatively describes systemic iron metabolism and generated experimentally testable predictions for additional

  4. Modelling Systemic Iron Regulation during Dietary Iron Overload and Acute Inflammation: Role of Hepcidin-Independent Mechanisms

    PubMed Central

    Sparla, Richard; Hahnel, Maximilian; Bode, Johannes; Muckenthaler, Martina U.; Legewie, Stefan

    2017-01-01

    Systemic iron levels must be maintained in physiological concentrations to prevent diseases associated with iron deficiency or iron overload. A key role in this process plays ferroportin, the only known mammalian transmembrane iron exporter, which releases iron from duodenal enterocytes, hepatocytes, or iron-recycling macrophages into the blood stream. Ferroportin expression is tightly controlled by transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms in response to hypoxia, iron deficiency, heme iron and inflammatory cues by cell-autonomous and systemic mechanisms. At the systemic level, the iron-regulatory hormone hepcidin is released from the liver in response to these cues, binds to ferroportin and triggers its degradation. The relative importance of individual ferroportin control mechanisms and their interplay at the systemic level is incompletely understood. Here, we built a mathematical model of systemic iron regulation. It incorporates the dynamics of organ iron pools as well as regulation by the hepcidin/ferroportin system. We calibrated and validated the model with time-resolved measurements of iron responses in mice challenged with dietary iron overload and/or inflammation. The model demonstrates that inflammation mainly reduces the amount of iron in the blood stream by reducing intracellular ferroportin transcription, and not by hepcidin-dependent ferroportin protein destabilization. In contrast, ferroportin regulation by hepcidin is the predominant mechanism of iron homeostasis in response to changing iron diets for a big range of dietary iron contents. The model further reveals that additional homeostasis mechanisms must be taken into account at very high dietary iron levels, including the saturation of intestinal uptake of nutritional iron and the uptake of circulating, non-transferrin-bound iron, into liver. Taken together, our model quantitatively describes systemic iron metabolism and generated experimentally testable predictions for additional

  5. Rethinking Iron Regulation and Assessment in Iron Deficiency, Anemia of Chronic Disease, and Obesity: Introducing Hepcidin

    PubMed Central

    Tussing-Humphreys, Lisa; Pustacioglu, Cenk; Nemeth, Elizabeta; Braunschweig, Carol

    2012-01-01

    Adequate iron availability is essential to human development and overall health. Iron is a key component of oxygen-carrying proteins, has a pivotal role in cellular metabolism, and is essential to cell growth and differentiation. Inadequate dietary iron intake, chronic and acute inflammatory conditions, and obesity are each associated with alterations in iron homeostasis. Tight regulation of iron is necessary because iron is highly toxic and human beings can only excrete small amounts through sweat, skin and enterocyte sloughing, and fecal and menstrual blood loss. Hepcidin, a small peptide hormone produced mainly by the liver, acts as the key regulator of systemic iron homeostasis. Hepcidin controls movement of iron into plasma by regulating the activity of the sole known iron exporter ferroportin-1. Downregulation of the ferroportin-1 exporter results in sequestration of iron within intestinal enterocytes, hepatocytes, and iron-storing macrophages reducing iron bioavailability. Hepcidin expression is increased by higher body iron levels and inflammation and decreased by anemia and hypoxia. Importantly, existing data illustrate that hepcidin may play a significant role in the development of several iron-related disorders, including the anemia of chronic disease and the iron dysregulation observed in obesity. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to discuss iron regulation, with specific emphasis on systemic regulation by hepcidin, and examine the role of hepcidin within several disease states, including iron deficiency, anemia of chronic disease, and obesity. The relationship between obesity and iron depletion and the clinical assessment of iron status will also be reviewed. PMID:22717199

  6. Brain iron concentrations in regions of interest and relation with serum iron levels in Parkinson disease.

    PubMed

    Costa-Mallen, Paola; Gatenby, Christopher; Friend, Sally; Maravilla, Kenneth R; Hu, Shu-Ching; Cain, Kevin C; Agarwal, Pinky; Anzai, Yoshimi

    2017-07-15

    Brain iron has been previously found elevated in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), but not in other brain regions, of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. However, iron in circulation has been recently observed to be lower than normal in PD patients. The regional selectivity of iron deposition in brain as well as the relationship between SNpc brain iron and serum iron within PD patients has not been completely elucidated. In this pilot study we measured brain iron in six regions of interest (ROIs) as well as serum iron and serum ferritin, in 24 PD patients and 27 age- gender-matched controls. Brain iron was measured on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with a T2 prime (T2') method. Difference in brain iron deposition between PD cases and controls for the six ROIs were calculated. SNpc/white matter brain iron ratios and SNpc/serum iron ratios were calculated for each study participant, and differences between PD patients and controls were tested. PD patients overall had higher brain iron than controls in the SNpc. PD patients had significantly higher SNpc/white matter brain iron ratios than controls, and significantly higher brain SNpc iron/serum iron ratios than controls. These results indicate that PD patients' iron metabolism is disrupted toward a higher partitioning of iron to the brain SNpc at the expenses of iron in the circulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Periconceptional iron and folate status is inadequate among married, nulliparous women in rural Bangladesh.

    PubMed

    Khambalia, Amina; O'Connor, Deborah L; Zlotkin, Stanley

    2009-06-01

    Recent evidence suggests that poor fetal growth is associated with preconception anemia and first trimester iron deficiency. Periconceptional iron and folate supplementation may improve the effectiveness of iron supplementation programs during pregnancy by treating preexisting anemia, building iron stores, and reducing risk of neural tube defects. Our objective in this study was to describe the iron and folate status of married, nulliparous women in rural Bangladesh from March to May 2007. Of 272 women, 37% were anemic (hemoglobin <120 g/L), 13% were folate deficient (plasma folate iron deficient (plasma ferritin <12 microg/L or tranferrin receptor >4.4 mg/L), 11% were iron deficient and anemic, and 81% were estimated to have <500 mg of iron stores. Risk of anemia was 4 times greater among nonstudents than students (95% CI: 1.23, 14.69), twice as likely among women with a previous miscarriage compared with those who had never been pregnant (95% CI: 1.04, 5.47), and 6 times greater among iron-deficient compared to iron-replete women (95% CI: 2.76, 11.81). Adolescents (iron stores [3.4 +/- 5.2 mg/kg vs. 4.3 +/- 5.6 mg/kg (0.06 +/- 0.09 mmol/kg vs. 0.08 +/- 0.10 mmol/kg); P = 0.006] compared with adults. An unacceptably high percentage of nulliparous women in rural Bangladesh have inadequate iron and folate status. As they enter pregnancy, more than one-third will be anemic, >80% will have inadequate iron stores, and more than one-tenth will be folate deficient. Further research is needed on risk factors of poor nutritional status before the start of a woman's childbearing years.

  8. Regulation of iron transport systems in Enterobacteriaceae in response to oxygen and iron availability.

    PubMed

    Carpenter, Chandra; Payne, Shelley M

    2014-04-01

    Iron is an essential nutrient for most bacteria. Depending on the oxygen available in the surrounding environment, iron is found in two distinct forms: ferrous (Fe(II)) or ferric (Fe(III)). Bacteria utilize different transport systems for the uptake of the two different forms of iron. In oxic growth conditions, iron is found in its insoluble, ferric form, and in anoxic growth conditions iron is found in its soluble, ferrous form. Enterobacteriaceae have adapted to transporting the two forms of iron by utilizing the global, oxygen-sensing regulators, ArcA and Fnr to regulate iron transport genes in response to oxygen. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Facile and sustainable synthesis of shaped iron oxide nanoparticles: effect of iron precursor salts on the shapes of iron oxides.

    PubMed

    Sayed, Farheen N; Polshettiwar, Vivek

    2015-05-05

    A facile and sustainable protocol for synthesis of six different shaped iron oxides is developed. Notably, all the six shapes of iron oxides can be synthesised using exactly same synthetic protocol, by simply changing the precursor iron salts. Several of the synthesised shapes are not reported before. This novel protocol is relatively easy to implement and could contribute to overcome the challenge of obtaining various shaped iron oxides in economical and sustainable manner.

  10. Facile and Sustainable Synthesis of Shaped Iron Oxide Nanoparticles: Effect of Iron Precursor Salts on the Shapes of Iron Oxides

    PubMed Central

    Sayed, Farheen N.; Polshettiwar, Vivek

    2015-01-01

    A facile and sustainable protocol for synthesis of six different shaped iron oxides is developed. Notably, all the six shapes of iron oxides can be synthesised using exactly same synthetic protocol, by simply changing the precursor iron salts. Several of the synthesised shapes are not reported before. This novel protocol is relatively easy to implement and could contribute to overcome the challenge of obtaining various shaped iron oxides in economical and sustainable manner. PMID:25939969

  11. Management of transfusional iron overload – differential properties and efficacy of iron chelating agents

    PubMed Central

    Kwiatkowski, Janet L

    2011-01-01

    Regular red cell transfusion therapy ameliorates disease-related morbidity and can be lifesaving in patients with various hematological disorders. Transfusion therapy, however, causes progressive iron loading, which, if untreated, results in endocrinopathies, cardiac arrhythmias and congestive heart failure, hepatic fibrosis, and premature death. Iron chelation therapy is used to prevent iron loading, remove excess accumulated iron, detoxify iron, and reverse some of the iron-related complications. Three chelators have undergone extensive testing to date: deferoxamine, deferasirox, and deferiprone (although the latter drug is not currently licensed for use in North America where it is available only through compassionate use programs and research protocols). These chelators differ in their modes of administration, pharmacokinetics, efficacy with regard to organ-specific iron removal, and adverse-effect profiles. These differential properties influence acceptability, tolerability and adherence to therapy, and, ultimately, the effectiveness of treatment. Chelation therapy, therefore, must be individualized, taking into account patient preferences, toxicities, ongoing transfusional iron intake, and the degree of cardiac and hepatic iron loading. PMID:22287873

  12. Co-regulation of Iron Metabolism and Virulence Associated Functions by Iron and XibR, a Novel Iron Binding Transcription Factor, in the Plant Pathogen Xanthomonas

    PubMed Central

    Pandey, Sheo Shankar; Patnana, Pradeep Kumar; Lomada, Santosh Kumar; Tomar, Archana; Chatterjee, Subhadeep

    2016-01-01

    Abilities of bacterial pathogens to adapt to the iron limitation present in hosts is critical to their virulence. Bacterial pathogens have evolved diverse strategies to coordinately regulate iron metabolism and virulence associated functions to maintain iron homeostasis in response to changing iron availability in the environment. In many bacteria the ferric uptake regulator (Fur) functions as transcription factor that utilize ferrous form of iron as cofactor to regulate transcription of iron metabolism and many cellular functions. However, mechanisms of fine-tuning and coordinated regulation of virulence associated function beyond iron and Fur-Fe2+ remain undefined. In this study, we show that a novel transcriptional regulator XibR (named X anthomonas iron binding regulator) of the NtrC family, is required for fine-tuning and co-coordinately regulating the expression of several iron regulated genes and virulence associated functions in phytopathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc). Genome wide expression analysis of iron-starvation stimulon and XibR regulon, GUS assays, genetic and functional studies of xibR mutant revealed that XibR positively regulates functions involved in iron storage and uptake, chemotaxis, motility and negatively regulates siderophore production, in response to iron. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by quantitative real-time PCR indicated that iron promoted binding of the XibR to the upstream regulatory sequence of operon’s involved in chemotaxis and motility. Circular dichroism spectroscopy showed that purified XibR bound ferric form of iron. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay revealed that iron positively affected the binding of XibR to the upstream regulatory sequences of the target virulence genes, an effect that was reversed by ferric iron chelator deferoxamine. Taken together, these data revealed that how XibR coordinately regulates virulence associated and iron metabolism functions in Xanthomonads in

  13. Control of Fur synthesis by the non-coding RNA RyhB and iron-responsive decoding.

    PubMed

    Vecerek, Branislav; Moll, Isabella; Bläsi, Udo

    2007-02-21

    The Fe2+-dependent Fur protein serves as a negative regulator of iron uptake in bacteria. As only metallo-Fur acts as an autogeneous repressor, Fe2+scarcity would direct fur expression when continued supply is not obviously required. We show that in Escherichia coli post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms ensure that Fur synthesis remains steady in iron limitation. Our studies revealed that fur translation is coupled to that of an upstream open reading frame (uof), translation of which is downregulated by the non-coding RNA (ncRNA) RyhB. As RyhB transcription is negatively controlled by metallo-Fur, iron depletion creates a negative feedback loop. RyhB-mediated regulation of uof-fur provides the first example for indirect translational regulation by a trans-encoded ncRNA. In addition, we present evidence for an iron-responsive decoding mechanism of the uof-fur entity. It could serve as a backup mechanism of the RyhB circuitry, and represents the first link between iron availability and synthesis of an iron-containing protein.

  14. On Intensive Late Holocene Iron Mining and Production in the Northern Congo Basin and the Environmental Consequences Associated with Metallurgy in Central Africa

    PubMed Central

    Lupo, Karen D.; Schmitt, Dave N.; Kiahtipes, Christopher A.; Ndanga, Jean-Paul; Young, D. Craig; Simiti, Bernard

    2015-01-01

    An ongoing question in paleoenvironmental reconstructions of the central African rainforest concerns the role that prehistoric metallurgy played in shaping forest vegetation. Here we report evidence of intensive iron-ore mining and smelting in forested regions of the northern Congo Basin dating to the late Holocene. Volumetric estimates on extracted iron-ore and associated slag mounds from prehistoric sites in the southern Central African Republic suggest large-scale iron production on par with other archaeological and historically-known iron fabrication areas. These data document the first evidence of intensive iron mining and production spanning approximately 90 years prior to colonial occupation (circa AD 1889) and during an interval of time that is poorly represented in the archaeological record. Additional site areas pre-dating these remains by 3-4 centuries reflect an earlier period of iron production on a smaller scale. Microbotanical evidence from a sediment core collected from an adjacent riparian trap shows a reduction in shade-demanding trees in concert with an increase in light-demanding species spanning the time interval associated with iron intensification. This shift occurs during the same time interval when many portions of the Central African witnessed forest transgressions associated with a return to moister and more humid conditions beginning 500-100 years ago. Although data presented here do not demonstrate that iron smelting activities caused widespread vegetation change in Central Africa, we argue that intense mining and smelting can have localized and potentially regional impacts on vegetation communities. These data further demonstrate the high value of pairing archeological and paleoenvironmental analyses to reconstruct regional-scale forest histories. PMID:26161540

  15. Hexagonal platelet-like magnetite as a biosignature of thermophilic iron-reducing bacteria and its applications to the exploration of the modern deep, hot biosphere and the emergence of iron-reducing bacteria in early precambrian oceans.

    PubMed

    Li, Yi-Liang

    2012-12-01

    Dissimilatory iron-reducing bacteria are able to enzymatically reduce ferric iron and couple to the oxidation of organic carbon. This mechanism induces the mineralization of fine magnetite crystals characterized by a wide distribution in size and irregular morphologies that are indistinguishable from authigenic magnetite. Thermoanaerobacter are thermophilic iron-reducing bacteria that predominantly inhabit terrestrial hot springs or deep crusts and have the capacity to transform amorphous ferric iron into magnetite with a size up to 120 nm. In this study, I first characterize the formation of hexagonal platelet-like magnetite of a few hundred nanometers in cultures of Thermoanaerobacter spp. strain TOR39. Biogenic magnetite with such large crystal sizes and unique morphology has never been observed in abiotic or biotic processes and thus can be considered as a potential biosignature for thermophilic iron-reducing bacteria. The unique crystallographic features and strong ferrimagnetic properties of these crystals allow easy and rapid screening for the previous presence of iron-reducing bacteria in deep terrestrial crustal samples that are unsuitable for biological detection methods and, also, the search for biogenic magnetite in banded iron formations that deposited only in the first 2 billion years of Earth with evidence of life.

  16. Effects of iron overload in a rat nutritional model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

    PubMed

    Kirsch, Richard; Sijtsema, Helene P; Tlali, Mpho; Marais, Adrian D; Hall, Pauline de la M

    2006-12-01

    This study sought to determine whether excess hepatic iron potentiates liver injury in the methionine choline-deficient (MCD) model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Iron-loaded rats were fed either MCD or control diets [MCD diet plus choline bitartrate (2 g/kg) and DL-methionine (3 g/kg)] for 4 and 12 weeks, after which liver pathology, hepatic iron, triglyceride, lipid peroxidation products and hydroxyproline (HYP) levels and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were evaluated. Iron supplementation in MCD animals resulted in histologic evidence of hepatic iron overload at 4 and 12 weeks and a 14-fold increase in hepatic iron concentration at 12 weeks (P < 0.001). Iron supplementation in these animals was associated with increased lobular necroinflammation at 4 weeks (P < 0.02) and decreased hepatic steatosis (P < 0.01), hepatic triglyceride levels (P < 0.01), hepatic-conjugated dienes (CD; P < 0.02) and serum ALT levels (P < 0.002) at 12 weeks. Reduced hepatic steatosis (P < 0.005) and CD (P < 0.01) were apparent by 4 weeks. Iron supplementation was associated with a trend towards increased perivenular fibrosis not hepatic HYP content. Hepatic iron overload in the MCD model of NAFLD is associated with decreased hepatic lipid, decreased early lipid peroxidation products, increased necroinflammation and a trend towards increased perivenular fibrosis.

  17. Iron in pregnancy: How do we secure an appropriate iron status in the mother and child?

    PubMed

    Milman, Nils

    2011-01-01

    Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) during pregnancy are risk factors for preterm delivery, prematurity, and small for gestational age birth weight. Iron deficiency has a negative effect on intelligence and behavioral development in the infant. It is essential to prevent iron deficiency in the fetus by preventing iron deficiency in the pregnant woman. The requirements for absorbed iron increase during pregnancy from ∼1.0 mg/day in the first trimester to 7.5 mg/day in the third trimester. More than 90% of Scandinavian women of reproductive age have a dietary iron intake below the recommended 15 mg/day. Among nonpregnant women of reproductive age, ∼40% have plasma ferritin ≤30 μg/l, i.e. an unfavorable iron status with respect to pregnancy. An adequate iron status during pregnancy implies body iron reserves ≥500 mg at conception, but only 15-20% of women have iron reserves of such a magnitude. Iron supplements during pregnancy reduce the prevalence of IDA. In Europe, IDA can be prevented by a general low-dose iron prophylaxis of 30-40 mg ferrous iron taken between meals from early pregnancy to delivery. In affluent societies, individual iron prophylaxis tailored by the ferritin concentration should be preferred to general prophylaxis. Suggested guidelines are: ferritin >70 μg/l, no iron supplements; ferritin 31-70 μg/l, 30-40 mg ferrous iron per day, and ferritin ≤30 μg/l, 60-80 mg ferrous iron per day. In women with ferritin <15 μg/l, i.e. depleted iron reserves and possible IDA, therapeutic doses of 100 mg ferrous iron per day should be advised. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  18. A search for the iron absorption edge in the tail of an X-ray burst from X1636 - 53

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Day, C. S. R.; Fabian, A. C.; Ross, R. R.

    1992-08-01

    Model atmosphere calculations of the spectrum of a neutron star cooling after an X-ray burst show that the photoelectric edge of iron should be prominent. No clear evidence for such a redshifted feature in the spectrum of a burst from X1636 - 53 is found, and it is concluded that the iron abundance there must be less than 0.3 solar. Unless the iron abundance of the surface matter on the neutron star is highly time-dependent, the present result argues against the 4.1-keV absorption line seen in some bursts from X1636 - 53 by Waki et al. (1984) being due to iron. The iron edge will be a powerful diagnostic of the surface redshift of the neutron star in burst sources where the iron abundance is more nearly solar.

  19. A search for the iron absorption edge in the tail of an X-ray burst from X1636 - 53

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Day, C. S. R.; Fabian, A. C.; Ross, R. R.

    1992-01-01

    Model atmosphere calculations of the spectrum of a neutron star cooling after an X-ray burst show that the photoelectric edge of iron should be prominent. No clear evidence for such a redshifted feature in the spectrum of a burst from X1636 - 53 is found, and it is concluded that the iron abundance there must be less than 0.3 solar. Unless the iron abundance of the surface matter on the neutron star is highly time-dependent, the present result argues against the 4.1-keV absorption line seen in some bursts from X1636 - 53 by Waki et al. (1984) being due to iron. The iron edge will be a powerful diagnostic of the surface redshift of the neutron star in burst sources where the iron abundance is more nearly solar.

  20. Iron release from corroded iron pipes in drinking water distribution systems: effect of dissolved oxygen.

    PubMed

    Sarin, P; Snoeyink, V L; Bebee, J; Jim, K K; Beckett, M A; Kriven, W M; Clement, J A

    2004-03-01

    Iron release from corroded iron pipes is the principal cause of "colored water" problems in drinking water distribution systems. The corrosion scales present in corroded iron pipes restrict the flow of water, and can also deteriorate the water quality. This research was focused on understanding the effect of dissolved oxygen (DO), a key water quality parameter, on iron release from the old corroded iron pipes. Corrosion scales from 70-year-old galvanized iron pipe were characterized as porous deposits of Fe(III) phases (goethite (alpha-FeOOH), magnetite (Fe(3)O(4)), and maghemite (alpha-Fe(2)O(3))) with a shell-like, dense layer near the top of the scales. High concentrations of readily soluble Fe(II) content was present inside the scales. Iron release from these corroded pipes was investigated for both flow and stagnant water conditions. Our studies confirmed that iron was released to bulk water primarily in the ferrous form. When DO was present in water, higher amounts of iron release was observed during stagnation in comparison to flowing water conditions. Additionally, it was found that increasing the DO concentration in water during stagnation reduced the amount of iron release. Our studies substantiate that increasing the concentration of oxidants in water and maintaining flowing conditions can reduce the amount of iron release from corroded iron pipes. Based on our studies, it is proposed that iron is released from corroded iron pipes by dissolution of corrosion scales, and that the microstructure and composition of corrosion scales are important parameters that can influence the amount of iron released from such systems.

  1. CD1 Mouse Retina Is Shielded From Iron Overload Caused by a High Iron Diet

    PubMed Central

    Bhoiwala, Devang L.; Song, Ying; Cwanger, Alyssa; Clark, Esther; Zhao, Liang-liang; Wang, Chenguang; Li, Yafeng; Song, Delu; Dunaief, Joshua L.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose High RPE iron levels have been associated with age-related macular degeneration. Mutation of the ferroxidase ceruloplasmin leads to RPE iron accumulation and degeneration in patients with aceruloplasminemia; mice lacking ceruloplasmin and its homolog hephaestin have a similar RPE degeneration. To determine whether a high iron diet (HID) could cause RPE iron accumulation, possibly contributing to RPE oxidative stress in AMD, we tested the effect of dietary iron on mouse RPE iron. Methods Male CD1 strain mice were fed either a standard iron diet (SID) or the same diet with extra iron added (HID) for either 3 months or 10 months. Mice were analyzed with immunofluorescence and Perls' histochemical iron stain to assess iron levels. Levels of ferritin, transferrin receptor, and oxidative stress gene mRNAs were measured by quantitative PCR (qPCR) in neural retina (NR) and isolated RPE. Morphology was assessed in plastic sections. Results Ferritin immunoreactivity demonstrated a modest increase in the RPE in 10-month HID mice. Analysis by qPCR showed changes in mRNA levels of iron-responsive genes, indicating moderately increased iron in the RPE of 10-month HID mice. However, even by age 18 months, there was no Perls' signal in the retina or RPE and no retinal degeneration. Conclusions These findings indicate that iron absorbed from the diet can modestly increase the level of iron deposition in the wild-type mouse RPE without causing RPE or retinal degeneration. This suggests regulation of retinal iron uptake at the blood-retinal barriers. PMID:26275132

  2. Closed system Fischer-Tropsch synthesis over meteoritic iron, iron ore and nickel-iron alloy. [deuterium-carbon monoxide reaction catalysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nooner, D. W.; Gibert, J. M.; Gelpi, E.; Oro, J.

    1976-01-01

    Experiments were performed in which meteoritic iron, iron ore and nickel-iron alloy were used to catalyze (in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis) the reaction of deuterium and carbon monoxide in a closed vessel. Normal alkanes and alkenes and their monomethyl substituted isomers and aromatic hydrocarbons were synthesized. Iron oxide and oxidized-reduced Canyon Diablo used as Fischer-Tropsch catalysts were found to produce aromatic hydrocarbons in distributions having many of the features of those observed in carbonaceous chondrites, but only at temperatures and reaction times well above 300 C and 6-8 h.

  3. Low-temperature formation of magnetic iron oxides

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Koch, Chr. Bender; Madsen, M. B.

    1992-01-01

    Elemental analysis and magnetic measurements of the surface of Mars have indicated the presence of an iron oxide with a considerable magnetic moment. Identification of the oxide phase(s) is an important subject as this may be used to identify the process of weathering on the martian surface as well as the composition of the Mars regolith itself. Consequently, interest was in evidence of new formation of strongly magnetic phases (e.g., magnetite, maghemite, feroxyhyte) in terrestrially derived Mars sample analogs. Within the group of Mars sample analogs derived from low-temperature weathering of basalts in Arctic regions, evidence of magnetic oxides formed at the outermost weathering rind was never observed. However, in one instance where the weathering products accumulating in a crack of a basaltic stone were investigated, evidence of magnetite was found. The experimental details are presented.

  4. Iron-based amorphous alloys and methods of synthesizing iron-based amorphous alloys

    DOEpatents

    Saw, Cheng Kiong; Bauer, William A.; Choi, Jor-Shan; Day, Dan; Farmer, Joseph C.

    2016-05-03

    A method according to one embodiment includes combining an amorphous iron-based alloy and at least one metal selected from a group consisting of molybdenum, chromium, tungsten, boron, gadolinium, nickel phosphorous, yttrium, and alloys thereof to form a mixture, wherein the at least one metal is present in the mixture from about 5 atomic percent (at %) to about 55 at %; and ball milling the mixture at least until an amorphous alloy of the iron-based alloy and the at least one metal is formed. Several amorphous iron-based metal alloys are also presented, including corrosion-resistant amorphous iron-based metal alloys and radiation-shielding amorphous iron-based metal alloys.

  5. Effects of Iron Deficiency on Iron Binding and Internalization into Acidic Vacuoles in Dunaliella salina1[W][OA

    PubMed Central

    Paz, Yakov; Shimoni, Eyal; Weiss, Meira; Pick, Uri

    2007-01-01

    Uptake of iron in the halotolerant alga Dunaliella salina is mediated by a transferrin-like protein (TTf), which binds and internalizes Fe3+ ions. Recently, we found that iron deficiency induces a large enhancement of iron binding, which is associated with accumulation of three other plasma membrane proteins that associate with TTf. In this study, we characterized the kinetic properties of iron binding and internalization and identified the site of iron internalization. Iron deficiency induces a 4-fold increase in Fe binding, but only 50% enhancement in the rate of iron uptake and also increases the affinity for iron and bicarbonate, a coligand for iron binding. These results indicate that iron deprivation leads to accumulation and modification of iron-binding sites. Iron uptake in iron-sufficient cells is preceded by an apparent time lag, resulting from prebound iron, which can be eliminated by unloading iron-binding sites. Iron is tightly bound to surface-exposed sites and hardly exchanges with medium iron. All bound iron is subsequently internalized. Accumulation of iron inhibits further iron binding and internalization. The vacuolar inhibitor bafilomycin inhibits iron uptake and internalization. Internalized iron was localized by electron microscopy within vacuolar structures that were identified as acidic vacuoles. Iron internalization is accompanied by endocytosis of surface proteins into these acidic vacuoles. A novel kinetic mechanism for iron uptake is proposed, which includes two pools of bound/compartmentalized iron separated by a rate-limiting internalization stage. The major parameter that is modulated by iron deficiency is the iron-binding capacity. We propose that excessive iron binding in iron-deficient cells serves as a temporary reservoir for iron that is subsequently internalized. This mechanism is particularly suitable for organisms that are exposed to large fluctuations in iron availability. PMID:17513481

  6. The challenge of defining and treating anemia and iron deficiency in pregnancy: A study of New Zealand midwives' management of iron status in pregnancy and the postpartum period.

    PubMed

    Calje, Esther; Skinner, Joan

    2017-06-01

    Early recognition and management of low maternal iron status is associated with improved maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes. However, existing international guidelines for the testing and management of maternal iron-deficiency anemia are variable, with no national guideline for New Zealand midwives. Clinical management is complicated by normal physiological hemodilution, and complicated further by the effects of inflammation on iron metabolism, especially in populations with a high prevalence of obesity or infection. This study describes how midwives in one New Zealand area diagnose and treat anemia and iron deficiency, in the absence of established guidelines. Data on demographics, laboratory results, and documented clinical management were retrospectively collected from midwives (n=21) and women (n=189), from September to December 2013. Analysis was predominantly descriptive. A secondary analysis of iron status and body mass index (BMI) was undertaken. A total of 46% of 186 women, with hemoglobin testing at booking, did not have ferritin tested; 86% (of 385) of ferritin tests were not concurrently tested with C-reactive protein. Despite midwives prescribing iron for 48.7% of second trimester women, 47.1% still had low iron status before birth. Only 22.8% of women had hemoglobin testing postpartum. There was a significant difference between third trimester median ferritin levels in women with BMI ≥25.00 (14 μg/L) and BMI <25.00 (18 μg/L) (P=.05). There was a wide range in the midwives' practice. Maternal iron status was difficult to categorize, because of inconsistent testing. This study indicates the need for an evidence-based clinical guideline for New Zealand midwives and maternity care providers. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Measurement of liver iron overload: noninvasive calibration of MRI-R2* by magnetic iron detector susceptometer.

    PubMed

    Gianesin, B; Zefiro, D; Musso, M; Rosa, A; Bruzzone, C; Balocco, M; Carrara, P; Bacigalupo, L; Banderali, S; Rollandi, G A; Gambaro, M; Marinelli, M; Forni, G L

    2012-06-01

    An accurate assessment of body iron accumulation is essential for the diagnosis and therapy of iron overload in diseases such as thalassemia or hemochromatosis. Magnetic iron detector susceptometry and MRI are noninvasive techniques capable of detecting iron overload in the liver. Although the transverse relaxation rate measured by MRI can be correlated with the presence of iron, a calibration step is needed to obtain the liver iron concentration. Magnetic iron detector provides an evaluation of the iron overload in the whole liver. In this article, we describe a retrospective observational study comparing magnetic iron detector and MRI examinations performed on the same group of 97 patients with transfusional or congenital iron overload. A biopsy-free linear calibration to convert the average transverse relaxation rate in iron overload (R(2) = 0.72), or in liver iron concentration evaluated in wet tissue (R(2) = 0.68), is presented. This article also compares liver iron concentrations calculated in dry tissue using MRI and the existing biopsy calibration with liver iron concentrations evaluated in wet tissue by magnetic iron detector to obtain an estimate of the wet-to-dry conversion factor of 6.7 ± 0.8 (95% confidence level). Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  8. Iron binding activity is essential for the function of IscA in iron-sulphur cluster biogenesis

    PubMed Central

    Landry, Aaron P.; Cheng, Zishuo; Ding, Huangen

    2013-01-01

    Iron-sulphur cluster biogenesis requires coordinated delivery of iron and sulphur to scaffold proteins, followed by transfer of the assembled clusters from scaffold proteins to target proteins. This complex process is accomplished by a group of dedicated iron-sulphur cluster assembly proteins that are conserved from bacteria to humans. While sulphur in iron-sulphur clusters is provided by L-cysteine via cysteine desulfurase, the iron donor(s) for iron-sulphur cluster assembly remains largely elusive. Here we report that among the primary iron-sulphur cluster assembly proteins, IscA has a unique and strong binding activity for mononuclear iron in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the ferric iron centre tightly bound in IscA can be readily extruded by L-cysteine, followed by reduction to ferrous iron for iron-sulphur cluster biogenesis. Substitution of the highly conserved residue tyrosine 40 with phenylalanine (Y40F) in IscA results in a mutant protein that has a diminished iron binding affinity but retains the iron-sulphur cluster binding activity. Genetic complementation studies show that the IscA Y40F mutant is inactive in vivo, suggesting that the iron binding activity is essential for the function of IscA in iron-sulphur cluster biogenesis. PMID:23258274

  9. Iron binding activity is essential for the function of IscA in iron-sulphur cluster biogenesis.

    PubMed

    Landry, Aaron P; Cheng, Zishuo; Ding, Huangen

    2013-03-07

    Iron-sulphur cluster biogenesis requires coordinated delivery of iron and sulphur to scaffold proteins, followed by transfer of the assembled clusters from scaffold proteins to target proteins. This complex process is accomplished by a group of dedicated iron-sulphur cluster assembly proteins that are conserved from bacteria to humans. While sulphur in iron-sulphur clusters is provided by L-cysteine via cysteine desulfurase, the iron donor(s) for iron-sulphur cluster assembly remains largely elusive. Here we report that among the primary iron-sulphur cluster assembly proteins, IscA has a unique and strong binding activity for mononuclear iron in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the ferric iron centre tightly bound in IscA can be readily extruded by l-cysteine, followed by reduction to ferrous iron for iron-sulphur cluster biogenesis. Substitution of the highly conserved residue tyrosine 40 with phenylalanine (Y40F) in IscA results in a mutant protein that has a diminished iron binding affinity but retains the iron-sulphur cluster binding activity. Genetic complementation studies show that the IscA Y40F mutant is inactive in vivo, suggesting that the iron binding activity is essential for the function of IscA in iron-sulphur cluster biogenesis.

  10. Reassessment of Iron Biomarkers for Prediction of Dialysis Iron Overload: An MRI Study

    PubMed Central

    Rostoker, Guy; Griuncelli, Mireille; Loridon, Christelle; Magna, Théophile; Machado, Gabrielle; Drahi, Gilles; Dahan, Hervé; Janklewicz, Philippe; Cohen, Yves

    2015-01-01

    Background and Objectives Iron overload among hemodialysis patients was previously considered rare but is now an increasingly recognized clinical situation. We analyzed correlations between iron biomarkers and the liver iron concentration (LIC) measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and examined their diagnostic accuracy for iron overload. Design, Setting, Participants and Measurements We performed a prospective cross-sectional study from 31 January 2005 to 31 August 2013 in the dialysis centre of a French community-based private hospital. A cohort of 212 hemodialysis patients free of overt inflammation or malnutrition, were treated for anemia with parenteral iron-sucrose and an erythropoesis-stimulating agent, in keeping with current clinical guidelines. Blinded measurements of hepatic iron stores were performed by T1 and T2* contrast MRI, and relationships were analysed using Spearman’s coefficient, logistic regression and receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curves. Results Among the biological markers, only serum ferritin showed a strong correlation with LIC (rho= 0.52, 95% CI: 0.41-0.61, p< 0.0001, Spearman test). In logistic analysis, only serum ferritin correctly classified the overall cohort into patients with normal liver iron stores (LIC ≤ 50 μmol/g) and those with elevated liver iron stores (LIC > 50 μmol/g) (odds ratio 1.007; 95% CI: 1.004-1.010). Serum ferritin was the iron biomarker with the best discriminatory capacity in ROC curves analysis (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.767; 95% CI: 0.698-0.835). The optimal serum ferritin cutoffs were 160 μg/L for LIC > 50 μmol/g (mild iron overload) and 290 μg/L for LIC > 200 μmol/g (severe iron overload). Conclusions For clinical purposes, serum ferritin correctly reflects liver iron stores, as assessed by MRI, in hemodialysis patients without overt inflammation or malnutrition. These results strongly suggest that current ferritin target values should be lowered to avoid iron overload. Trial

  11. Potentiometric and electrokinetic signatures of iron(II) interactions with (α,γ)-Fe2O3.

    PubMed

    Toczydłowska, Diana; Kędra-Królik, Karolina; Nejbert, Krzysztof; Preočanin, Tajana; Rosso, Kevin M; Zarzycki, Piotr

    2015-10-21

    The electrochemical signatures of Fe(II) interactions with iron(III) oxides are poorly understood, despite their importance in controlling the amount of mobilized iron. Here, we report the potentiometric titration of α,γ-Fe2O3 oxides exposed to Fe(II) ions. We monitored in situ surface and ζ potentials, the ratio of mobilized ferric to ferrous, and the periodically analyzed nanoparticle crystal structure using X-ray diffraction. Electrokinetic potential reveals weak but still noticeable specific sorption of Fe(II) to the oxide surface under acidic conditions, and pronounced adsorption under alkaline conditions that results in a surface potential reversal. By monitoring the aqueous iron(II/III) fraction, we found that the addition of Fe(II) ions produces platinum electrode response consistent with the iron solubility-activity curve. Although, XRD analysis showed no evidence of γ-Fe2O3 transformations along the titration pathway despite iron cycling between aqueous and solid reservoirs, the magnetite formation cannot be ruled out.

  12. Debye–Waller coefficient of heavily deformed nanocrystalline iron1

    PubMed Central

    Abdellatief, M.

    2017-01-01

    Synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns from an extensively ball-milled iron alloy powder were collected at 100, 200 and 300 K. The results were analysed together with those using extended X-ray absorption fine structure, measured on the same sample at liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K) and at room temperature (300 K), to assess the contribution of static disorder to the Debye–Waller coefficient (B iso). Both techniques give an increase of ∼20% with respect to bulk reference iron, a noticeably smaller difference than reported by most of the literature for similar systems. Besides good quality XRD patterns, proper consideration of the temperature diffuse scattering seems to be the key to accurate values of the Debye–Waller coefficient. Molecular dynamics simulations of nanocrystalline iron aggregates, mapped on the evidence provided by XRD in terms of domain size distribution, shed light on the origin of the observed B iso increase. The main contribution to the static disorder is given by the grain boundary, while line and point defects have a much smaller effect. PMID:28381974

  13. Anaemia, iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia among blood donors in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Jeremiah, Zaccheaus Awortu; Koate, Baribefe Banavule

    2010-04-01

    There is paucity of information on the effect of blood donation on iron stores in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The present study was, therefore, designed to assess, using a combination of haemoglobin and iron status parameters, the development of anaemia and prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in this area of Nigeria. Three hundred and forty-eight unselected consecutive whole blood donors, comprising 96 regular donors, 156 relatives of patients and 96 voluntary donors, constituted the study population. Three haematological parameters (haemoglobin, packed cell volume, and mean cell haemoglobin concentration) and four biochemical iron parameters (serum ferritin, serum iron, total iron binding capacity and transferrin saturation) were assessed using standard colorimetric and ELISA techniques. The prevalence of anaemia alone (haemoglobin <11.0 g/dL) was 13.7%. The prevalence of isolated iron deficiency (serum ferritin <12 ng/mL) was 20.6% while that of iron-deficiency anaemia (haemoglobin <11.0 g/dL + serum ferritin <12.0 ng/mL) was 12.0%. Among the three categories of the donors, the regular donors were found to be most adversely affected as shown by the reduction in mean values of both haematological and biochemical iron parameters. Interestingly, anaemia, iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anaemia were present almost exclusively among regular blood donors, all of whom were over 35 years old. Anaemia, iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anaemia are highly prevalent among blood donors in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. It will be necessary to review the screening tests for the selection of blood donors and also include serum ferritin measurement for the routine assessment of blood donors, especially among regular blood donors.

  14. Iron speciation and dynamics during SERIES, a mesoscale iron enrichment experiment in the NE Pacific

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wong, C. S.; Johnson, W. K.; Sutherland, N.; Nishioka, J.; Timothy, D. A.; Robert, M.; Takeda, S.

    2006-10-01

    During the Sub-arctic Ecosystem Response to Iron Enrichment Study (SERIES), the addition of ferrous iron to high-nitrate low-chlorophyll (HNLC) waters near Ocean Station PAPA (OSP: 50°N, 145°W) produced a phytoplankton bloom and CO 2 drawdown, as evidenced by decreasing CO 2 fugacity ( fCO 2). We analyzed five fractions or phases of iron: soluble (<0.03 μm), dissolved (<0.22 μm), total dissolved (acidified dissolved, <0.22 μm), labile (unfiltered), and total (acidified, unfiltered). From these, we also calculated non-labile iron, colloidal iron (0.03-0.22 μm), and both labile and non-labile particulate iron (>0.22 μm). Here, we describe iron distributions and the evolution of iron phases in the upper ocean during the experiment. We also present an iron budget accounting for horizontal and vertical dilution. At the time of our first sampling eight hours after fertilization was completed, total iron reached 8.6 nmol L -1 and dissolved iron was approximately 3 nmol L -1. Early in the experiment the dissolved iron phase decreased the most rapidly and by late day 6 the integrated dissolved iron (8.6 μmol m -2) represented less than 10% of the initial addition (90-95 μmol m -2). However at this same time the total integrated iron at the centre of the patch was still 52 μmol m -2 or almost 60% of the calculated initial addition. By day 12,45% of the added iron (from both injections) could be accounted for in the patch. The half-life of total iron in the patch for the first injection was estimated to be less than 5 days if dilution is not considered, but more than 13 days if dilution is taken into account. The most notable change in iron percentages from one form to another occurred early in the first week of the experiment where the predominant phase shift was from the colloidal portion of dissolved iron to labile particulate iron that could have been biologically induced or simply aggregation of oxyhydroxides. This was immediately followed by a physical event

  15. Induced Disruption of the Iron-Regulatory Hormone Hepcidin Inhibits Acute Inflammatory Hypoferraemia

    PubMed Central

    Armitage, Andrew E.; Lim, Pei Jin; Frost, Joe N.; Pasricha, Sant-Rayn; Soilleux, Elizabeth J.; Evans, Emma; Morovat, Alireza; Santos, Ana; Diaz, Rebeca; Biggs, Daniel; Davies, Benjamin; Gileadi, Uzi; Robbins, Peter A.; Lakhal-Littleton, Samira; Drakesmith, Hal

    2016-01-01

    Withdrawal of iron from serum (hypoferraemia) is a conserved innate immune antimicrobial strategy that can withhold this critical nutrient from invading pathogens, impairing their growth. Hepcidin (Hamp1) is the master regulator of iron and its expression is induced by inflammation. Mice lacking Hamp1 from birth rapidly accumulate iron and are susceptible to infection by blood-dwelling siderophilic bacteria such as Vibrio vulnificus. In order to study the innate immune role of hepcidin against a background of normal iron status, we developed a transgenic mouse model of tamoxifen-sensitive conditional Hamp1 deletion (termed iHamp1-KO mice). These mice attain adulthood with an iron status indistinguishable from littermate controls. Hamp1 disruption and the consequent decline of serum hepcidin concentrations occurred within hours of a single tamoxifen dose. We found that the TLR ligands LPS and Pam3CSK4 and heat-killed Brucella abortus caused an equivalent induction of inflammation in control and iHamp1-KO mice. Pam3CSK4 and B. abortus only caused a drop in serum iron in control mice, while hypoferraemia due to LPS was evident but substantially blunted in iHamp1-KO mice. Our results characterise a powerful new model of rapidly inducible hepcidin disruption, and demonstrate the critical contribution of hepcidin to the hypoferraemia of inflammation. PMID:27423740

  16. Evidence for a Neutral Iron Line Generated by MeV Protons from Supernova Remnants Interacting with Molecular Clouds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nobukawa, Kumiko K.; Nobukawa, Masayoshi; Koyama, Katsuji; Yamauchi, Shigeo; Uchiyama, Hideki; Okon, Hiromichi; Tanaka, Takaaki; Uchida, Hiroyuki; Tsuru, Takeshi G.

    2018-02-01

    Supernova remnants (SNRs) have been prime candidates for Galactic cosmic-ray accelerators. When low-energy cosmic-ray protons (LECRp) collide with interstellar gas, they ionize neutral iron atoms and emit the neutral iron line (Fe I Kα) at 6.40 keV. We search for the iron K-shell line in seven SNRs from the Suzaku archive data of the Galactic plane in the 6^\\circ ≲ l≲ 40^\\circ ,| b| < 1^\\circ region. All of these SNRs interact with molecular clouds. We discover Fe I Kα line emissions from five SNRs (W28, Kes 67, Kes 69, Kes 78, and W44). The spectra and morphologies suggest that the Fe I Kα line is produced by interactions between LECRp and the adjacent cold gas. The proton energy density is estimated to be ≳10–100 eV cm‑3, which is more than 10 times higher than that in the ambient interstellar medium.

  17. Females Are Protected From Iron-Overload Cardiomyopathy Independent of Iron Metabolism: Key Role of Oxidative Stress.

    PubMed

    Das, Subhash K; Patel, Vaibhav B; Basu, Ratnadeep; Wang, Wang; DesAulniers, Jessica; Kassiri, Zamaneh; Oudit, Gavin Y

    2017-01-23

    Sex-related differences in cardiac function and iron metabolism exist in humans and experimental animals. Male patients and preclinical animal models are more susceptible to cardiomyopathies and heart failure. However, whether similar differences are seen in iron-overload cardiomyopathy is poorly understood. Male and female wild-type and hemojuvelin-null mice were injected and fed with a high-iron diet, respectively, to develop secondary iron overload and genetic hemochromatosis. Female mice were completely protected from iron-overload cardiomyopathy, whereas iron overload resulted in marked diastolic dysfunction in male iron-overloaded mice based on echocardiographic and invasive pressure-volume analyses. Female mice demonstrated a marked suppression of iron-mediated oxidative stress and a lack of myocardial fibrosis despite an equivalent degree of myocardial iron deposition. Ovariectomized female mice with iron overload exhibited essential pathophysiological features of iron-overload cardiomyopathy showing distinct diastolic and systolic dysfunction, severe myocardial fibrosis, increased myocardial oxidative stress, and increased expression of cardiac disease markers. Ovariectomy prevented iron-induced upregulation of ferritin, decreased myocardial SERCA2a levels, and increased NCX1 levels. 17β-Estradiol therapy rescued the iron-overload cardiomyopathy in male wild-type mice. The responses in wild-type and hemojuvelin-null female mice were remarkably similar, highlighting a conserved mechanism of sex-dependent protection from iron-overload-mediated cardiac injury. Male and female mice respond differently to iron-overload-mediated effects on heart structure and function, and females are markedly protected from iron-overload cardiomyopathy. Ovariectomy in female mice exacerbated iron-induced myocardial injury and precipitated severe cardiac dysfunction during iron-overload conditions, whereas 17β-estradiol therapy was protective in male iron-overloaded mice.

  18. Iron status of women is associated with the iron concentration of potable groundwater in rural Bangladesh.

    PubMed

    Merrill, Rebecca D; Shamim, Abu Ahmed; Ali, Hasmot; Jahan, Nusrat; Labrique, Alain B; Schulze, Kerry; Christian, Parul; West, Keith P

    2011-05-01

    Women of reproductive age are at a high risk of iron deficiency, often as a result of diets low in bioavailable iron. In some settings, the iron content of domestic groundwater sources is high, yet its contribution to iron intake and status has not been examined. In a rural Bangladeshi population of women deficient in dietary iron, we evaluated the association between groundwater iron intake and iron status. In 2008, participants (n = 209 with complete data) were visited to collect data on 7-d food frequency, 7-d morbidity history, 24-h drinking water intake, and rice preparation, and to measure the groundwater iron concentration. Blood was collected to assess iron and infection status. Plasma ferritin (μg/L) and body iron (mg/kg) concentrations were [median (IQR)] 67 (46, 99) and 10.4 ± 2.6, respectively, and the prevalence of iron deficiency (ferritin < 12 μg/L) was 0%. Daily iron intake from water [42 mg (18, 71)] was positively correlated with plasma ferritin (r = 0.36) and total body iron (r = 0.35) (P < 0.001 for both). In adjusted linear regression analyses, plasma ferritin increased by 6.1% (95% CI: 3.8, 8.4%) and body iron by 0.3 mg/kg (0.2, 0.4) for every 10-mg increase in iron intake from water (P < 0.001). In this rural area of northern Bangladesh, women of reproductive age had no iron deficiency likely attributable to iron consumed from drinking groundwater, which contributed substantially to dietary intake. These findings suggest that iron intake from water should be included in dietary assessments in such settings.

  19. Milk iron content in breast-feeding mothers after administration of intravenous iron sucrose complex.

    PubMed

    Breymann, Christian; von Seefried, Bettina; Stahel, Michele; Geisser, Peter; Canclini, Camillo

    2007-01-01

    To study the transfer of parenteral iron sucrose into maternal milk in the postpartum period. Ten healthy lactating mothers with functional iron deficiency 2-3 days after delivery received 100 mg intravenous iron sucrose and were observed together with a control group (n=5) without iron treatment during four days. Milk samples were taken before the treatment and every day afterwards. Mean milk iron levels at baseline were 0.43 and 0.46 mg/kg in the treatment and control group and decreased until the end of observation in both groups by 0.11 mg/kg. No significant difference between the groups was found on any study day as well as in the mean change from baseline over all four days. We could not show transfer of iron-sucrose into maternal milk for the given dosage. Since parenteral iron sucrose is widely used in obstetrics, the results provide information about safety of parenteral iron sucrose in the lactation period. The findings are also in agreement with other reports on active biological mammary gland regulation of milk iron concentration.

  20. Behavior and Monoamine Deficits in Prenatal and Perinatal Iron Deficiency Are Not Corrected by Early Postnatal Moderate-Iron or High-Iron Diets in Rats12

    PubMed Central

    Unger, Erica L.; Hurst, Amy R.; Georgieff, Michael K.; Schallert, Tim; Rao, Raghavendra; Connor, James R.; Kaciroti, Niko; Lozoff, Betsy; Felt, Barbara

    2012-01-01

    Developmental iron deficiency anemia (IDA) causes brain and behavioral deficits in rodent models, which cannot be reversed when treated at periods equivalent to later infancy in humans. This study sought to determine whether earlier iron treatment can normalize deficits of IDA in rats and what iron dose is optimal. The offspring of dams with IDA during gestation were cross-fostered at postnatal d (P) 8 to dams receiving diets with 1 of 3 iron concentrations until weaning (P21): 0.003–0.01 g/kg [totally iron deficient (TID)]; 0.04 g/kg [formerly iron deficient (FID-40)]; or 0.4 g/kg (FID-400). Always iron-sufficient control dams (CN-40) received a 0.04-g/kg iron diet. At P21, TID pups received a 0.01 g iron/kg diet; all others received a 0.04 g iron/kg diet. Hematocrit and brain iron and monoamine concentrations were assessed at P21 and P100. Pup growth, development, activity, object recognition, hesitancy, and watermaze performance were evaluated. Regional brain iron was restored by iron treatment. Regional monoamine and metabolite concentrations were elevated in FID-40 rats and reduced in FID-400 and TID rats compared with CN-40 rats. FID-40 offspring had motor delays similar to TID during lactation and FID-400 rats had elevated thigmotaxis similar to TID rats at P25 and P100 in the spatial watermaze. In conclusion, iron treatment at P8 in rats did not normalize all monoamine or behavioral measures after early IDA. Moderate iron treatment improved adult behavior, but higher iron treatment caused brain and behavioral patterns similar to TID in the short and long term. PMID:22990465

  1. Distinct Mechanisms of Ferritin Delivery to Lysosomes in Iron-Depleted and Iron-Replete Cells ▿

    PubMed Central

    Asano, Takeshi; Komatsu, Masaaki; Yamaguchi-Iwai, Yuko; Ishikawa, Fuyuki; Mizushima, Noboru; Iwai, Kazuhiro

    2011-01-01

    Ferritin is a cytosolic protein that stores excess iron, thereby protecting cells from iron toxicity. Ferritin-stored iron is believed to be utilized when cells become iron deficient; however, the mechanisms underlying the extraction of iron from ferritin have yet to be fully elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that ferritin is degraded in the lysosome under iron-depleted conditions and that the acidic environment of the lysosome is crucial for iron extraction from ferritin and utilization by cells. Ferritin was targeted for degradation in the lysosome even under iron-replete conditions in primary cells; however, the mechanisms underlying lysosomal targeting of ferritin were distinct under depleted and replete conditions. In iron-depleted cells, ferritin was targeted to the lysosome via a mechanism that involved autophagy. In contrast, lysosomal targeting of ferritin in iron-replete cells did not involve autophagy. The autophagy-independent pathway of ferritin delivery to lysosomes was deficient in several cancer-derived cells, and cancer-derived cell lines are more resistant to iron toxicity than primary cells. Collectively, these results suggest that ferritin trafficking may be differentially regulated by cell type and that loss of ferritin delivery to the lysosome under iron-replete conditions may be related to oncogenic cellular transformation. PMID:21444722

  2. Mesoarchean BIF and iron ores of the Badampahar greenstone belt, Iron Ore Group, East Indian Shield

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghosh, Rupam; Baidya, Tapan Kumar

    2017-12-01

    Banded iron formations (BIFs) are chemically precipitated sedimentary rock characterized by alternating Fe-rich and Si-rich bands. The origin of BIF has remained controversial despite years of diligent research. Most models proposed for the BIF origin are based on the observations of well-preserved Neoarchean to Paleoproterozoic BIFs. The present paper is focused on the origin of Mesoarchean BIFs present in the Badampahar greenstone belt (3.3-3.1 Ga), East Indian Shield. Here, BIF is interlayered with metavolcanic rocks, quartzite, phyllite and chert representing a typical greenstone sequence. Geochemical and sedimentological evidence suggest deposition of BIF below the wave base as part of a back-arc basin with insignificant detrital input. Interaction of seawater and volcanogenic high temperature hydrothermal fluids, generated from back-arc spreading centre, supplied metals for BIF deposition. Distinctly negative Ce anomalies in some lower BIF horizons indicate Fe2+ oxidation in an oxygenated hydrosphere and derivation of free oxygen from microbial photosynthesis. Subsequent stages of deformation, metamorphism, hydrothermal and supergene processes after deposition led to the formation of the iron ore bodies at present.

  3. Iron nutrition and premenopausal women: effects of poor iron status on physical and neuropsychological performance.

    PubMed

    McClung, James P; Murray-Kolb, Laura E

    2013-01-01

    Iron is a nutritionally essential trace element that functions through incorporation into proteins and enzymes, many of which contribute to physical and neuropsychological performance. Poor iron status, including iron deficiency (ID; diminished iron stores) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA; poor iron stores and diminished hemoglobin), affects billions of people worldwide. This review focuses on physical and neuropsychological outcomes associated with ID and IDA in premenopausal women, as the prevalence of ID and IDA is often greater in premenopausal women than other population demographics. Recent studies addressing the physiological effects of poor iron status on physical performance, including work productivity, voluntary activity, and athletic performance, are addressed. Similarly, the effects of iron status on neurological performance, including cognition, affect, and behavior, are summarized. Nutritional countermeasures for the prevention of poor iron status and the restoration of decrements in performance outcomes are described.

  4. Breastfeeding, mixed or formula feeding at 9 months and the prevalence of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in two cohorts of infants in China

    PubMed Central

    Clark, Katy M.; Li, Ming; Zhu, Bingquan; Liang, Furong; Shao, Jie; Zhang, Yueyang; Ji, Chai; Zhao, Zhengyan; Kaciroti, Niko; Lozoff, Betsy

    2016-01-01

    Objective To assess associations between breastfeeding and iron status at 9 months in two samples of Chinese infants. Study design Associations between feeding at 9 months (breastfed [BF] as sole milk source, mixed-fed [MF], or formula-fed [FF]) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA), iron deficiency (ID), and iron sufficiency were determined in infants from Zhejiang and Hebei provinces (ns = 142 and 813). ID was defined as body iron < 0 mg/kg, IDA as ID + hemoglobin < 110 g/L. Multiple logistic regression assessed associations between feeding pattern and iron status. Results Breastfeeding was associated with iron status (P-values < .001). In Zhejiang, 27.5% of BF infants had IDA compared with 0% of FF infants. The odds of ID/IDA were increased in BF and MF infants compared with FF: BF vs. FF odds ratio (OR): 28.8, 95% CI: 3.7–226.4; MF vs. FF OR: 11.0, 95% CI: 1.2–103.2. In Hebei, 44.0% of BF infants had IDA compared with 2.8% of FF infants. With covariable adjustment, odds of IDA were increased in BF and MF groups: BF vs. FF OR: 78.8, 95% CI: 27.2–228.1; MF vs. FF OR: 21.0, 95% CI: 7.3–60.9. Conclusions In both cohorts, the odds of ID/IDA at 9 months were increased in BF and MF infants, and ID/IDA was common. Although the benefits of breastfeeding are indisputable, these findings add to the evidence that breastfeeding in later infancy identifies infants at risk for ID/IDA in many settings. Protocols for detecting and preventing ID/IDA in BF infants are needed. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00642863 and NCT00613717 PMID:27836288

  5. A High Serum Iron Level Causes Mouse Retinal Iron Accumulation Despite an Intact Blood-Retinal Barrier

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Liangliang; Li, Yafeng; Song, Delu; Song, Ying; Theurl, Milan; Wang, Chenguang; Cwanger, Alyssa; Su, Guanfang; Dunaief, Joshua L.

    2015-01-01

    The retina can be shielded by the blood-retinal barrier. Because photoreceptors are damaged by excess iron, it is important to understand whether the blood-retinal barrier protects against high serum iron levels. Bone morphogenic protein 6 (Bmp6) knockout mice have serum iron overload. Herein, we tested whether the previously documented retinal iron accumulation in Bmp6 knockout mice might result from the high serum iron levels or, alternatively, low levels of retinal hepcidin, an iron regulatory hormone whose transcription can be up-regulated by Bmp6. Furthermore, to determine whether increases in serum iron can elevate retinal iron levels, we i.v. injected iron into wild-type mice. Retinas were analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence to assess the levels of iron-regulated genes/proteins and oxidative stress. Retinal hepcidin mRNA levels in Bmp6 knockout retinas were the same as, or greater than, those in age-matched wild-type retinas, indicating that Bmp6 knockout does not cause retinal hepcidin deficiency. Changes in mRNA levels of L ferritin and transferrin receptor indicated increased retinal iron levels in i.v. iron-injected wild-type mice. Oxidative stress markers were elevated in photoreceptors of mice receiving i.v. iron. These findings suggest that elevated serum iron levels can overwhelm local retinal iron regulatory mechanisms. PMID:25174877

  6. Iron deficiency in blood donors: the REDS-II Donor Iron Status Evaluation (RISE) study.

    PubMed

    Cable, Ritchard G; Glynn, Simone A; Kiss, Joseph E; Mast, Alan E; Steele, Whitney R; Murphy, Edward L; Wright, David J; Sacher, Ronald A; Gottschall, Jerry L; Tobler, Leslie H; Simon, Toby L

    2012-04-01

    Blood donors are at risk of iron deficiency. We evaluated the effects of blood donation intensity on iron and hemoglobin (Hb) in a prospective study. Four cohorts of frequent and first-time or reactivated (FT/RA) blood donors (no donation in 2 years), female and male, totaling 2425, were characterized and followed as they donated blood frequently. At enrollment and the final visit, ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), and Hb were determined. Models to predict iron deficiency and Hb deferral were developed. Iron depletion was defined at two levels: iron deficiency erythropoiesis (IDE) [log(sTfR/ferritin) ≥ 2.07] and absent iron stores (AIS; ferritin < 12 ng/mL). Among returning female FT and RA donors, 20 and 51% had AIS and IDE at their final visit, respectively; corresponding proportions for males were 8 and 20%. Among female frequent donors who returned, 27 and 62% had AIS and IDE, respectively, while corresponding proportions for males were 18 and 47%. Predictors of IDE and/or AIS included a higher frequency of blood donation in the past 2 years, a shorter interdonation interval, and being female and young; conversely, taking iron supplements reduced the risk of iron depletion. Predictors of Hb deferral included female sex, black race, and a shorter interdonation interval. There is a high prevalence of iron depletion in frequent blood donors. Increasing the interdonation interval would reduce the prevalence of iron depletion and Hb deferral. Alternatively, replacement with iron supplements may allow frequent donation without the adverse outcome of iron depletion. © 2011 American Association of Blood Banks.

  7. Iron overload diseases: the chemical speciation of non-heme iron deposits in iron loaded mammalian tissues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    St. Pierre, T. G.; Chua-Anusorn, W.; Webb, J.; Macey, D. J.

    2000-07-01

    57Fe Mössbauer spectra of iron overloaded human spleen, rat spleen and rat liver tissue samples at 78 K were found to consist of a quadrupole doublet (major component) with magnetic sextet (minor component with fractional spectral area F s). The distributions of F s for spleen tissue from two different clinically identifiable groups (n = 7 and n = 12) of thalassemic patients were found to be significantly different. The value of F s for dietary-iron loaded rat liver was found to rise significantly with age/duration (up to 24 months) of iron loading.

  8. Prenatal Iron Supplementation Reduces Maternal Anemia, Iron Deficiency, and Iron Deficiency Anemia in a Randomized Clinical Trial in Rural China, but Iron Deficiency Remains Widespread in Mothers and Neonates.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Gengli; Xu, Guobin; Zhou, Min; Jiang, Yaping; Richards, Blair; Clark, Katy M; Kaciroti, Niko; Georgieff, Michael K; Zhang, Zhixiang; Tardif, Twila; Li, Ming; Lozoff, Betsy

    2015-08-01

    Previous trials of prenatal iron supplementation had limited measures of maternal or neonatal iron status. The purpose was to assess effects of prenatal iron-folate supplementation on maternal and neonatal iron status. Enrollment occurred June 2009 through December 2011 in Hebei, China. Women with uncomplicated singleton pregnancies at ≤20 wk gestation, aged ≥18 y, and with hemoglobin ≥100 g/L were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive daily iron (300 mg ferrous sulfate) or placebo + 0.40 mg folate from enrollment to birth. Iron status was assessed in maternal venous blood (at enrollment and at or near term) and cord blood. Primary outcomes were as follows: 1) maternal iron deficiency (ID) defined in 2 ways as serum ferritin (SF) <15 μg/L and body iron (BI) <0 mg/kg; 2) maternal ID anemia [ID + anemia (IDA); hemoglobin <110 g/L]; and 3) neonatal ID (cord blood ferritin <75 μg/L or zinc protoporphyrin/heme >118 μmol/mol). A total of 2371 women were randomly assigned, with outcomes for 1632 women or neonates (809 placebo/folate, 823 iron/folate; 1579 mother-newborn pairs, 37 mothers, 16 neonates). Most infants (97%) were born at term. At or near term, maternal hemoglobin was significantly higher (+5.56 g/L) for iron vs. placebo groups. Anemia risk was reduced (RR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.43, 0.66), as were risks of ID (RR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.69, 0.79 by SF; RR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.59, 0.71 by BI) and IDA (RR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.38, 0.62 by SF; RR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.40, 0.65 by BI). Most women still had ID (66.8% by SF, 54.7% by BI). Adverse effects, all minor, were similar by group. There were no differences in cord blood iron measures; >45% of neonates in each group had ID. However, dose-response analyses showed higher cord SF with more maternal iron capsules reported being consumed (β per 10 capsules = 2.60, P < 0.05). Prenatal iron supplementation reduced anemia, ID, and IDA in pregnant women in rural China, but most women and >45% of neonates had ID, regardless of

  9. Biogenic iron mineralization at Iron Mountain, CA with implications for detection with the Mars Curiosity rover

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Williams, Amy J.; Sumner, Dawn Y.; Alpers, Charles N.; Campbell, Kate M.; Nordstrom, D. Kirk

    2014-01-01

    (Introduction) Microbe-mineral interactions and biosignature preservation in oxidized sulfidic ore bodies (gossans) are prime candidates for astrobiological study. Such oxidized iron systems have been proposed as analogs for some Martian environments. Recent studies identified microbial fossils preserved as mineral-coated filaments. This study documents microbially-mediated mineral biosignatures in hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) and ferric oxyhydroxysulfates (FOHS) in three environments at Iron Mountain, CA. We investigated microbial community preservation via HFO and FOHS precipitation and the formation of filamentous mineral biosignatures. These environments included 1) actively precipitating (1000's yrs), naturally weathered HFO from in situ gossan, and 3) remobilized iron deposits, which contained lithified clastics and zones of HFO precipitate. We used published biogenicity criteria as guidelines to characterize the biogenicity of mineral filaments. These criteria included A) an actively precipitating environment where microbes are known to be coated in minerals, B) presence of extant microbial communities with carbon signatures, C) structures observable as a part of the host rock, and D) biological morphology, including cellular lumina, multiple member population, numerous taxa, variable and 3-D preservation, biological size ranges, uniform diameter, and evidence of flexibility. This study explores the relevance and detection of these biosignatures to possible Martian biosignatures. Similar filamentous biosignatures are resolvable by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) onboard the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover, Curiosity, and may be identifiable as biogenic if present on Mars.

  10. Patterns of liver iron accumulation in patients with sickle cell disease and thalassemia with iron overload.

    PubMed

    Hankins, Jane S; Smeltzer, Matthew P; McCarville, M Beth; Aygun, Banu; Hillenbrand, Claudia M; Ware, Russell E; Onciu, Mihaela

    2010-07-01

    The rate and pattern of iron deposition and accumulation are important determinants of liver damage in chronically transfused patients. To investigate iron distribution patterns at various tissue iron concentrations, effects of chelation on hepatic iron compartmentalization, and differences between patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) and thalassemia major (TM), we prospectively investigated hepatic histologic and biochemical findings in 44 patients with iron overload (35 SCD and 9 TM). The median hepatic iron content (HIC) in patients with TM and SCD was similar at 12.9 and 10.3 mg Fe/g dry weight, respectively (P = 0.73), but patients with SCD had significantly less hepatic fibrosis and inflammation (P < 0.05), less hepatic injury, and significantly less blood exposure. Patients with SCD had predominantly sinusoidal iron deposition, but hepatocyte iron deposition was observed even at low HIC. Chelated patients had more hepatocyte and portal tract iron than non-chelated ones, but similar sinusoidal iron deposition. These data suggest that iron deposition in patients with SCD generally follows the traditional pattern of transfusional iron overload; however, parenchymal hepatocyte deposition also occurs early and chelation removes iron preferentially from the reticuloendothelium. Pathophysiological and genetic differences affecting iron deposition and accumulation in SCD and TM warrants further investigation.

  11. Guidelines on iron chelation therapy in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes and transfusional iron overload.

    PubMed

    Gattermann, Norbert

    2007-12-01

    Experts believe that iron overload is an important problem which could be avoided with suitable treatment. Guidelines on treating myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) include sections on using iron chelation therapy to prevent or ameliorate transfusional iron overload. The proportion of MDS patients who may benefit from iron chelation therapy is 35-55%, depending on the length of survival necessary for iron to accumulate to a detrimental level. Candidates for iron chelation are mainly patients with dyserythropoietic and cytopenic subtypes of disease, which fall into the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) Low-risk or Intermediate-1-risk categories, with median survival of 3-6 years.

  12. Iron and Your Child

    MedlinePlus

    ... get iron by eating foods like meat and dark green leafy vegetables. Iron is also added to ... tofu dried beans and peas dried fruits leafy dark green vegetables iron-fortified breakfast cereals, breads, and ...

  13. Infant iron status affects iron absorption in Peruvian breastfed infants at 2 and 5 mo of age.

    PubMed

    Finkelstein, Julia L; O'Brien, Kimberly O; Abrams, Steven A; Zavaleta, Nelly

    2013-12-01

    Effects of prenatal iron supplementation on maternal postpartum iron status and early infant iron homeostasis remain largely unknown. We examined iron absorption and growth in exclusively breastfed infants in relation to fetal iron exposure and iron status during early infancy. Longitudinal, paired iron-absorption (⁵⁸Fe) studies were conducted in 59 exclusively breastfed Peruvian infants at 2-3 mo of age (2M) and 5-6 mo of age (5M). Infants were born to women who received ≥ 5100 or ≤ 1320 mg supplemental prenatal Fe. Iron status was assessed in mothers and infants at 2M and 5M. Infant iron absorption from breast milk averaged 7.1% and 13.9% at 2M and 5M. Maternal iron status (at 2M) predicted infant iron deficiency (ID) at 5M. Although no infants were iron deficient at 2M, 28.6% of infants had depleted iron stores (ferritin concentration <12 μg/L) by 5M. Infant serum ferritin decreased (P < 0.0001), serum transferrin receptor (sTfR) increased (P < 0.0001), and serum iron decreased from 2M to 5M (P < 0.01). Higher infant sTfR (P < 0.01) and breast-milk copper (P < 0.01) predicted increased iron absorption at 5M. Prenatal iron supplementation had no effects on infant iron status or breast-milk nutrient concentrations at 2M or 5M. However, fetal iron exposure predicted increased infant length at 2M (P < 0.01) and 5M (P < 0.05). Fetal iron exposure affected early infant growth but did not significantly improve iron status or absorption. Young, exclusively breastfed infants upregulated iron absorption when iron stores were depleted at both 2M and 5M.

  14. Reactive iron in marine sediments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Canfield, Donald E.

    1989-01-01

    The influence of reactive iron oxides on sediment pore-water chemistry is considered in detail. A carefully calibrated extraction scheme is used to determine the depth distributions of reactive iron phases at two very different localities: the relatively iron-rich Mississippi Delta and the relatively iron-poor FOAM site in Long Island Sound. Closed system incubations are used to characterize the rates of reaction between sulfide and both naturally occurring and pure iron mineral phases. Rates of iron liberation to pore solution are measured in the presence and absence of sulfate reduction, and the origin of dissolved iron in organic-rich sediments is speculated upon.

  15. The Janus transcription factor HapX controls fungal adaptation to both iron starvation and iron excess

    PubMed Central

    Gsaller, Fabio; Hortschansky, Peter; Beattie, Sarah R; Klammer, Veronika; Tuppatsch, Katja; Lechner, Beatrix E; Rietzschel, Nicole; Werner, Ernst R; Vogan, Aaron A; Chung, Dawoon; Mühlenhoff, Ulrich; Kato, Masashi; Cramer, Robert A; Brakhage, Axel A; Haas, Hubertus

    2014-01-01

    Balance of physiological levels of iron is essential for every organism. In Aspergillus fumigatus and other fungal pathogens, the transcription factor HapX mediates adaptation to iron limitation and consequently virulence by repressing iron consumption and activating iron uptake. Here, we demonstrate that HapX is also essential for iron resistance via activating vacuolar iron storage. We identified HapX protein domains that are essential for HapX functions during either iron starvation or high-iron conditions. The evolutionary conservation of these domains indicates their wide-spread role in iron sensing. We further demonstrate that a HapX homodimer and the CCAAT-binding complex (CBC) cooperatively bind an evolutionary conserved DNA motif in a target promoter. The latter reveals the mode of discrimination between general CBC and specific HapX/CBC target genes. Collectively, our study uncovers a novel regulatory mechanism mediating both iron resistance and adaptation to iron starvation by the same transcription factor complex with activating and repressing functions depending on ambient iron availability. PMID:25092765

  16. Can an increase in leaf iron reductase activity enhance seed iron accumulation in soybean?

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Iron is an important micronutrient for human nutrition, with plant foods providing a significant amount of dietary iron in certain population groups, and in some cases, providing the sole source of dietary iron. Because iron deficiency is unfortunately common in many human populations, we have been...

  17. Controversy on iron needs, intake levels, deficiency stigmata and benefits from iron supplementation

    PubMed Central

    Walker, Alexander R. P.

    1969-01-01

    At present there is considerable controversy over many aspects of iron nutrition, including: (1) iron needs and intake levels; (2) the bearing of iron intake on haematological levels; (3) iron deficiency anaemia and deficiency stigmata; and (4) iron therapy, prophylaxis, and the haematological and clinical benefits accruing. Differences of opinion prevail because of inadequacies of knowledge of the level of haemoglobin (or other parameter of iron status) below which unequivocal signs and symptoms of ill-health become manifest in the major proportion of those affected. Difficulties arise equally from lack of knowledge of the level of haemoglobin above which no clinical benefit, short-term or long-term, can be detected from iron supplementation. Clarification of the situation can be obtained only by carrying out the same meticulous and time-consuming procedures that have been used in respect of requirements and deficiency stigmata of other nutrients. Comprehensive iron depletion studies, real and simulated, and repletion studies, including the use of placebos, will be required. Epidemiological investigations bearing on haematological status and morbidity will also need to be undertaken, and include groups of subjects in both Western, and developing countries. PMID:4905446

  18. Evaluation of Ferric and Ferrous Iron Therapies in Women with Iron Deficiency Anaemia

    PubMed Central

    Berber, Ilhami; Erkurt, Mehmet Ali; Aydogdu, Ismet; Kuku, Irfan

    2014-01-01

    Introduction. Different ferric and ferrous iron preparations can be used as oral iron supplements. Our aim was to compare the effects of oral ferric and ferrous iron therapies in women with iron deficiency anaemia. Methods. The present study included 104 women diagnosed with iron deficiency anaemia after evaluation. In the evaluations performed to detect the aetiology underlying the iron deficiency anaemia, it was found and treated. After the detection of the iron deficiency anaemia aetiology and treatment of the underlying aetiology, the ferric group consisted of 30 patients treated with oral ferric protein succinylate tablets (2 × 40 mg elemental iron/day), and the second group consisted of 34 patients treated with oral ferrous glycine sulphate tablets (2 × 40 mg elemental iron/day) for three months. In all patients, the following laboratory evaluations were performed before beginning treatment and after treatment. Results. The mean haemoglobin and haematocrit increases were 0.95 g/dL and 2.62% in the ferric group, while they were 2.25 g/dL and 5.91% in the ferrous group, respectively. A significant difference was found between the groups regarding the increase in haemoglobin and haematocrit values (P < 0.05). Conclusion. Data are submitted on the good tolerability, higher efficacy, and lower cost of the ferrous preparation used in our study. PMID:25006339

  19. The Nature of Iron Deposits Differs between Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaques

    PubMed Central

    Kopriva, David; Kisheev, Anastasye; Meena, Deiter; Pelle, Shaneen; Karnitsky, Max; Lavoie, Andrea; Buttigieg, Josef

    2015-01-01

    Iron within atherosclerotic plaque has been implicated as a catalyst of oxidative stress that causes progression of plaque, and plaque rupture. Iron is believed to accumulate within plaque by incorporation of erythrocytes following plaque rupture and hemorrhage. There is only indirect evidence to support this hypothesis. Plaque specimens were obtained from ten symptomatic and fifteen asymptomatic patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy at a single institution. Plaques were sectioned for study using synchrotron radiation induced X-ray fluorescence the study the distribution of zinc, calcium and iron. Histologic staining was carried out with Prussian Blue, and immunohistochemical staining was done to localize macrophages with CD68. Data were compared against patient clinical variables. Ten symptomatic (15 ± 10 days between index symptoms and surgery) and fifteen asymptomatic carotid plaques were studied. Zinc and calcium co-localized in mineralized areas of symptomatic and asymptomatic plaque. Iron was identified away from zinc and calcium in both symptomatic and asymptomatic plaques. Within the symptomatic plaques, iron was found within the thrombus associated with plaque rupture and hemorrhage. It did not stain with Prussian Blue, but was found in association with CD68 positive macrophages. In symptomatic plaques, the abundance of iron showed an association with the source patient’s LDL cholesterol (R2 = 0.39, Significance F = 0.05). Iron in asymptomatic plaque was present as hemosiderin/ferritin that stained positive with Prussian Blue, and was observed in association with CD68 positive macrophages. Iron in acutely symptomatic plaques is found within thrombus, in the presence of macrophages. The abundance of iron in symptomatic plaques is associated with the source patient’s LDL cholesterol. Within asymptomatic plaques, iron is found in association with macrophages, as hemosiderin/ferritin. PMID:26606178

  20. The nature of iron deposits differs between symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid atherosclerotic plaques

    DOE PAGES

    Kopriva, David; Kisheev, Anastasye; Meena, Deiter; ...

    2015-11-25

    Iron within atherosclerotic plaque has been implicated as a catalyst of oxidative stress that causes progression of plaque, and plaque rupture. Iron is believed to accumulate within plaque by incorporation of erythrocytes following plaque rupture and hemorrhage. There is only indirect evidence to support this hypothesis. Plaque specimens were obtained from ten symptomatic and fifteen asymptomatic patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy at a single institution. Plaques were sectioned for study using synchrotron radiation induced X-ray fluorescence the study the distribution of zinc, calcium and iron. Histologic staining was carried out with Prussian Blue, and immunohistochemical staining was done to localize macrophagesmore » with CD68. Data were compared against patient clinical variables. Ten symptomatic (15 ± 10 days between index symptoms and surgery) and fifteen asymptomatic carotid plaques were studied. Zinc and calcium co-localized in mineralized areas of symptomatic and asymptomatic plaque. Iron was identified away from zinc and calcium in both symptomatic and asymptomatic plaques. Within the symptomatic plaques, iron was found within the thrombus associated with plaque rupture and hemorrhage. It did not stain with Prussian Blue, but was found in association with CD68 positive macrophages. In symptomatic plaques, the abundance of iron showed an association with the source patient’s LDL cholesterol (R 2 = 0.39, Significance F = 0.05). Iron in asymptomatic plaque was present as hemosiderin/ferritin that stained positive with Prussian Blue, and was observed in association with CD68 positive macrophages. Iron in acutely symptomatic plaques is found within thrombus, in the presence of macrophages. Moreover, the abundance of iron in symptomatic plaques is associated with the source patient’s LDL cholesterol. Within asymptomatic plaques, iron is found in association with macrophages, as hemosiderin/ferritin.« less