Effects Of Excess Iron On Hematopoietic System And Red Blood Cells In Rats

Objective: By intraperitoneal injection of iron dextran, we aim to determine the effects of iron on hematopoietic system and red cells in rats.Methods: Forty Wistar male rats were randomly divided into four groups including control iron group(CIG, 0.9 mg), low-dose iron group(LIG, 0.3 mg), middle-dose iron group(MIG, 9.0 mg) and high-dose iron group(HIG, 18.0 mg), then were injected with intraperitoneal iron dextran every other day for twelve weeks. The blood were collected, and the biochemical indicators were detected including white blood cells(WBC), red b1 ood cells(RBC), hemoglobin(Hb) and platelets(PLT). After the low temperature and high speed centrifugal, the erythrocyte membrane fluidity was detected. Sialic acid(SA), Hydrosulphonl(-SH) and ATPase were also detected. The concentrations of total superoxide dismutase(T-SOD), malonaldehyde(MDA) and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px) in plasma were detected. Serum iron, the iron content of bone marrow, the coefficient of liver and spleen, the iron concentration of the liver and spleen were also detected.Results: There was no significant difference in WBC, RBC, Hb and PLT among the four groups(P>0.05). Comparing with the CIG, the erythrocyte membrane fluidity of MIG and HIG were significantly decreased(P<0.05), the-SH levels in erythrocyte membrane reduced by 30.0 % and 32.5 %, respectively(P<0.05). The content of bone marrow in the MIG and the HIG were significantly higher than that of the CIG(P<0.05). The Na+-K+-ATPase activity in the MIG and HIG were 12.5 % lower than CIG(P<0.05). The Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase activity in the MIG and HIG were 19.0 % lower than CIG(P<0.05). Comparing with the CIG, The SA levels in the HIG decreased by 25.3 %(P<0.05). The results of oxidative stress analysis showed that the serum GSH-Px activity in the MIG and HIG were 23.1 % and 20.5 % lower than LIG(P<0.05). Comparing with the CIG, T-SOD activity in the MIG decreased by 19.1 %(P<0.05), the MDA levels increased by 23.6 %, 17.9 % in the MIG and HIG, respectively(P<0.05). The iron content of bone marrow in the MIG and HIG were significantly higher than the CIG(P<0.05). Comparing with the CIG, the liver coefficient and the spleen coefficient of the MIG and HIG was increased by 52 % and 148 %, 56 % and 100 %, respectively(P<0.05). Comparing with the CIG, the iron concentration of the liver and spleen in the MIG and HIG was increased by 52 % and 148 %, 40 % and 127 %, respectively(P<0.05), and the serum iron was increased by 35 % and 165 %(P<0.05).Conclusions: Excess iron can change the red cell membrane components, resulting in a decline in red blood cell structure and function, increase oxidative stress level, iron overload, marrow stromal iron deposition and the accumulation of excess iron in the body’s tissues and organs. So iron supplement should prevent excessive long-term clinical application.