DIETARY IRON-DEFICIENCY IN THE RAT .2. RECOVERY FROM ENERGY-METABOLISM DERANGEMENT OF THE HEPATIC TISSUE BY IRON THERAPY

Severe iron deficiency in rats was found to be associated with abnorma l lipid accumulation in the liver and impairment of the oxidative meta bolism in the hepatic tissue. Iron therapy, consisting in oral adminis tration to iron-deficient 4-week-old rats of iron succinyl-albumin com plex, at a daily dose of 10 mg/kg body weight, over a period of 7 days , almost completely corrected these functional anomalies. This treatme nt fully reverted severe anemia associated with iron deficiency. The l evel of iron in the hepatic tissue and in the mitochondrial fraction a lso increased largely. By contrast, no significant improvement in the lowered level of cytochromes occurred. Iron supplements significantly decreased the abnormal level of liver total lipids and serum triglycer ides. Concomitantly, iron repletion fully reverted the partial loss of coupled function in isolated mitochondria and the energy state pertur bation of the liver. A close relationship among abnormal lipid accumul ation, impairment of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and energ y derangement in the hepatic cell in this experimental model of severe dietary iron deficiency anemia appears to be likely.