COMPARISON OF TISSUE RETENTION OF ALUMINUM AND GA-67 - EFFECTS OF IRON STATUS IN RATS

The purposes of this study were to separate the effect of iron status from the effect of acute iron intake on tissue retention of aluminum a nd Ga-67 and to evaluate Ga-67 as a marker for aluminum. Anemic and co ntrol rats were dosed by gavage with a citrate solution containing 20 mu Ci Ga-67 with no added aluminum and iron (Gavage Ga-67), with 0.8 m mol aluminum (Gavage Al), with 0.8 mmol iron (Gavage Fe), or with both 0.8 mmol aluminum and 0.8 mmol iron (Gavage Fe and Al). After 24 h, a nemic rats in the Gavage Al treatment had lower concentrations of alum inum in their tibias, kidneys, and spleens than control rats in that t reatment. In contrast, anemic rats dosed with only Ga-67 (Gavage Ga-67 treatment) had lower concentrations of Ga-67 in their tibias and kidn eys, but greater concentrations of Ga-67 in their livers and spleens t han control rats in that treatment. The single dose of iron had no eff ect on tissue aluminum concentrations but depressed tissue Ga-67 conce ntrations. All rats accumulated aluminum predominantly in bone and con trol rats accumulated Ga-67 predominantly in bone, but anemic rats acc umulated Ga-67 predominantly in liver. A major limitation of Ga-67 as a marker for aluminum is its greater sensitivity than aluminum to iron intake and status.