M. Galleano et S. Puntarulo, EFFECT OF MILD IRON OVERLOAD ON LIVER AND KIDNEY LIPID-PEROXIDATION, Brazilian journal of medical and biological research, 27(10), 1994, pp. 2349-2358
1. Hepatotoxicity is the most common finding in patients with iron ove
rload since the liver is the major recipient of iron excess, even thou
gh the kidney could be a target of iron toxicity. The effect of iron o
verload was studied in the early stages after iron-dextran injection i
n rats, as a model for secondary hemocromatosis. 2. Total hepatic and
kidney iron content was markedly elevated over control values 20 h aft
er the iron administration. Plasma GOT, GPT and LDH activities were no
t affected, suggesting that liver cell permeability was not affected b
y necrosis. 3. Spontaneous liver chemiluminescence was measured as an
indicator of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. Light emission w
as increased four-fold 6 h after iron supplementation. 4. Increases in
the generation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in
liver and kidney homogenates were detected after iron administration.
5. The activities of catalase, SOD and glutathione peroxidase were det
ermined. Enzymatic activities declined in liver homogenates by 25, 36
and 32%, respectively, 20 h after iron injection. These activities wer
e not affected in kidney as compared to control values, except for SOD
activity that was decreased by 26%. 6. The content of alpha-tocophero
l was decreased by 31% in whole kidney homogenates and by 40% in plasm
a. 7. Our data indicate that lipid peroxidation occurs after mild iron
overload both in liver and kidney. Enzymatic antioxidants are consume
d significantly in liver and a-tocopherol content decreases in kidney,
suggesting an organ-specific antioxidant effect.