HEPATOTOXICITY ASSOCIATED WITH DIETARY IRON OVERLOAD IN MICE

1 Weanling male CD-1 mice were fed 120 (control), 5000 and 8000 mg of iron kg-1 for seven weeks. The haematocrit (P=0.265), water consumptio n (P=0.170) and percentage body weight ratios of kidney, spleen and he art were not affected by iron supplementation. 2 Iron supplementation reduced weight gain (P=0.023), Increased weight of liver (P=0.0001), t he iron deposition index and concentration of iron in the liver (P<0.0 1). A strong correlation between liver iron concentration and level of iron in the diet (r=0.989) was observed. Histologically, the depositi on of iron was restricted to the hepatocytes, Kupffer cells and spleni c macrophages. 3 Consumption of 5000 and 8000 mg of iron kg-1 resulted in hepatic damage, as judged by elevated serum alkaline phosphatase a nd alanine aminotransferase activities (P<0.05). 4 This study indicate s that prolonged feeding of excess dietary iron has the potential to c ause hepatic accumulation of iron with resultant liver toxicity, and t hat mice may be a suitable model to study the mechanisms of dietary ir on overload.