Age-related changes in iron homeostasis in mouse ferroxidase mutants

Biometals. 2009 Oct;22(5):827-34. doi: 10.1007/s10534-009-9229-0. Epub 2009 Mar 28.

Abstract

Disorders of iron metabolism are a significant problem primarily in young and old populations. In this study, We compared 1-year-old C57BL6/J mice on iron deficient, iron overload, or iron sufficient diets with two similarly aged genetic models of disturbed iron homeostasis, the sla (sex-linked anemia), and the ceruloplasmin knockout mice (Cp(-/-)) on iron sufficient diet. We found tissue specific changes in sla and nutritional iron deficiency including decreased liver Hamp1 expression and increased protein expression of the enterocyte basolateral iron transport components, hephaestin and ferroportin. In contrast, the Cp(-/-) mice did not show significantly increased Hamp1 expression despite increased liver iron suggesting that regulation is independent of liver iron levels. Together, these results suggest that older mice have a distinct response to alterations in iron metabolism and that age must be considered in future studies of iron metabolism.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Aging / physiology*
  • Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / genetics
  • Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / genetics
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / metabolism
  • Blotting, Northern
  • Cation Transport Proteins / genetics
  • Cation Transport Proteins / metabolism
  • Ceruloplasmin / genetics*
  • Hepcidins
  • Homeostasis* / drug effects
  • Immunoblotting
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Iron / metabolism*
  • Iron Overload / metabolism
  • Iron, Dietary / pharmacology
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mutation / genetics*

Substances

  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
  • Cation Transport Proteins
  • Hamp protein, mouse
  • Hepcidins
  • Heph protein, mouse
  • Iron, Dietary
  • Membrane Proteins
  • metal transporting protein 1
  • Iron
  • Ceruloplasmin