Iron-chelating and anti-lipid peroxidation properties of 1-(N-acetyl-6-aminohexyl)-3-hydroxy-2-methylpyridin-4-one (CM1) in long-term iron loading β-thalassemic mice

Ameliorating Iron Overload in Intestinal Tissue of Adult Male Rats: Quercetin vs Deferoxamine

OBJECTIVE

The aim of our study is to compare the role of the new natural alternative (Quercetin) with the current iron-chelation therapy (Deferoxamine (DFO)) in the effect of iron overload on small intestinal tissues and to investigate the possible underlying molecular mechanisms of such toxicity.

METHODS

Forty-two adult male albino rats were divided into six groups: control groups, DFO, Quercetin, iron overload, iron overload+DFO, and iron overload+Quercetin groups. Animals received daily intraperitoneal injection of Deferoxamine (125 mg /kg), Quercetin (10 mg/kg), and ferric dextran (200 mg/kg) for 2 weeks.

RESULTS

Iron overloaded group showed significant increase in serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), transferrin saturation percentage (TS %) hepcidin (HEPC), serum ferritin, nontransferrin bound iron (NTBI), and small intestinal tissues iron levels. Iron overload significantly increased the serum oxidative stress indicator (MDA) and reduced serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC). On the other hand, iron overload increased IL6 and reduced IL10 in small intestinal tissues reflecting inflammatory condition and increased caspase 3 reactivity indicating apoptosis and increased iNOs expressing cell indicting oxidative stress especially in ileum. In addition, it induced small intestinal tissues pathological alterations. The treatment with Quercetin showed nonsignificant differences as compared to treatment with DFO that chelated the serum and tissue iron and improved the oxidative stress and reduced tissue IL6 and increased IL10 and decreased caspase 3 and iNOs expressing cells in small intestinal tissues. Moreover, it ameliorated the iron overload induced pathological alterations.

CONCLUSION

Our study showed the potential role of Quercetin as iron chelator like DFO in case of iron overload induced small intestinal toxicity in adult rats because of its serum and tissue iron chelation, improvement of serum, and small intestinal oxidative stress, ameliorating iron induced intestinal inflammation, apoptosis, and histopathological alterations.

Prevalence of low bone mass among adolescents with nontransfusion-dependent hemoglobin E/β-thalassemia and its relationship with anemia severity

BACKGROUND

Low bone mass is common among adolescents with transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia despite adequate transfusion and iron chelation. However, there are few reports regarding bone mineral density (BMD) among adolescents with nontransfusion-dependent thalassemia (NTDT). Indeed, only BMD data in patients with nontransfusion-dependent (NTD) β-thalassemia intermedia have been reported. No previous study has investigated BMD among adolescents with NTD hemoglobin (Hb) E/β-thalassemia.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of low bone mass among adolescents with NTD Hb E/β-thalassemia and factors relating to low bone mass.

METHODS

We investigated BMD of lumbar spine (L2-L4; BMDLS) and total body (BMDTB), as measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, in 22 adolescents (aged 13.2-20 years) with NTD Hb E/β-thalassemia.

RESULTS

Low bone mass was found to be 18.2% and 22.7% at the lumbar spine (BMDLS Z-score adjusted for bone age and height age) and 13.6% and 9.1% at the total body (BMDTB Z-score adjusted for bone age and height age). Patients with mean Hb level <8 g/dl were more likely to have low bone mass (BMDLS and BMDTB Z-scores adjusted for bone age) compared to those with Hb level ≥ 8 g/dl. Mean Hb level correlated with BMDLS and BMDTB Z-scores adjusted for bone age.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated that a low Hb level was associated with low bone mass among adolescents with NTD Hb E/β-thalassemia. A significant proportion of low bone mass among these patients highlights the importance of appropriate management, including red cell transfusion, vitamin D and calcium supplementation for improved long-term bone health.

Green tea activity and iron overload induced molecular fibrogenesis of rat liver

Iron overload toxicity was shown to associate with chronic liver diseases which lead to hepatic fibrosis and subsequently the progression to cancer through oxidative stress and apoptotic pathways. Green tea potential activity as chelating, anti-oxidative, or anti-apoptotic mechanisms against metal toxicity was poorly clarified. Here, we are trying to evaluate the anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic properties of green tea in the regulation of serum hepcidin levels, reduction in iron overloads, and improve of liver fibrosis in iron overloaded experimental rats. Three groups of male adult rats were randomly classified into three groups and treated as follows: control rats, iron treated rats for two months in drinking water followed by either vehicle or green tea extract (AGTE; 100 mg/kg) treatment for 2 more months. Thereafter, we studied the effects of AGTE on iron overload-induced lipid peroxidation, anti-oxidant depletion, liver cell injury and apoptosis. Treatment of iron-overloaded rats with AGTE resulted in marked decreases in iron accumulation within liver, depletion in serum ferritin, and hepcidin levels. Iron-overloaded rats had significant increase in malonyldialdehyde (MDA), a marker of lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide (NO) in liver when compared to control group. Also, significant change in cytochrome c and DNA content as apoptotic markers were reported in iron treated rats. The effects of iron overload on lipid peroxidation, NO levels, cytochrome c and DNA content were significantly reduced by the intervention treatment with AGTE (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the endogenous anti-oxidant capacities/levels (TAC) in liver were also significantly decreased in chronic iron overload and administration of AGTE restored the decrease in the hepatic antioxidant activities/levels. Also, hepatic hepcidin was shown to be significantly correlated with oxidative and apoptotic relating biomarkers as well as an improvement in liver fibrosis of iron treated rats following AGTE treatment. In-vitro analysis showed that, the improvement in iron toxicity of the liver depend mainly on antioxidant and protective ability of green tea polyphenolic compounds especiallyepigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Our study showed that green tea extract (GTE) ameliorates iron overload induced hepatotoxicity, apoptosis and oxidative stress in rat liver via inhibition of hepatic iron accumulation; improve of liver antioxidant capacity, and down regulation of serum hepcidin as well as reduction in the release of apoptotic relating proteins.

Inhibitory effect of novel iron chelator, 1-(N-acetyl-6-aminohexyl)-3-hydroxy-2-methylpyridin-4-one (CM1) and green tea extract on growth of Plasmodium falciparum

BACKGROUND

Iron is an essential micronutrient required by all living organisms including malaria parasites (Plasmodium spp.) for many biochemical reactions, especially growth and multiplication processes. Therefore, malaria parasite needs to take up the iron from outside or/and inside the parasitized red blood cells (PRBC). Iron chelators are widely used for the treatment of thalassaemia-related iron overload and also inhibit parasite growth at levels that are non-toxic to mammalian cells.

METHODS

Inhibitory effect of 1-(N-acetyl-6-aminohexyl)-3-hydroxy-2-methylpyridin-4-one (CM1) and green tea extract (GTE) on the growth of malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum was compared with standard chelators including desferrioxamine (DFO), deferiprone (DFP) and deferasirox (DFX). A flow cytometric technique was used to enumerate PRBC stained with SYBR Green I fluorescent dye. The labile iron pool (LIP) was assayed using the calcein-acetoxymethyl fluorescent method.

RESULTS

The IC50 values of DFO, GTE, CM1, DFX and DFP against P. falciparum were 14.09, 21.11, 35.14, 44.71 and 58.25 µM, respectively. Importantly, CM1 was more effective in reducing LIP levels in the P. falciparum culture than DFP (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

CM1 and GTE exhibit anti-malarial activity. They could interfere with uptake of exogenous iron or deplete the intracellular labile iron pool in malaria parasites, leading to inhibition of their growth.