Iron Concentration Levels Research Articles

Improving nutritional values in purple rice through germination and parboiling processes

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of seed germination and the parboiling process at different temperatures and times on total anthocyanin concentration, antioxidant activity, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and the concentration levels of zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) in the purple rice variety CMU 107. Germinated parboiled rice (GPR) and non-germinated parboiled rice (NPR) samples were parboiled by being soaked under specific conditions involving a series of temperatures (25°C, 60°C, and 80°C) and times (2, 4, and 6 hr) then being analyzed for the nutritional values. The results showed that the total anthocyanin concentration levels in NPR were about 62.2% higher than those in GPR; however, the antioxidant activity, Zn and GABA concentration levels in GPR were 197.9%, 9.8%, and 5.8% higher than in NPR, respectively. The soaking temperatures and times did not significantly affect the Fe concentrations in all treatments. Practical applications The process of germination following by parboiling at the appropriate soaking temperature and time could be an effective approach to improve antioxidant capacity, grain Zn, and GABA concentration in purple rice. The successful approach would be applied to use in the individual household and/or scaling up into the industrial units and consequently improve nutritional intake among rice consumers. However, anthocyanin concentration in germinated parboiled grain should be preserved carefully by selecting a specific method.

Hepatocellular carcinoma in transfusion dependent thalassemia patients: a review from a clinical perspective

Survival in patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemias (TDT) has increased, and complications such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are emerging. Risk factors include viral infection, mainly hepatitis C virus (HCV), iron overload, the presence of cirrhosis, and immune dysregulation. Median survival after HCC occurrence has been estimated at 12 months, while data regarding the incidence of HCC in this population are minimal. Implementing effective hepatitis B virus (HBV)/HCV antiviral treatment and universal HBV vaccination programs is expected to decrease the risk for hepatocarcinogenesis substantially. Significant hemosiderosis and hepatic fibrosis are common in patients with TDT despite chelation therapy and have been correlated with HCC development. Thus, iron overload should be monitored with liver iron concentration and ferritin levels, and effective chelation therapy should be applied. In addition, all TDT patients, particularly those with cirrhosis, should be under surveillance every six months with abdominal ultrasound ± alpha-fetoprotein levels, as this combination seems to provide better sensitivity for early HCC detection.

Mineralogical Characterization Applied to Iron Ore Tailings from the Desliming Stage with Emphasis on Quantitative Electron Microscopy (Qem)

The search for alternatives that minimize the generation of tailings and enable their reuse, leads to characterization studies with the objective of a better understanding of the physical, chemical and mineralogical properties of iron ore tailings. The increase in demand for high-quality ore overlapping ore extraction with increasingly lower iron concentration levels, is part of the challenge of mineral exploitation. In view of the aforementioned needs, a more detailed characterization of the tailings contributes to the improvement of the mineral processing stage and the reuse of the generated tailings. To this end, an analysis of the characteristics of the tailings was carried out through physical, chemical and mineralogical characterization, with emphasis on quantitative electron microscopy - QEM. The tests revealed that the predominant phases are hematite and quartz and, to a lesser extent, goethite, gibbsite and kaolinite. As for the degree of release, hematite/magnetite has 88.13% of its particles totally free, 0.53% associated with quartz and 6.77% associated with goethite. The chemical composition is 32.29% Fe, 47.92% SiO2, 2.76% Al2O3, and 2.14% PPI. In this scenario, mineralogical characterization, as a main component of geometallurgy, makes it possible to propose alternatives that improve the ore beneficiation process and the reuse of tailings.

A Bench Model Design of Gravitational Aeration Tower System as Treatment System for Iron Removal in Groundwater

Groundwater is an alternative source of water and is in high demand in Malaysia, particularly in rural areas where hot climate and water scarcity are still challengeable. However, groundwater sources are contaminated by high concentrations of iron in certain regions of Malaysia. In this research work, groundwater samples from tube wells in Kampung Majid Ibrahim, Simpang Renggam were collected and found iron content from 1.9 mg/L to 2.4 mg/L, which exceeds acceptable iron concentration level of 0.3 mg/L. Aeration and filtration methods are commonly employed to remove the iron from groundwater. Despite, there is low water production due to water loss through the air; the aeration process is still economic and efficient. Gravitational Aeration Tower System (GATS) was designed by using SOLIDWORK 2017 and fabricated at bench scale model to mitigate these problems. The GATS was developed with two concepts consisting of aeration from air to water and then from water to air with combination of several processes required for the treatment of water after aeration. Experimental work was conducted at the tube well location and data was collected through AQUAREAD AP2000 and Hanna Iron Checker tools using in-situ test method. The flow rate was set directly through the GATS by the flow of water at 10.0 L/min and by changing the parameters of air. Results demonstrate that dissolved oxygen (DO) levels rises by 86.5% and iron removal increases by 8.03 %. In conclusion, the GATS system is capable of increase the DO levels and decrease iron removal rates with continuous water flow.

Dichloroacetate attenuates the stemness of colorectal cancer cells via trigerring ferroptosis through sequestering iron in lysosomes.

Colorectal cancer stem cell (CSC) has been regarded to be the root of colorectal cancer progression. However, there is still no effective therapeutic method targeting colorectal CSC in clinical application. Here, we investigated the effects of dichloroacetate (DCA) on colorectal cancer cell stemness. We showed that DCA could reduce colorectal cancer cell stemness in a dose-dependent manner, which is evident by the decreased expression of stemness markers, tumor cell sphere-formation and cell migration ability. In addition, it was found that DCA trigerred the ferroptosis of colorectal CSC, which is characterized as the upregulation of iron concentration, lipid peroxides, and glutathione level, and decreased cell viability. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that DCA could sequester iron in lysosome and thus trigger ferroptosis, which is necessary for DCA-mediated attenuation on colorectal cancer cell stemness. Taken together, this work suggests that DCA might be a colorectal CSC-killer.

Evaluation of sediments quality and geospatial distribution of heavy metals in aquatic sources in the Drini i Bardhë river basin.

The purpose of this research study is to determine the concentrations of heavy metals in sediments (fraction Mn>Zn>Ni>Cr>Cu>Pb>Co>As>Sn>Mo>Sb>Cd>Bi>Ag>Hg. Based on the findings from this study, studied area is directly impacted from the geological constitution of rocks (clastic, alluvium, proluvium, glacigene, calc tufa/travertine and lake sediments) and there is a minor influence by the human activity (in the case of iron concentration level).

Serum Iron Concentration and Lipid Profile in Type 2 Diabetes Patients

Recent studies have been showed important role of elevated iron levels in pathogenesis of Type 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2D) and insulin resistance. The aim of this study was to determine serum of free iron concentration in T2D patients and find out associations with lipid profile. The study included 51 participants (27 healthy control and 24 no treated diabetes patients), with ages from 45 to 65 45-65 ages and both gender. As expected, concentrations of serum iron were elevated in diabetic patients compare to healthy subjects while statistical significant difference were shown between iron levels in control group and group with good control of glycaemia (p<0.05). In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between free iron concentration and LDL cholesterol levels and negative significant correlation between iron concentrations with HDL cholesterol in diabetics (p<0.05). These findings suggest that increase serum of free iron concentrations may have an important role and influence in development of disease, especially in lipid metabolism and profile as well in risk of further complications of diabetes.

Associations of Bariatric Interventions With Micronutrient and Endocrine Disturbances

Few studies have described the longitudinal trajectories of serum levels of micronutrients whose deficiencies are associated with serious sequelae following bariatric procedures, such as anemia, osteoporotic fractures, and neuropathies. Furthermore, previous studies comparing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) vs Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) or one-anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) procedures may have been limited by selection and confounding biases. To appraise the spectrum and temporal course of micronutrient deficiencies associated with bone metabolism and erythropoiesis after LSG vs OAGB or LRYGB procedures, using the propensity score as a balancing score. This prospective, longitudinal comparative effectiveness study was conducted at a high-volume bariatric unit in Singapore from September 1, 2008, to November 30, 2017, with a cutoff date for analysis of September 2018. Patients who underwent adjustable gastric banding, biliopancreatic diversion procedures, and intragastric balloon procedures were excluded. All other patients who underwent bariatric procedures were included. Data were analyzed from September 23 to 30, 2018. Serial assessment of 13 biochemical parameters at 12 time points for up to 5 years after bariatric procedure. Inverse probability-of-treatment weights were used to obtain estimates of the mean associations of variables assessed with the bariatric surgical interventions. Longitudinal trajectories were analyzed using mixed-effects generalized linear models to apportion the temporal variation of serum micronutrients into fixed-effects and random-effects components. A total of 688 patients were included in this study, of whom 499 underwent LSG (mean [SD] age, 41.5 [11.3] years; 318 [63.7%] women) and 189 underwent OAGB or LRYGB (mean [SD] age, 48.6 [9.4] years; 112 [59.3%] women). There were no differences during follow-up among patients who underwent LSG vs those who underwent OAGB or LRYGB in intact parathyroid hormone levels (mean difference, 7.05 [95% CI, -28.67 to 42.77] pg/mL; P = .70), serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels (mean difference, -0.72 [95% CI, -1.56 to 0.12] ng/mL; P = .09), or phosphate levels (mean difference, 0.006 [95% CI, -0.052 to 0.064] mg/dL; P = .83). Hemoglobin levels were a mean 0.63 (95% CI, 0.41 to 0.85) g/dL higher among patients who underwent LSG compared with those who underwent OAGB or LRYGB (P < .001), despite no differences in iron concentration levels (mean difference, 1.50 [95% CI, -1.39 to 4.39] µg/dL; P = .31), total iron-binding capacity (mean difference, 4.36 [95% CI, -5.25 to 13.98] µg/dL; P = .37), or ferritin levels (mean difference, 3.0 [95% CI, -13.0 to 18.9] ng/mL; P = .71). Compared with patients who underwent LSG procedures, patients who underwent OAGB or LRYGB had higher folate levels (mean difference, 2.376 [95% CI, 1.716 to 3.036] ng/mL; P < .001) but lower serum magnesium levels (mean difference, -0.25 [95% CI, -0.35 to -0.16] mg/dL; P < .001) and zinc levels (mean difference, -7.58 [95% CI, -9.92 to -5.24] µg/dL; P < .001). These findings suggest that LSG vs OAGB or LRYGB procedures have differential associations with various micronutrient and metabolic parameters. These differences should be recognized in guidelines for postbariatric nutritional surveillance and prevention.

Liver Iron Content Determination Using a Volumetric Breath-Hold Gradient-Echo Sequence With In-Line R2 * Calculation.

Liver iron overload is a serious condition occurring in patients requiring blood transfusions (eg, in thalassemia and different forms of anemia) or with dysfunctional iron resorption, since there is no physiological mechanism to excrete iron. Above a certain level of iron concentration, chelation therapy is indicated. To monitor therapy success, liver iron content should be assessed regularly. A noninvasive method is important for patient management. Existing MRI methods suffer from long acquisition times and cost. To study the correlation of liver iron content (LIC) reference values to liver R2 * determined using a 3D breath-hold multigradient echo (GRE) MRI sequence, employing accelerated acquisition by parallel imaging and in-line R2 * calculation. Prospective. In all, 117 patients (22.1 ± 14.1 years, 66 men) suspected of iron overload. GRE. 1.5T. For comparison, a regulatory-approved method with a considerably longer scan time was used, providing LIC reference values. Participants were divided into a calibration group (65 participants), analyzed independently by two observers, and a validation group (52 participants). Linear correlation parameters were evaluated for R2 * values with LIC reference values, and for LIC determined from R2 * for validation group participants with LIC reference values. Sensitivity/specificity for clinical relevant LIC thresholds were analyzed. Interobserver variability was determined by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Interobserver agreement was excellent, with an ICC of 0.99, P < 0.001. Good correlation (R2 = 0.89) and congruence of LIC values obtained with our method to LIC reference values was found, and almost identical diagnostic accuracy. Sensitivity/specificity were 0.98/0.67 for the diagnostic relevant LIC threshold of 4.5 mg/g and 1.0/0.95 for the threshold of 7 mg/g. MRI acquisition times for determination of LIC can be significantly reduced by the use of comprehensive in-line R2 * map generation without compromising diagnostic accuracy. 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 2.

Optimization of a modular continuous flow bioreactor system for acid mine drainage treatment using Plackett–Burman design

AbstractA novel modular continuous flow bioreactor system was designed to enhance the tolerance of bacteria to high concentration of heavy metal. This study evaluated the combined effect of high and low concentration levels of zinc, ferrous iron, copper, sulfate, and carbon source on the heavy metals and sulfate removal efficiencies. Statistically valid Plackett–Burman design (PBD) of experiments was employed to carry out this study. A maximum removal for each of zinc, copper, iron, and sulfate was 99.08%, 99.13%, 94.83%, and 58.89%, respectively. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) of zinc, copper, and sulfate reduction revealed that the effect due to zinc was highly significant (p &lt; 0.05). To establish the roles of iron‐oxidizing bacteria (IOB) and sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) in their respective bioreactors, the characteristics of microbial communities in attached and suspended growth biomass in the bioreactors were analyzed by high‐throughput sequencing during the steady operational process. Qualitative energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis of the precipitates from sulfide precipitation was performed. The results revealed that the precipitates as sulfide zinc were confirmed by the EDS spectrum with strong peaks of zinc and sulfur.

Expression analysis of glutathione S-transferases and ferritins during the embryogenesis of the tick Haemaphysalis longicornis

In the tick life cycle, embryogenesis is the only stage of development wherein no blood meal is required. Nevertheless, even in the absence of a blood meal, which is the source of nutrients as well as the ferrous iron and heme that could cause oxidative stress in ticks, malondialdehyde (MDA) has been reported to increase during this period. Additionally, the knockdown of some oxidative stress–related molecules such as ferritin has resulted in abnormal eggs and embryonic death.Here, we investigate the gene and protein expression profiles of the identified glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) and ferritins (Fers) of the tick H. longicornis during embryogenesis through quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blotting, respectively. We also confirm the lipid peroxidation and ferrous iron concentration level using a thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay. Finally, we attempt to correlate these findings with the events occurring by establishing a staging process in H. longicornis embryos.Lipid peroxidation increased during the course of embryogenesis, as does the amount of GST proteins. On the other hand, the GST genes have high expression at the 1st day post-oviposition, during the early stage of embryogenesis and at day 10 during the period wherein the germ band is observable. Fer gene expression also starts to increase at day 10 and peaks at day 15. In the ferritin proteins, only the secretory ferritin (Fer2) is detected and constitutively expressed during embryogenesis.Events occurring during embryogenesis, such as energy production and iron metabolism for cellular proliferation and differentiation cause oxidative stress in the embryo. To counteract oxidative stress, it is possible that the embryo may utilize oxidative stress–related molecules such as GSTs and Fer2, which could be either maternally or embryo-derived.

Determining grain seed micronutrient contents (iron and zinc) and cooking time for selected dry bean cultivars

Micronutrient deficiencies caused by lack of Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn) and Vitamin A in the human body have negative effect with regard to health issues worldwide. Imbalances of these nutrients in the human body create a significant risk of illness and mortality among children under five years of age, pregnant women and lactating mothers. Some of the food crops that thought to reduce micronutrients include rice, sweet potato, dry bean, sorghum, corn, barley, and finger millet have been biofortified through ways of agronomic practices, conventional breeding, or modern biotechnology. Despite the fact that dry beans address Fe and Zn deficiencies based on recommended dietary allowances (RDA), they often take a long time to cook. Many communities have limited cooking resources which make them rely on burning wood, charcoal or other biofuels that require more time and money. This study identified dry bean cultivars with enhanced Fe and Zn concentration levels and fast cooking time from 200 cultivars. Experiments were conducted under a complete randomized block design with two replications, 200 cultivars, and two different agro-ecologies. Iron and Zinc concentration levels were determined from the harvested seed grains of each bean cultivar using X-Ray Fluorescence while cooking time of similar cultivars were determined using the Mattson cooker. The variation of Fe and Zn concentration was significantly different at (p<0.001) among the treatments and environments. The range was between 46.76 mg/kg to 107.25 mg/kg for Fe and 21.70 mg/kg to 42.35 mg/kg for Zn concentration. From two testing sites, the concentration of Fe was higher at Lyamungo than SARI and Zn showed inversely proportional to these tested sites which means that the environment and soils were not homogenous in terms of soil health. The highest water uptake was 61.54% and the lowest was 3.70% and the higher the water uptake the lower the cooking time. Fast cooking time was ~15 min and the longest was ~76 min. Small seed-sized cultivars showed fast cooking time than large-seeded. These two traits in identified cultivars will enhance dry bean consumption, which will contribute to alleviating micronutrient deficiencies in this global growing population.

Effects of Iron on the Productivity of Lowland Rice (O. sativa L.) in Segregating Populations

Rice plants have the tendency of taking up iron in the form of Fe²⁺, which is prevalent in paddy fields under flooded environments. But its deficiency or in excess of Fe²⁺ in the soil affect several physiological functions of the plant. The objective of the study was to evaluates the effect of three ferrous sulphate concentration levels on the yield and yield components of lowland segregating rice populations. Three experiments were established in screenhouse concurrently in randomized complete block design in three replications in pots. Treatment comprised of 6 breeding lines each from two rice populations of F2 and F3 generations and two popular checks. Experiment one is the control without FeSO₄ treatment, while experiment two and three are F2 and F3 populations, respectively treated with FeSO₄ solution. Three concentration levels of FeSO₄ solution (600mg/kg of soil, 1200mg/kg of soil, and 1800mg/kg of soil,) were applied into each pots a week before transplanting in the treated experiments. Remarkable reduction in effective tiller number at 1800mg of Fe stress relative to the control was observed of 42.6% and 42.9% in F2 and F3 population, respectively. Significant reduction in grain yield of 33.5% and 36.4% at 1800mg of Fe compared to the control in F2 and F3 populations, respectively. The study showed that at 1200mg of Fe could be optimal for rice crop performance and at 1800mg of Fe becomes toxic to the plant as observed significant reduction in all agronomic traits especially in total grain yield. In F2 and F3 population, UPN 59, UPIA 2 and UPN 95 where the most stable genotypes across iron concentration levels. These genotypes could be used in population development for iron breeding programme.

Mercury and iron in atmospheric precipitation of the Azov Sea basin

In different seasons of the year, the iron and mercury concentration levels in liquid and solid phase were studied in the troposphere above the Azov Sea waters, its coasts, and some cities of the Rostov Region. These levels in hydrometeors depend on seasons, sampling places, wind activity, rain and snow precipitation.

Ameliorative Effect of Sugarcane (Blackstrap) Molasses against Gamma Radiation or Manganese- Induced Testicular Toxicity in Male Albino Rats

SUGARCANE molasses is a potent antioxidant. Radiation and excess manganese are toxins causing a wide range of adverse effects that can be severe and induce tissues damage to mammals. In an attempt to minimize these effects, the present study aims to evaluate the mitigating effect of molasses on radiation or manganese toxicity-induced testicular tissue damage. Rats were whole-body gamma-irradiated with a single dose of 6Gy, or administered MnCl2 4H2O in a single intraperitoneal injection (100mg/kg body weight). The results showed that molasses treatment (200mg/ 100g body weight/day) for seven days post-radiation or manganese toxicity induced a marked amelioration in the oxidative stress biomarkers of serum and testicular tissues of rats manifested by decreased levels of total nitrate/nitrite (NOx) and malondialdehyde (MDA) associated with an elevation in the total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Molasses treatment has induced also a significant elevation in the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (COX). Marked improvement in the level of serum testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and glucose was also observed. Moreover, molasses was effective in modulating the concentration levels of copper (Cu), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn) and selenium (Se) in testicular tissue and epididymis. Additionally, the epididymal sperm count, as well as motility and viability percentage had markedly increased in rats treated with molasses, whereas there was a significant decrease in the number of sperms with abnormal morphology. In conclusion, sugarcane molasses can be considered as a new natural mitigating agent on the testicular injury induced by radiation or Mn-toxicity.

Uncertainty in the R2 Calibration Curve for High Iron Concentration

Introduction: MRI assessment of liver iron concentration (LIC) has become the standard of care for monitoring iron chelation strategies. The Ferriscan R2 quantification of LIC has been validated against 338 biopsies in two large cohorts, demonstrates good interstudy reproducibility, and has strong quality control practices. However, its cost remains a challenge for many institutions, making iron measurements by R2* acquisitions more attractive. Several studies comparing LIC by R2* and by Ferriscan R2 have identified substantial bias between R2* and R2 LIC estimates. We postulated that the original Ferriscan R2 calibration overestimates LIC at high iron concentrations, causing the disagreement between the two techniques. Methods: We identified three studies comparing single echo R2 to liver biopsy (362 biopsies). We used a publicly available digital capture program(www.arizona-software.ch/graphclick) to capture the values of R2 for each liver iron concentration level. We fit the data to the existing FDA-approved calibration and compared Bland Altman agreement to liver biopsy against two other calibration curves. The first was data-derived from the aggregate liver biopsy results using a linear fit in log transformed LIC and R2 coordinates (resulting in a Power Law fit). The second was derived from a spline fit to data generated from previously published Monte Carlo simulation model from our laboratory. This model generates "synthetic" R2-iron pairs over the entire physiological range of iron overload, using ideal mathematical approximations to the MRI imaging physics. Results: Panel A demonstrates R2-LIC pairs for the aggregate liver biopsy data and the three evaluated R2-iron calibration curves. Using Bland-Altman analysis, both the Power Law (0.5 ± 4.9 mg/g) and Simulation (1.7 ± 5.1 mg/g) calibrations had 17-22% lower variance than the Ferriscan calibration (-1.1 ± 6.2 mg/g), p&amp;lt;0.0001 by two sample variance test. More importantly, the predicted LIC values diverge dramatically for R2 values greater than 155 Hz (roughly 14 mg/g) (Panel B). For example, a R2 value of 300 Hz will yield an estimated LIC of 48 mg/g by Ferriscan but only 34 mg/g and 32.5 mg/g by the Power Law and Simulation calibrations respectively. Discussion: These data suggest that Ferriscan overestimates true liver iron concentration for R2 values exceeding 155 Hz, with the differences growing geometrically. The calibration error is sufficient to completely explain the differences between LIC by R2* and Ferriscan R2 described in previously studies. Importantly, any future attempt to "calibrate" R2* or other MRI methods against Ferriscan need to account for this bias. Fortunately, the clinical impact of the observed calibration bias is manageable. Patients with LIC below 14 mg/g are being accurately risk stratified. Patients with LIC greater than 14 mg/g in their liver are universally at high risk and should be treated aggressively, regardless. Serial trends in LIC-R2 values also lessen the impact of calibration bias. Both Ferriscan and R2* LIC estimates and provide accurate estimates of chelator efficiency on an annual basis. Further, both Ferriscan and liver R2* LIC estimates are more accurate than liver biopsy in tracking changes in total body iron concentration. However, hematologists should treat Ferriscan predicted LIC values of more than 14 mg/g with appropriate caution and integrate the predicted LIC values with the patient's entire clinical picture to avoid over-reacting to large changes in predicted LIC. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work supported by the National Institutes of Health, Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (1R01DK097115-01A1). DISCLOSURES Dr. Wood serves as a consultant to Apopharma, Biomedinformatics, Bluebirdbio, Celgene, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Imago Biosciences, Silence Therapeutics, and World Care Clinical. Figure Disclosures Wood: National Institutes of Health: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy; Apopharma: Consultancy; WorldcareClinical: Consultancy; BluebirdBio: Consultancy; Imago Biosciences: Consultancy; BiomedInformatics: Consultancy; Philips Healthcare: Research Funding. Coates:celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: steering committee of clinical study; vifor: Consultancy, Honoraria; apo pharma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; agios pharma: Consultancy, Honoraria.

After haemin treatment intracellular non-haem iron increases prior to haem oxygenase-1 induction: A study in human monocytic cell line THP-1

BackgroundIron overload is a major health concern for transfusion-dependent patients. Repeated transfusions result in the loading of large amounts of haem-derived iron on macrophages, in turn, inducing cell death. We previously demonstrated that haemin-induced cell death in human monocytic THP-1 cells is consistent with ferroptosis, an iron-dependent cell death regulation mechanism. However, direct measurement of iron after haemin treatment has not yet been conducted. In this study, we measured intracellular non-haem iron concentration and haem oxygenase levels after haemin treatment. Material and methodsHuman monocytic THP-1 cells were treated with haemin, and the cell lysate was prepared. Non-haem iron concentration of the cell lysate was measured using the Nitroso-PSAP method. Expression of haem oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and haem oxygenase-2 (HO-2) was quantified by western blotting. ResultsWe measured intracellular non-haem iron and the expression of haem oxygenases post-haemin treatment. Concentration of non-haem iron post-haemin treatment increased dependently with time and dose. HO-1 expression was detected 4 h after haemin treatment, whereas HO-2 expression was constitutive. DiscussionIncrease in non-haem iron prior to induction of HO-1 expression suggests the involvement of HO-2 in haem-induced cytotoxicity. (184 words)

The serum concentration of vitamin B12 as a biomarker of therapeutic response in tuberculosis patients with and without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

BackgroundPrior to clinical trials of new tuberculosis (TB) drugs or therapeutic vaccines, it is necessary to develop monitoring tools to predict treatment outcomes in TB patients.MethodsMicronutrients concentration level was determined from a total of 262 study participants with five clinical groups: 57 TB patients coinfected with HIV (HIV+TB+), 87 active TB Patients (TB cases), 71 HIV infected without active and latent TB infection (HIV+TST-), 22 latent TB infection (TST+) and 25 healthy controls (TST-). Vitamin A concentration was measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), whereas iron and vitamin B12 concentrations were measured using Cobas® 6000 analyzer.ResultThe serum concentration levels of iron, vitamin A and vitamin B12 had a significant difference between active TB and latent (LTBI) or healthy controls. Six months after treatment, the serum concentration levels of vitamin A, vitamin B12 and iron in tuberculosis became indistinguishable from the levels of LTBIs and healthy control individuals. The concentration levels of iron and vitamin B12 in HIV+TB+patients at the end of TB treatment were normalized to the levels observed in healthy controls (TST–) regardless of HAART treatment. However, the concentration level of vitamin A in HIV+TB+patients HAART untreated at the end of TB treatment was not normalized to the levels observed in healthy controls (TST–) or HAART untreated HIV+TST–.ConclusionDetecting serum concentration levels of vitamin B12 and vitamin A might be used as a biomarker of the diagnostic method of active TB regardless of HIV-infected individuals. Moreover, detecting serum concentration of vitamin B12 might also be used for TB treatment responses monitoring biomarker in TB-HIV-co-infected individuals regardless of HAART (in)eligibility and therapy.

Somatic embryos response against iron stress in in-vitro culture condition of East Kalimantan (Indonesia) rice

Abstract. Nurhasanah, Ramita, Supriyanto B, Sunaryo W. 2019. Somatic embryos response against iron stress in in-vitro culture condition of East Kalimantan (Indonesia) rice. Biodiversitas 20: 2288-2294. Iron toxicity is major abiotic stress that limits rice production in most tropical regions. A high iron concentration will lead to the abnormal growth and development, decreased yield, and even death of the plant. Compared to other recommended treatments to overcome iron toxicity problems, the use of tolerant cultivars is considered the most effective and efficient approach. In this study, the tolerant character against iron stress was developed using East Kalimantan local rice cultivars through somaclonal variation and in vitro selection. The somatic embryos from four indica rice cultivars, Mayas Pancing, Gedagai, Siam, and Serai, were selected in iron-containing media. Five levels of iron concentrations were applied in the selection media 0; 27.8; 55.6; 83.4, and 111.2 mg.L-1 of FeSO4.7H2O. The media acidity was adjusted to pH 4.00 for iron-containing media and 5.8 for the zero iron concentration (without iron). The results showed that the survival ability of embryonic calli (EC) was significantly influenced by the level of iron concentration. The absence of an iron source in the selection media led to lower EC survival. The percentage of EC survival ability was even lower than that of the presence of two folds of normal iron concentration (55.6 mgL-1 of FeSO4.7H2O). Three and four folds of the normal iron concentration (83.6 mg.L-1 and 111.2 mg.L-1 FeSO4.7H2O) mostly produced the lowest percentage of EC survival for the four local rice cultivars. Mayas Pancing had better tolerance to iron stress and the highest EC survival number compared to other genotypes. The role of genotype was clearly observed in the regeneration ability of EC. Plantlets were only produced on the EC from the Serai Gunung and Siam cultivars.

Investigating a cytochrome b561 family member in insect cellular iron uptake

Iron is an essential element to many functions of an animal's life, yet it is also toxic. Because iron is both essential and harmful, tight regulation of its concentration, location and ionization state is vital to animal livelihood. While we understand much about iron uptake in mammals, the mechanism for its transport is poorly understood in insects. We know iron is significant to many aspects of an insect's life, including: energy metabolism, detoxification of pesticides and as a nutrient for symbionts and commensals. We have identified a cytochrome b561 family member in Drosophila melanogaster, CG1275, that is similar to mammalian duodenal cytochrome b, a known ferric reductase involved in iron uptake. CG1275 is well expressed across all life stages of Drosophila, and we hypothesize that it may be involved in the uptake of iron to non‐intestinal insect cells. To test this hypothesis, we are performing RNA interference (RNAi) experiments to attempt knockdown in the expression of the gene coding for this protein. Previously we relied upon traditional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to qualitatively observe whether knockdown had occurred. Now, by using real‐time PCR, we have quantified the CG1275 knockdown observed in our RNAi experiments. Next we will measure the iron concentration levels of our S2 cells to determine whether CG1275 plays a role in iron uptake to non‐intestinal insect cells.Support or Funding InformationNSF IOS‐1656407This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.