Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Mechanisms of an increased level of serum iron in gamma-irradiated mice

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Radiation and Environmental Biophysics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The potential mechanisms underlying the increase in serum iron concentration in gamma-irradiated mice were studied. The gamma irradiation dose used was 4 Gy, and cobalt-60 (60Co) source was used for the irradiation. The dose rate was 0.25 Gy/min. In the serum of irradiated mice, the concentration of ferrous ions decreased, whereas the serum iron concentration increased. The concentration of ferrous ions in irradiated mice returned to normal at 21 day post-exposure. The concentration of reactive oxygen species in irradiated mice increased immediately following irradiation but returned to normal at 7 day post-exposure. Serum iron concentration in gamma-irradiated mice that were pretreated with reduced glutathione was significant lower (p < 0.01) than that in mice exposed to gamma radiation only. However, the serum iron concentration was still higher than that in normal mice (p < 0.01). This change was biphasic, characterized by a maximal decrease phase occurring immediately after gamma irradiation (relative to the irradiated mice) and a recovery plateau observed during the 7th and 21st day post-irradiation, but serum iron recovery was still less than that in the gamma-irradiated mice (4 Gy). In gamma-irradiated mice, ceruloplasmin activity increased and serum copper concentration decreased immediately after irradiation, and both of them were constant during the 7th and 21st day post-irradiation. It was concluded that ferrous ions in irradiated mice were oxidized to ferric ions by ionizing radiation. Free radicals induced by gamma radiation and ceruloplasmin mutually participated in this oxidation process. The ferroxidase effect of ceruloplasmin was achieved by transfer of electrons from ferrous ions to cupric ions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdou MI, Shaban HA, EI Gohary MI (2010) Changes in serum zinc, copper and ceruloplasmin levels of whole body gamma irradiated rats. In: Tenth radiation physics and protection. Proceedings of National Network of Radiation Physics conference. National Network of Radiation Physics, Cario, pp 1–26

  • Aladjov E, Vlaykova T (1997) Changes in serum ceruloplasmin activity after whole body irradiation of mammals. J Radiat Res 38:157–163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anbumani S, Mohankumar MN (2012) Gamma radiation induced micronuclei and erythrocyte cellular abnormalities in the fish Catla catla. Aquat Toxicol 122:125–132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Andrews NC (1999) The iron transporter DMT1. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 31:991–994

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barjaktarovic Z, Schmaltz D, Shyla A, Azimzadeh O, Schulz S, Haagen J et al (2011) Radiation-induced signaling results in mitochondrial impairment in mouse heart at 4 weeks after exposure to X-rays. PLoS One 6:e27811

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Bo S, Durazzo M, Gambino R, Berutti C, Milanesio N, Caropreso A et al (2008) Associations of dietary and serum copper with inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolic variables in adults. J Nutr 138:305–310

    Google Scholar 

  • Bothwell TH, Charlton RW, Cook JD, Finch CA (1979) Iron metabolism in man. Blackwell Scientific, Oxford, pp 971–999

  • Budagov RS, Ashurov AA, Zaĭchik VE (1994) Blood trace elements as an indicator of the degree of severity in radiation lesions. Radiat Biol Radioecol 34:49–54

    Google Scholar 

  • Ganz T (2003) Hepcidin, a key regulation of iron metabolism and mediator of anemia of inflammation. Blood 102(783–788):2003

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein IM, Kaplan HB, Edelson HS et al (1979) Ceruloplasmin: a scavenger of superoxide anion radicals. J Biol Chem 254:4040–4045

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray NK, Pantopoulos K, Dandekar T, Ackrell BAC, Hentze MW (1996) Translational regulation of mammalian and Drosophila citric acid cycle enzymes via iron-responsive elements. Proc Natl Acad Sci 93:4925–4930

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Hinzmann R (2003) Iron metabolism, iron deficiency and anaemia from diagnosis to treatment and monitoring. Sysmex J Int 13:65–74

    Google Scholar 

  • Houben JL (1971) Free radicals produced by ionizing radiation in bone and its constituents. Int J Radiat Biol 20:373–389

    Google Scholar 

  • Ma J, Haldar S, Khan MA, Sharma SD, Merrick WC, Theil EC, Goss DJ (2012) Fe2+ binds iron responsive element-RNA, selectively changing protein-binding affinities and regulating mRNA repression and activation. Proc Natl Acad Sci 109:8417–8422

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • McKie AT, Barrow D, Go Latunde-Dada et al (2001) An iron-regulated ferric reductase associated with the absorption of dietary iron. Science 291:1755–1759

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Ponka P (1997) Tissue-specific regulation of iron metabolism and heme synthesis: distinct control mechanisms in erythroid cells. Blood 89:1–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Protasova OV, Maksimova IA, Cheprasov VY, Nikiforov AM (2001) Altered balance of macroelements and trace elements in blood serum, its ultrafiltrates, and hairs long after exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation. Biol Bull 28:344–349

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pulatova MK, Sharygin VL, Shlyakova TG, Sipyagina AE, Wasserman AM (2009) Use of EPR spectroscopy to check the changes in organism radioresistance. Clin results. Biophys 54:223–231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ray S, Chatterjee A (2007) Influence of glutathione on the induction of chromosome aberrations, delay in cell cycle kinetics and cell cycle regulator proteins in irradiated mouse bone marrow cells. Int J Radiat Biol 83:347–354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slater TF (1987) Free radicals and tissue injury: fact and fiction. Br J Cancer 8:5–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Szweda-Lewandowska Z, Puchala M, Leyko W (1976) Effects of gamma irradiation on the structure and function of human hemoglobin. Radiat Res 65:50–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (2011) Fact sheet on biological effects of radiation. USNRC Technical Training Center 9-1.0603, USNRC, Washington, DC

  • Wang J, Pantopoulos K (2011) Regulation of cellular iron metabolism. Biochem J 434:365–381

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu MJ, Zhan JW, Jiang CH (2006) Radiological lesions and trace elements. Stud Trace Elem Health 23:51–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu XF, Zhao FL, Wang S et al (2008) Quantitative measurement of Fe(II) in human blood with spectral analysis method. Spectrosc Spectr Anal 28:2927–2930

    Google Scholar 

  • Zgirski A, Gasyna Z, Hilewicz-Grabska M (1980) Primary electron-accepting sites and electron transport reaction in human ceruloplasmin: low-temperature radiolysis study. FEBS Lett 113:149–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang XH, Lou ZC, Wang AL, Hu XD, Zhang HQ (2013a) Development of serum iron for biological dosimetry in mice. Radiat Res 179:684–689

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang XH, Min XY, Wang AL et al (2013b) Development of a serum copper-based biological dosimetry in whole body gamma irradiation of mice. Health Phys 105:351–355

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the NUAA Fundamental Research Funds (No. NS2014055).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 29 Yudao Street, Nanjing, 210016, People’s Republic of China

    Li-hua Xie, Xiao-hong Zhang, Xiao-dan Hu, Xuan-yu Min, Qi-fu Zhou & Hai-qian Zhang

  2. Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

    Qi-fu Zhou

  3. Jiangsu Laboratory for Biomaterials and Devices, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China

    Hai-qian Zhang

Authors
  1. Li-hua Xie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xiao-hong Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Xiao-dan Hu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xuan-yu Min
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Qi-fu Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Hai-qian Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hai-qian Zhang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Xie, Lh., Zhang, Xh., Hu, Xd. et al. Mechanisms of an increased level of serum iron in gamma-irradiated mice. Radiat Environ Biophys 55, 81–88 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-015-0623-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-015-0623-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation