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Psychological Stress Expands Low Molecular Weight Iron Pool in Cerebral Cortex, Hippocampus, and Striatum of Rats

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Abstract

We have previously demonstrated that psychological stress (PS) can cause iron to accumulate in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and striatum of rats. However, why iron accumulates and in what oxidation state iron it accumulates in the brain of PS-exposed rats has not been well elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the influence of PS on the low molecular weight iron pool (LMWIP) in the rat brain. The results showed that: (1) PS significantly expanded LMWIP in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and striatum in rats; (2) PS caused derangement of pyramidal cells and reduced the layers of pyramidal CA1 and CA2 neurons; (3) PS exposure greatly lowered the expression of ferritin (Fn) and hephaestin (HP) in the rat cortex and hippocampus; and (4) PS decreased superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione level and increased malondialdehyde level in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and striatum in rats. These results indicated that PS could expand LMWIP significantly, which may be attributed to PS-induced decrease in Fn, HP expression, and the subsequent reduction in iron storage and utilization, and expansion of LMWIP could in turn lead to aggravation of oxidative damage.

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Abbreviations

PS:

Psychological stress

LMWI:

Low molecular weight iron

LMWIP:

Low molecular weight iron pool

NHF III:

Nonheme ferric iron

NHF II:

Nonheme ferrous iron

Fn:

Ferritin

HP:

Hephaestin

CORT:

Corticosterone

ACTH:

Adrenocorticotropic hormone

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

GSH:

Glutathione

GSH-Px:

Glutathione peroxidase

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30872120, 81001243) and Shanghai Natural Science Foundation (10ZR1437400). The authors thank Yu Danghui of Second Military Medical University Press for careful reading and critical corrections of the English language of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Military Hygiene, Second Military Medical University, No. 800 Xiangyin Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Kai Huang, Hongxia Li, Hui Shen & Min Li

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  1. Kai Huang
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  2. Hongxia Li
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  3. Hui Shen
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  4. Min Li
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Correspondence to Min Li.

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Kai Huang and Hongxia Li contributed equally to this work.

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Huang, K., Li, H., Shen, H. et al. Psychological Stress Expands Low Molecular Weight Iron Pool in Cerebral Cortex, Hippocampus, and Striatum of Rats. Biol Trace Elem Res 146, 79–85 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-011-9230-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-011-9230-7

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