Morphological and functional alterations of the intestine of rats with iron-deficiency anemia.

Abstract

The present study was designed to assess the intestinal absorption of D-xylose and jejunal morphometry in rats with iron-deficiency anemia. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into a control group (diet containing 50 mg Fe/kg, N = 12) and an anemic group (diet containing <5 mg Fe/kg, N = 12). The animals were housed in individual metabolic cages and deionized water and diet were provided ad libitum for 6 weeks. Hemoglobin and hematocrit were determined at 0, 2, 4, and 6 weeks. At the end of the study the rats were submitted to a D-xylose absorption test (50 mg/100 g body weight) and sacrificed and a jejunal specimen was obtained for morphometric study. At the end of the study the hemoglobin and hematocrit of the anemic rats (8.7 +/- 0.9 g/dl and 34.1 +/- 2.9%, respectively) were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those of the controls (13.9 +/- 1.4 g/dl and 47.1 +/- 1.5%, respectively). There was no statistical difference in D-xylose absorption between the anemic (46.5 +/- 7.4%) and control (43.4 +/- 9.0%) groups. The anemic animals presented statistically greater villus height (445.3 +/- 36.8 microm), mucosal thickness (614.3 +/- 56.3 microm) and epithelial surface (5063.0 +/- 658.6 microm) than control (371.8 +/- 34.3, 526.7 +/- 62.3 and 4401.2 +/- 704.4 microm, respectively; P < 0.05). The increase in jejunum villus height, mucosal thickness and epithelial surface in rats with iron-deficiency anemia suggests a compensatory intestinal mechanism to increase intestinal iron absorption.

• Authors: M L C Wayhs, F S R Patrício, O M S Amancio, M Z Pedroso, U Fagundes Neto, M B Morais
• Journal: Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas (Braz J Med Biol Res) Vol. 37 Issue 11 Pg. 1631-5 (Nov 2004) ISSN: 0100-879X [Print] Brazil
• PMID: 15517077 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Hemoglobins
• Xylose
• Iron

Topics

• Adaptation, Physiological (physiology)
• Anemia, Iron-Deficiency (metabolism, pathology)
• Animals
• Hematocrit
• Hemoglobins (metabolism)
• Intestinal Absorption (physiology)
• Intestinal Mucosa (metabolism)
• Iron (metabolism)
• Jejunum (metabolism, pathology)
• Male
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Xylose (pharmacokinetics)