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Effect of latent iron deficiency on GABA and glutamate neuroreceptors in rat brain

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Abstract

Eight weeks of latent iron deficiency in weaned female rats of Sprague Dawley strain maintained on experimental low-iron diet (18–20 mg/kg) did not significantly change the gross body, weight and tissue weights of brain and liver. Packed cell volume (PCV) and hemoglobin concentration remained unaltered. However, non-heme iron content in liver and brain decreased significantly (p<0.001). The activities of glutamate dehydrogenase, glutamic acid decarboxylase, and GABA-transaminase (GABA-T) in brain decreased by 15%, 11.4% and 25.7% respectively. However, this decrease was not statistically significant. Binding of3H Muscimol at pH 7.5 and 1 mg protein/assay increased by 143% (p<0.001) in synaptic vesicular membranes from iron-deficient rats as compared to the controls.3H glutamate binding to the synaptic vesicles was also carried out under similar condition. However, the L-glutamate binding was reduced by 63% in the vesicular membranes of iron deficient animals. These studies indicate that iron plays important functional role in both excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, 226014, Lucknow, India

    Rama Devi Mittal

  2. Department of Genetics, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, 226014, Lucknow, India

    Balraj Mittal

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  1. Rama Devi Mittal
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  2. Amita Pandey
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  3. Balraj Mittal
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  4. Kailash Nath Agarwal
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Correspondence to Balraj Mittal.

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Mittal, R.D., Pandey, A., Mittal, B. et al. Effect of latent iron deficiency on GABA and glutamate neuroreceptors in rat brain. Indian J Clin Biochem 18, 111–116 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02867677

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