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Query: UMLS:C0240066 (iron deficiency)
 7,156 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Natural killer (NK) cell activity is impaired in iron-deficient rats. Natural killer cells destroy tumor cells; therefore, iron-deficient rats may be less able to combat cancer growth. Natural killer cell cytotoxicity, both basal and interferon gamma (IFN gamma)-stimulated, was studied in moderately and severely iron-deficient rats challenged with the carcinogen 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA). Female weanling rats were fed ad libitum semipurified diets containing 8, 13 or 42 mg Fe/kg. A pair-fed group was fed the 42 mg Fe/kg diet at the level consumed by the 8 mg Fe/kg group. Following 6 wk of dietary treatment, DMBA-treated rats received a single intragastric dose of DMBA. Dietary treatment was continued. Rats were killed at 1, 4, 8, 14 and 20 wk post-DMBA treatment. Natural killer cell cytotoxicity (both basal and IFN gamma-stimulated) was analyzed. Feeding the 13 mg Fe/kg diet resulted in lower NK cell activity (P = 0.006) and greater tumor burden (P = 0.045) and tumor incidence. Interferon gamma treatment relieved the lower NK cell cytotoxicity observed in moderate iron deficiency. Feeding the 8 mg Fe/kg diet impaired NK cell activity (P = 0.006), but tumor burden and incidence were less than in moderate iron deficiency. In this model, iron deficiency, particularly moderate iron deficiency, contributed to cancer development and compromised NK cell cytotoxicity.
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PMID:Iron deficiency alters DMBA-induced tumor burden and natural killer cell cytotoxicity in rats. 172 72

The anaemia associated with chronic renal failure is multi-factorial. Although a relative erythropoietin deficiency is a major factor, it has also been recognized in recent times that uraemia is a chronic inflammatory state, and thus patients with renal failure also develop anaemia due to mechanisms associated with chronic inflammation. Thus, patients with chronic renal failure have activation of various immune cells, both monocytes and T-cells. These mononuclear cells have also been shown to release pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6, TNF-alfa and interferon gamma. These cytokines, particularly TNF-alfa and interferon gamma, are known to cause significant suppression of erythropoiesis. The exact molecular mechanism for this effect is not yet clear, but interferon gamma is an important stimulator of apoptosis in various cell types, including erythroid progenitor cells. This effect may be potentiated by other cytokines such as TNF-alfa, and this might then antagonise the anti-apoptotic action of erythropoietin on erythroid progenitors cells, thus reducing responsiveness to exogenous erythropoietic therapy. Chronic renal failure is also associated with increased hepcidin production which may also exacerbate the anaemia by inducing a functional iron deficiency in such patients.
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PMID:Hyporesponsiveness to erythropoietic therapy due to chronic inflammation. 1628 56

Plasmodium vivax infection in humans can relapse and is associated with iron deficiency. The immune response plays an important role in preventing relapse. In this study we analyzed the effect of zinc and vitamin C supplementation on hemoglobin and hematocrit levels and immune response in patients with P. vivax malaria. We measured immune response by examining interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels. Subjects were divided into either treatment or control groups. The treatment group received daily zinc and vitamin C supplementation for 45 days. Compliance with supplement consumption was recorded weekly. After 45 days of supplementation, IFN-gamma and IL-1 levels were remeasured. All study subjects in both groups had normal hemoglobin and hematocrit levels. The hemoglobin levels increased only in the supplementation group (p=0.011), while hematocrit levels increased in both the supplementation (p=0.001) and control (p=0.023) groups. IFN-gamma decreased slightly in the supplementation group, but the change was not significant (p=0.688). IL-10 increased slightly in both the supplementation and the control groups, but the change were not significant (p=0.421 and p=0.556, respectively), suggesting the elevated hemoglobin and hematocrit levels were unrelated to immune response.
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PMID:The effect of zinc and vitamin C supplementation on hemoglobin and hematocrit levels and immune response in patients with Plasmodium vivax malaria. 2443 7