CHANGES IN PARAMETERS RELATED TO SERUM IRON METABLOISM IN GALLIUM TREATED RATS
Abstract
Background. Gallium (Ga) is used as radioimaging in diagnosis of cancers and also as a chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of cancers. It is believed that gallium may interfere with iron metabolism and reduce cell growth in cancer tissues.
Methods. Gallium as Ga-nitrate was injected daily to male rats. Animals were killed and sera were collected at indicated time. Serum iron parameters were determined spectrophotometrically. Transferring in complex with Ga was isolated and purified using immunoaffinity chromatography techniques.
Results. Data found from immunoaffinity technique showed that Ga in the serum was bound to transferring, an iron carrier protein. Daily administration of Ga (50mg/kg) as Ga-nitrate for 10 days reduced serum levels of iron, TIBC, Hb and Hct by 57, 37, 30 and 29 percent respectively, suggesting the reduction of transferring saturation by 30 percent. Significant reductions in the above parameters was also seen where Ga (10mg/kg) was injected daily for 30 and 60 days.
Discussion. Results obtained from present study indicated that gallium might be able to interfere with iron metabolism. More investigation is needed to elucidate the exact mechanism by which gallium undertakes its role in the cells with intercellular iron biochemical pathways.
Methods. Gallium as Ga-nitrate was injected daily to male rats. Animals were killed and sera were collected at indicated time. Serum iron parameters were determined spectrophotometrically. Transferring in complex with Ga was isolated and purified using immunoaffinity chromatography techniques.
Results. Data found from immunoaffinity technique showed that Ga in the serum was bound to transferring, an iron carrier protein. Daily administration of Ga (50mg/kg) as Ga-nitrate for 10 days reduced serum levels of iron, TIBC, Hb and Hct by 57, 37, 30 and 29 percent respectively, suggesting the reduction of transferring saturation by 30 percent. Significant reductions in the above parameters was also seen where Ga (10mg/kg) was injected daily for 30 and 60 days.
Discussion. Results obtained from present study indicated that gallium might be able to interfere with iron metabolism. More investigation is needed to elucidate the exact mechanism by which gallium undertakes its role in the cells with intercellular iron biochemical pathways.
Keywords
Gallium, Iron, Transferring, Metabolism