Distribution Analysis of Iron and Copper by STEM-EDX Spectroscopy of Hemosiderin Particles in the Liver of Rats Overloaded With Iron.

Background/aim: Our recent studies have indicated that trace copper co-existed with iron in hemosiderin particles of human genetic iron overload. To understand this phenomenon, we analyzed hemosiderin particles in iron-overloaded rat liver by using scanning transmission electron microscopy - energy-dispersive X-ray (STEM-EDX) spectroscopy.

Materials And Methods: Samples for STEM-EDX spectroscopy were prepared from the liver of rats administered an intraperitoneal injection of dextran iron.

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate Down-regulates Doxorubicin-induced Overexpression of P-glycoprotein Through the Coordinate Inhibition of PI3K/Akt and MEK/ERK Signaling Pathways.

Background/aim: (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has been indicated to regulate the function of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), which is a drug transporter encoded by the MDR1 (ABCB1) gene. P-gp expression is induced by doxorubicin (DOX). We aimed to clarify the mechanisms and inhibitory effects of EGCG on DOX-induced P-gp expression in HepG2 cells.

Coexistence of Copper in the Iron-Rich Particles of Aceruloplasminemia Brain.

The interaction between iron and copper has been discussed in association with human health and diseases for many years. Ceruloplasmin, a multi-copper oxidase, is mainly involved in iron metabolism and its genetic defect, aceruloplasminemia (ACP), shows neurological disorders and diabetes associated with excessive iron accumulation, but little is known about the state of copper in the brain. Here, we investigated localization of these metals in the brains of three patients with ACP using electron microscopes equipped with an energy-dispersive x-ray analyzer.