[Effect of higher iron in diet on iron levels and hepcidin mRNA expression levels in rats].

Objective: To study the effects of higher iron in diet on weight, iron status and hepcidin mRNA expression level in rats.

Methods: Sixty clean male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups according to the weight and were administrated higher iron at the doses of 35, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 3500 mg/kg of irons, respectively. Rats were killed after 8 weeks and serum and liver and duodenum of rats were collected. The serum iron levels, transferrin saturation were measured by colorimetric method. The serum ferrtin concentrations were measured by ELISA. The hepcidin mRNA level in liver and ferroportin mRNA expression in duodenum were measured by RT-PCR.

Results: After 8 week treatments, there was significant difference of the weights among the six groups. With the increases of iron levels in diet, the levels of serum iron, serum ferretin, and transferrin saturation were gradually increased, and the hepcidin mRNA expression level in liver significantly increased, and the expression of ferroprotin mRNA expression level in duodenum was decreased.

Conclusion: Higher iron diet could influence the weights, serum iron status, liver hepcidin and duodenum ferroportin mRNA expression levels of the rats.