EFFECT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS ON THE CONCENTRATION OF SERUM IRON IN RATS AND ITS MECHANISM / 营养学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effect of psychological stress on serum iron concentration of SD rats and its mechanism. Method SD rats were randomly divided into four groups control group (CG), psychological stress 1w group (PG 1w) and 2w group (PG-2w), and psychological stress 2w with 1w free group (PG 2w-1w). The animal model of stress was tested for 1w, 2w, and 2w with 1w free from stress. The iron concentration of serum, liver, spleen and the expression of liver hepcidin were detected by atomic absorption spectrometry and Western blot respectively. Result (1) Compared with control group, serum iron concentration of rats under stress decreased. (2) Free of psychological stress 1w later, serum iron concentration was not significantly changed. (3) Iron concentration of liver and spleen was increased significantly compared with control group, and the expression of liver hepcidin was also increased. Conclusion Psychological stress may cause serum iron of rats to decrease obviously, and it was restored after 1w free from psychological stress. The mechanism is supposed to be increase of iron storage in liver and spleen by hepcidin in rats under psychological stress.