ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Several methods are available to measure iron absorption (IA). The oral iron absorption test (OIAT) measures IA based on a change in serum iron (ΔSeFe) concentration after an oral iron dose. The objective of this study was to validate the OIAT by comparing it to the reference method of fractional iron absorption (FIA) using red blood cell incorporation of stable iron isotopes from a labeled iron dose. A second objective was to assess whether the OIAT could be done simultaneously with an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), since iron deficiency and glucose intolerance may coexist, especially among overweight individuals with low-grade inflammation. METHODS: In this prospective experimental study, 116 women were enrolled and IA was measured using two different approaches 1) FIA from a labeled test meal containing 6 mg of 57Fe and 2) the OIAT assessing ΔSeFe at 2 h after the intake of 100 mg oral iron, done simultaneously with an OGTT. Markers of iron status, glycaemia and inflammation, and serum hepcidin, were measured. RESULTS: Prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency (defined as low serum ferritin) were 21% and 14%, respectively. ΔSeFe during the OIAT-OGTT was positively associated with FIA (r = 0.578, p < 0.001). ΔSeFe was not significantly correlated with markers of glucose and insulin metabolism during the OIAT-OGTT. CONCLUSIONS: The combined OIAT and OGTT method described here correlates well with FIA measured by stable iron isotopes, and could provide information on both IA and glucose tolerance in a single 2-h test, decreasing the burden on patients. clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03642223).
Subject(s)
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency , Adolescent , Adult , Anemia, Iron-Deficiency/diagnosis , Female , Glucose , Humans , Iron , Iron Isotopes , Middle Aged , Prospective Studies , Young AdultABSTRACT
Background: Lung and breast cancers are common in the world and represent major public health problems. Systemic chemotherapy is an effective way to prolong survival but it is associated with side effects. Plants are used as traditional treatments for many types of cancers, mostly in combination with chemotherapy. We investigated the antitumor effect of ethanolic (EE) and aqueous (AE) extracts of Eucalyptus camaldulensis on human alveolar adenocarcinoma basal epithelial cells (A549) and breast adenocarcinoma cell line (MCF-7) and checked the synergistic effect of the combination with low-dose cisplatin (CDDP). Methods: AE and EE were characterized for their secondary metabolites including content of phenol and antioxidant activity of both extracts. Cell viability was tested by the neutral red assay and MTT. Combinations of extract with low-dose CDDP on A549, MCF-7 cells, and normal cells peripheral blood mononuclear cells was used to study cell viability. Results: AE contains higher level of active constituents than EE. Higher antioxidant activity was observed in AE. Both extracts showed cytotoxic activity on A549 and MCF-7 cells. Moreover, combining E. camaldulensis with low-dose CDDP increases significantly the cell death of treated cells in comparison to those treated with CDDP alone. Conclusions: Our results highlight a new therapeutic concept that combines Eucalyptus camaldulensis with low-dose CDDP to treat lung and breast adenocarcinoma.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: In overweight and obesity (OW/OB), greater total body fat predicts higher serum hepcidin (SHep) which can impair iron homeostasis and increase risk for iron deficiency (ID). However, the effect of body fat distribution on SHep and iron homeostasis is unclear. In central obesity, interleukin (IL)-6 released from visceral adipose tissue into portal blood could strongly stimulate hepatic hepcidin synthesis. Thus, our hypothesis was that higher amounts of android fat, rather than gynoid fat, would predict impaired iron metabolism in OW/OB. SUBJECTS/METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled 117 otherwise-healthy women into two groups: normal weight; BMI < 25 (n = 36) and OW/OB; BMI ≥ 25 (n = 81); we then subdivided the OW/OB using DEXA into tertiles based on the ratio of android fat/total body fat (AF/TBF). We measured inflammation and iron status, and assessed iron absorption in two ways: by measuring erythrocyte isotope incorporation from a labeled test meal containing 6 mg 57Fe (representing dietary iron); and by measuring change in serum iron (ΔSeFe) after a 100 mg oral iron challenge (representing supplemental iron). RESULTS: Greater AF/TBF correlated with higher CRP, AGP, SHep, and TIBC, and lower transferrin saturation and SeFe/SHep ratio (for all, p < 0.05). Greater AF/TBF correlated with lower supplemental iron absorption (ΔSeFe) (p = 0.08) but not lower dietary iron absorption. In multiple regressions, AF/TBF positively predicted CRP (p < 0.001) and SHep (p < 0.05); a model including AF/TBF and serum ferritin as covariates explained 65% of the variance in SHep. AF/TBF negatively predicted TSAT (p < 0.05) and iron absorption (ΔSeFe) (p = 0.07). In contrast, the ratio of gynoid fat/total body fat was not significantly associated with these variables. CONCLUSION: Body fat distribution affects iron metabolism: women with greater central adiposity have higher SHep, greater impairments in iron homeostasis, and reduced iron absorption from a supplemental iron dose.
