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Glutathione Peroxidase Activity in Iron-Deficient Rats

Department of Foods and Nutrition, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801

The response of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) to dietary iron deficiency was studied in red blood cells and liver from male Sprague-Dawley rats. A casein-based purified diet containing 0.02 ppm Se and 7 ppm Fe was used as the basal diet. Rats were given the basal diet supplemented with either 0.5 ppm Se or 30 ppm Fe or both for 10 weeks. Food consumption in irondeficient rats was 79% of controls. Iron deficiency caused a significant decrease of GSH-Px and catalase activities in red blood cells (RBC) expressed per cell. However, enzyme activities expressed per gram of hemoglobin or per milligram of protein increased. These data suggest that GSH-Px is present in adequate quantities in iron-deficient red blood cells to protect cell membranes and hemoglobin as long as the rats receive adequate Se. Hepatic catalase was not altered by iron or Se deficiency. Liver Se GSH-Px activity/g tissue decreased to 75% of control activity during iron deficiency. Non Se GSH-Px activity increased during Se or iron deficiencies and may compensate to a limited extent for decreased Se GSH-Px activity. In contrast to earlier reports, RBC GSH-Px activity was not altered by iron deficiency except for possible indirect effects related to changes in red blood cell size or food intake.

KEY WORDS: • iron deficiency • glutathione peroxidase

¹ Present address: Department of Pathology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642.

² To whom reprint requests should be sent.

³ Present address: Department of Community Health Science, Western Australian Institute of Technology, Hayman Road, Bentley South, Western Australia 6102.

Manuscript received 27 May 1980.