Effects of different degrees of iron deficiency on cytochrome P450 complex and pentose phosphate pathway dehydrogenases in the rat.

Four groups of weanling male rats were fed one of three iron-deficient diets (6, 18 and 23 mg iron/kg diet) or a normal iron-containing diet (41 mg iron/kg diet) for 30 d. The effects of the diets on various iron status parameters were determined and four enzymes were assayed: cytochrome P450 (P450) and NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase (P450-RED) in liver and intestine microsomes, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6P-DH) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PG-DH) in liver, intestine and erythrocyte cytosol. Rats fed 6 mg iron/kg diet were severely anemic, whereas rats fed 18 or 23 mg iron/kg diet were moderately or mildly iron-deficient, as shown by their hemoglobin levels, hematocrit, red blood cell parameters, erythrocyte protoporphyrin and liver iron stores. P450 concentration and P450-RED activity in liver were unaffected by iron deficiency, but P450 concentration was markedly lower in the intestine of the three iron-deficient groups than in the controls. Activities of G6P-DH and 6PG-DH were not impaired in liver or intestine, except that liver 6PG-DH activity of severely anemic rats was less than that of control rats. However, severe and moderate iron deprivation resulted in a stimulation of G6P-DH and 6PG-DH activities per million erythrocytes. These results demonstrate that even moderate iron deficiency may alter fundamental enzymatic systems intervening in drug metabolism and in the pentose phosphate pathway.