Relations between iron and vanadium metabolism: in vivo incorporation of vanadium into iron proteins of the rat.

In vivo experiments with 48V and 59Fe radiotracers were performed to study the association of V with Fe proteins. Each male rat was injected ip with 10 micrograms 48VO2+ and then with 1 microgram 59Fe3+ to label Fe-containing proteins. The radioactivities incorporated were measured in plasma transferrin, red blood cell hemoglobin, liver ferritin, partially purified heart myoglobin, and liver mitochondrial and microsomal cytochromes b and c and ferriporphyrin. Liver ferritin can bind V in vivo similarly to plasma transferrin, as shown by gel filtration and immunoprecipitation. Negligible amounts of 48 V were incorporated into hemoglobin, partially purified myoglobin, and cytochromes b and c. These findings suggest that the nonenzymatic Fe-containing proteins may be involved in the V metabolism.