Erythrocyte Protoporphyrin in the Detection of Iron Deficiency

Abstract

Any decrease in the availability of iron for incorporation into the heme moieties of hemoglobin results in an increase in the erythrocyte protoporphyrin concentration. Our aim was to compare protoporphyrin concentrations, determined spectrophotometrically, with body iron stores, as assessed from the amount of iron demonstrable by Prussian blue staining of bone marrow aspirates. The mean protoporphyrin concentration (175 µg/dl) in the erythrocytes of a group of patients with markedly decreased stainable marrow iron or no iron Was Significantly Greater (P < .001) than the mean concentration (76 µg/dl) in a comparable group with adequate bone marrow iron stores, except in the presence of certain interfering conditions. These results suggest that the erythrocyte protoporphyrin test may be a useful addition to the methods now available for assessing disorders of heme synthesis, the most common of which is iron deficiency.

Oxidative stress may modify zinc protoporphyrin/heme ratio in hematofluorometry

“…formation. Normally, a trace of zinc rather than iron is incorporated into the protoporphyrin structure (McLaren, Carpenter & Nino, 1975;Labbe et al, 1987;Labbe & Rettmer, 1989). The measurement of ZPP as a heme precursor denotes impairment of the heme biosynthetic pathway and may also indicate exposure to lead, although only ongoing or recent lead exposure, within a period of a few weeks to months, can be assessed (Philip & Gerson, 1994).…”

Zinc Protoporphyrin Past, Present, and Futurea

“…In 1975, McLaren et al" demonstrated the association of erythrocyte protoporphyrin with marrow iron levels. This observation is consistent with the close metabolic association between the zinc protoporphyrin/heme ratio and the serum ferritin concentration.…”

Soluble transferrin receptor and zinc protoporphyrin – competitors or efficient partners?

“…sTfR is regarded as the most sensitive parameter of iron support to the erythropoiesis (8,10,19,22,26). The aim of our study was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of sTfR in assessment of ID and to compare it with zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP), which is also a reliable parameter of IDE (27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38). The measurements were performed on individuals, in which ID has been precisely staged into the three clinically important degrees.…”