Iron and Immunity

Cellular and molecular aspects of iron and immune function

“…This finding corroborates a large number of clinical studies, reviewed previously (Brock, 1993), which have found reduced T-cell function in vivo, as manifested by impaired skin-test reactions, and reduced in vitro proliferation of T-cells from Fe-deficient individuals. Activated lymphocytes, like other Fe-requiring cells, normally acquire Fe from transferrin by a mechanism involving interaction with cell-surface transferrin receptors, internalization of the complex and release of Fe in an acidic endosomal compartment (Baker & Morgan, 1994).…”

Iron uptake mechanisms of pathogenic bacteria

“…For example, iron is an essential cofactor of ribonucleotide reductase [8], RNA polymerase III [9,10], various amino acid hydroxylases and dioxygenases [11,12], and the enzymes in microbial and mammalian cells which participate in oxygen metabolism, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase [13]. Iron is also necessary for the action of cytochromes, hydrogenase, ferridoxin and succinate dehydrogenase involved in electron transfer [14][15][16], and in vertebrates, neutrophil function, Tand B-lymphocyte activity and natural killer cell function are all dependent on iron [16][17][18].…”

“…However, in terms of increased resistance to infection, the adaptive value of reducing even further the already vanishingly low concentration of free iron in normal human serum has been seriously questioned [17]. Some extracellular pathogens may in fact have the capacity to use iron from intracellular iron stores [52], and so reduction in the intracellular labile pool observed during the hypoferraemic response might therefore be of greater significance.…”

Hubungan Kadar Feritin dengan Morbiditas pada Anak dengan Gizi Kurang

“…Kelebihan zat besi berhubungan dengan gangguan metabolisme Fe seperti hemokromatosis. 2,13 Makrofag merupakan sel imun yang berperan langsung dengan kadar besi dalam tubuh manusia. Hal tersebut berhubungan dengan fakta bahwa makrofag membutuhkan zat besi untuk memproduksi highly toxic hydroxyl radical, makrofag juga merupakan tempat penyimpanan besi yang utama pada saat terjadi proses inflamasi.…”