Effects Of Psychological Stress On The Concentration Of Serum Iron In Rats And Its Mechanism

Objective: To investigate the effect of psychological stress on serum iron concentration of SD infant rats and adult rats, and explore its mechanism . Aim to provide evidence to illuminate the relationship between stress and iron.Methods: The model of psychological stress was established through Communication Box. The concentration of serum iron, liver iron, spleen iron was determined by Air-acetylene flame atomic absorption spectrometry, expression level of liver hepcidin was determined by Western-blot and serum NO concentration was determined by Nitrate reductase.Results: (1) Compared with control group, serum iron concentration of infant rats decreased 26.77% and 37.01% after 7 days and 14 days psychological stress; while adult rats decreased 13.33% and 20.07%(P<0.05)respectively.(2) Free of psychological stress 7 days later, the serum iron concentration decrease of SD infant rats were lower than control group(P<0.05),while after 14 days, the change was not obviously. Compared with control group, serum iron concentration of adult rats has no significant change free of psychological stress 7 days later.(3) Iron concentration of liver and spleen was increased significantly(P<0.05)compared with control group, and the expression level of liver hepcidin was also increased. Serum NO concentration in infant rats has no change.Conclusions: Psychological stress may cause the serum iron of infant and adult rats decreased obviously, the reduction level of serum iron concentration in 14 days stress was greater than that in 7 days. Free of psychological stress, the reduction of serum iron concentration was resumption. Compared with adult rats, serum iron concentration of infant rats recovered slowly. One reason of serum iron concentration decrease is that iron storage in liver and spleen increased by hepcidin. The reason why serum NO concentration was no change need to be investigated in future.