Formation of transferrin and ceruloplasmin in the blood of rats with acute nitrite-induced methemoglobinemia
Kisliakoc, I.Ia.; Volzhskaia, A.M.; Fokin, A.S.
Patologicheskaia Fiziologiia i Eksperimental'naia Terapiia 1988(4): 51-54
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0031-2991 PMID: 3200618 Document Number: 313127
The authors studied the spectra of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) in blood and plasma of rats with acute nitrite methemoglobinemia. Along with marked signals of methemoglobin (g = 6.0) and nitrosyl complexes of iron (g = 2.03) characteristic of nitrite-induced methemoglobinemia, the authors revealed a diminished transferrin signal (g = 4.3) and increased ceruloplasmin signal (g = 2.05). The reduction of the content of transferrin (the plasma transport iron) is evidently a consequence of intensified formation of nitrosyl iron complexes. The reduction of the level of transferrin participating in heme synthesis may in turn lead to disturbance of hemoglobin formation. The increase of the content of ceruplasmin possessing ferro-oxidase activity is probably associated with decrease of the transferrin content and is a compensatory mechanism directed at improving iron absorption. Besides, the increase of the ceruloplasmin content is evidently also caused by intensification of antioxidant activity in response to sodium nitrite injection.