scholarly journals Ferrous Iron Is a Significant Component of Bioavailable Iron in Cystic Fibrosis Airways

mBio ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan C. Hunter ◽  
Fadi Asfour ◽  
Jozef Dingemans ◽  
Brenda L. Osuna ◽  
Tahoura Samad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Ferrous Iron ◽  
Ferric Iron ◽  
Relative Proportion ◽  
Iron Oxidation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Environmental Parameter ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTChronic, biofilm-like infections by the opportunistic pathogenPseudomonas aeruginosaare a major cause of mortality in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. While much is known aboutP. aeruginosafrom laboratory studies, far less is understood about what it experiencesin vivo. Iron is an important environmental parameter thought to play a central role in the development and maintenance ofP. aeruginosainfections, for both anabolic and signaling purposes. Previous studies have focused on ferric iron [Fe(III)] as a target for antimicrobial therapies; however, here we show that ferrous iron [Fe(II)] is abundant in the CF lung (~39 µM on average for severely sick patients) and significantly correlates with disease severity (ρ = −0.56,P= 0.004), whereas ferric iron does not (ρ = −0.28,P= 0.179). Expression of theP. aeruginosagenesbqsRS, whose transcription is upregulated in response to Fe(II), was high in the majority of patients tested, suggesting that increased Fe(II) is bioavailable to the infectious bacterial population. Because limiting Fe(III) acquisition inhibits biofilm formation byP. aeruginosain various oxicin vitrosystems, we also tested whether interfering with Fe(II) acquisition would improve biofilm control under anoxic conditions; concurrent sequestration of both iron oxidation states resulted in a 58% reduction in biofilm accumulation and 28% increase in biofilm dissolution, a significant improvement over Fe(III) chelation treatment alone. This study demonstrates that the chemistry of infected host environments coevolves with the microbial community as infections progress, which should be considered in the design of effective treatment strategies at different stages of disease.IMPORTANCEIron is an important environmental parameter that helps pathogens thrive in sites of infection, including those of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Ferric iron chelation therapy has been proposed as a novel therapeutic strategy for CF lung infections, yet until now, the iron oxidation state has not been measured in the host. In studying mucus from the infected lungs of multiple CF patients from Europe and the United States, we found that ferric and ferrous iron change in concentration and relative proportion as infections progress; over time, ferrous iron comes to dominate the iron pool. This information is relevant to the design of novel CF therapeutics and, more broadly, to developing accurate models of chronic CF infections.

scholarly journals FeoB-Mediated Uptake of Iron by Francisella tularensis

2013 ◽  
Vol 81 (8) ◽  
pp. 2828-2837 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cindy A. Thomas-Charles ◽  
Huaixin Zheng ◽  
Lance E. Palmer ◽  
Patricio Mena ◽  
David G. Thanassi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Francisella Tularensis ◽  
Ferrous Iron ◽  
Ferric Iron ◽  
Lethal Dose ◽  
Live Vaccine Strain ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Alternative Means

ABSTRACTFrancisella tularensis, the bacterial cause of tularemia, infects the liver and replicates in hepatocytesin vivoandin vitro. However, the factors that govern adaptation ofF. tularensisto the intrahepatocytic niche have not been identified. Using cDNA microarrays, we determined the transcriptional profile of the live vaccine strain (LVS) ofF. tularensisgrown in the FL83B murine hepatocytic cell line compared to that ofF. tularensiscultured in broth. ThefslCgene of thefsloperon was the most highly upregulated. Deletion offslCeliminated the ability of the LVS to produce siderophore, which is involved in uptake of ferric iron, but it did not impair its growth in hepatocytes, A549 epithelial cells, or macrophages. Therefore, we sought an alternative means by whichF. tularensismight obtain iron. Deletion offeoB, which encodes a putative ferrous iron transporter, retarded replication of the LVS in iron-restricted media, reduced its growth in hepatocytic and epithelial cells, and impaired its acquisition of iron. Survival of mice infected intradermally with a lethal dose of the LVS was slightly improved by deletion offslCbut was not altered by loss offeoB. However, the ΔfeoBmutant showed diminished ability to colonize the lungs, liver, and spleen of mice that received sublethal inocula. Thus, FeoB represents a previously unidentified mechanism for uptake of iron byF. tularensis. Moreover, failure to produce a mutant strain lacking bothfeoBandfslCsuggests that FeoB and the proteins of thefsloperon are the only major means by whichF. tularensisacquires iron.

scholarly journals Activity of Telavancin against Staphylococcus aureus Isolates, Including Those with Decreased Susceptibility to Ceftaroline, from Cystic Fibrosis Patients

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Roch ◽  
Maria Celeste Varela ◽  
Agustina Taglialegna ◽  
Warren E. Rose ◽  
Adriana E. Rosato
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Therapeutic Option ◽  
The United States ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Complicated Skin ◽  
Hospital Acquired

ABSTRACT Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) acquisition in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients confers a clinical outcome worse than that in non-CF patients with an increased rate of declined lung function. Telavancin, an approved lipoglycopeptide used to treat infections due to S. aureus, has a dual mode of action causing inhibition of peptidoglycan synthesis and membrane depolarization. MRSA infections in CF patients remain an important problem with no foreseeable decline in prevalence rates. Although telavancin is currently in clinical use for the treatment of complicated skin infections and hospital-acquired pneumonia, the activity against S. aureus infections in CF patients has not been investigated. In this work, we studied the activity of telavancin against CF patient-derived S. aureus strains collected from geographically diverse CF centers in the United States. We found that the telavancin MIC90 was 0.06 μg/ml, 8-fold lower than the ceftaroline or daptomycin MIC90 and 25-fold lower than the linezolid and vancomycin MIC90. We demonstrate that telavancin at serum free concentrations has rapid bactericidal activity, with a decrease of more than 3 log10 CFU/ml being achieved during the first 4 to 6 h of treatment, performing better in this assay than vancomycin and ceftaroline, including against S. aureus strains resistant to ceftaroline. Telavancin resistance was infrequent (0.3%), although we found that it can occur in vitro in both CF- and non-CF patient-derived S. aureus strains by progressive passages with subinhibitory concentrations. Genetic analysis of telavancin-resistant in vitro mutants showed gene polymorphisms in cell wall and virulence genes and increased survival in a Galleria mellonella infection model. Thus, we conclude that telavancin represents a promising therapeutic option for infections in CF patients with potent in vitro activity and a low resistance development potential.

scholarly journals Disruption of Cross-Feeding Inhibits Pathogen Growth in the Sputa of Patients with Cystic Fibrosis

mSphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey M. Flynn ◽  
Lydia C. Cameron ◽  
Talia D. Wiggen ◽  
Jordan M. Dunitz ◽  
William R. Harcombe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Antibiotic Susceptibility ◽  
Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Anaerobic Bacteria ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Growth Environment ◽  
Polymicrobial Infections

ABSTRACT A critical limitation in the management of chronic polymicrobial infections is the lack of correlation between antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) and patient responses to therapy. Underlying this disconnect is our inability to accurately recapitulate the in vivo environment and complex polymicrobial communities in vitro. However, emerging evidence suggests that, if modeled and tested accurately, interspecies relationships can be exploited by conventional antibiotics predicted to be ineffective by standard AST. As an example, under conditions where Pseudomonas aeruginosa relies on cocolonizing organisms for nutrients (i.e., cross-feeding), multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa may be indirectly targeted by inhibiting the growth of its metabolic partners. While this has been shown in vitro using synthetic bacterial communities, the efficacy of a “weakest-link” approach to controlling host-associated polymicrobial infections has not yet been demonstrated. To test whether cross-feeding inhibition can be leveraged in clinically relevant contexts, we collected sputa from cystic fibrosis (CF) subjects and used enrichment culturing to isolate both P. aeruginosa and anaerobic bacteria from each sample. Predictably, both subpopulations showed various antibiotic susceptibilities when grown independently. However, when P. aeruginosa was cultured and treated under cooperative conditions in which it was dependent on anaerobic bacteria for nutrients, the growth of both the pathogen and the anaerobe was constrained despite their intrinsic antibiotic resistance profiles. These data demonstrate that the control of complex polymicrobial infections may be achieved by exploiting obligate or facultative interspecies relationships. Toward this end, in vitro susceptibility testing should evolve to more accurately reflect in vivo growth environments and microbial interactions found within them. IMPORTANCE Antibiotic efficacy achieved in vitro correlates poorly with clinical outcomes after treatment of chronic polymicrobial diseases; if a pathogen demonstrates susceptibility to a given antibiotic in the lab, that compound is often ineffective when administered clinically. Conversely, if a pathogen is resistant in vitro, patient treatment with that same compound can elicit a positive response. This discordance suggests that the in vivo growth environment impacts pathogen antibiotic susceptibility. Indeed, here we demonstrate that interspecies relationships among microbiotas in the sputa of cystic fibrosis patients can be targeted to indirectly inhibit the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The therapeutic implication is that control of chronic lung infections may be achieved by exploiting obligate or facultative relationships among airway bacterial community members. This strategy is particularly relevant for pathogens harboring intrinsic multidrug resistance and is broadly applicable to chronic polymicrobial airway, wound, and intra-abdominal infections.

scholarly journals Genomic Analysis Identifies NovelPseudomonas aeruginosaResistance Genes under Selection during Inhaled Aztreonam TherapyIn Vivo

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn McLean ◽  
Duankun Lee ◽  
Elizabeth A. Holmes ◽  
Kelsi Penewit ◽  
Adam Waalkes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Positive Selection ◽  
Single Gene ◽  
Genomic Analysis ◽  
Maximal Activity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cystic Fibrosis Airway ◽  
Bacterial Fitness

ABSTRACTInhaled aztreonam is increasingly used for chronicPseudomonas aeruginosasuppression in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), but the potential for that organism to evolve aztreonam resistance remains incompletely explored. Here, we performed genomic analysis of clonally related pre- and posttreatment CF clinical isolate pairs to identify genes that are under positive selection during aztreonam therapyin vivo. We identified 16 frequently mutated genes associated with aztreonam resistance, the most prevalent beingftsIandampC, and 13 of which increased aztreonam resistance when introduced as single gene transposon mutants. Several previously implicated aztreonam resistance genes were found to be under positive selection in clinical isolates even in the absence of inhaled aztreonam exposure, indicating that other selective pressures in the cystic fibrosis airway can promote aztreonam resistance. Given its potential to confer plasmid-mediated resistance, we further characterized mutantampCalleles and performed artificial evolution ofampCfor maximal activity against aztreonam. We found that naturally occurringampCmutants conferred variably increased resistance to aztreonam (2- to 64-fold) and other β-lactam agents but that its maximal evolutionary capacity for hydrolyzing aztreonam was considerably higher (512- to 1,024-fold increases) and was achieved while maintaining or increasing resistance to other drugs. These studies implicate novel chromosomal aztreonam resistance determinants while highlighting that different mutations are favored during selectionin vivoandin vitro, show thatampChas a high maximal potential to hydrolyze aztreonam, and provide an approach to disambiguate mutations promoting specific resistance phenotypes from those more generally increasing bacterial fitnessin vivo.

scholarly journals USA300 and USA500 Clonal Lineages of Staphylococcus aureus Do Not Produce a Capsular Polysaccharide Due to Conserved Mutations in the cap5 Locus

mBio ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Boyle-Vavra ◽  
Xue Li ◽  
Md Tauqeer Alam ◽  
Timothy D. Read ◽  
Julia Sieth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Capsular Polysaccharide ◽  
The United States ◽  
Whole Genome Sequence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Capsule Production ◽  
Usa300 Strain

ABSTRACTThe surface capsular polysaccharide (CP) is a virulence factor that has been used as an antigen in several successful vaccines against bacterial pathogens. A vaccine has not yet been licensed againstStaphylococcus aureus, although two multicomponent vaccines that contain CP antigens are in clinical trials. In this study, we evaluated CP production in USA300 methicillin-resistantS. aureus(MRSA) isolates that have become the predominant community-associated MRSA clones in the United States. We found that all 167 USA300 MRSA and 50 USA300 methicillin-susceptibleS. aureus(MSSA) isolates were CP negative (CP−). Moreover, all 16 USA500 isolates, which have been postulated to be the progenitor lineage of USA300, were also CP−. Whole-genome sequence analysis of 146 CP−USA300 MRSA isolates revealed they all carry acap5locus with 4 conserved mutations compared with strain Newman. Genetic complementation experiments revealed that three of these mutations (in thecap5promoter,cap5Dnucleotide 994, andcap5Enucleotide 223) ablated CP production in USA300 and that Cap5E75 Asp, located in the coenzyme-binding domain, is essential for capsule production. All but three USA300 MSSA isolates had the same fourcap5mutations found in USA300 MRSA isolates. Most isolates with a USA500 pulsotype carried three of these four USA300-specific mutations, suggesting the fourth mutation occurred in the USA300 lineage. Phylogenetic analysis of thecaploci of our USA300 isolates as well as publicly available genomes from 41 other sequence types revealed that the USA300-specificcap5mutations arose sequentially inS. aureusin a common ancestor of USA300 and USA500 isolates.IMPORTANCEThe USA300 MRSA clone emerged as a community-associated pathogen in the United States nearly 20 years ago. Since then, it has rapidly disseminated and now causes health care-associated infections. This study shows that the CP-negative (CP−) phenotype has persisted among USA300 isolates and is a universal and characteristic trait of this highly successful MRSA lineage. It is important to note that a vaccine consisting solely of CP antigens would not likely demonstrate high efficacy in the U.S. population, where about half of MRSA isolates comprise USA300. Moreover, conversion of a USA300 strain to a CP-positive (CP+) phenotype is unlikelyin vivoorin vitrosince it would require the reversion of 3 mutations. We have also established that USA300 MSSA isolates and USA500 isolates are CP−and provide new insight into the evolution of the USA300 and USA500 lineages.

scholarly journals Studies of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Mutants Indicate Pyoverdine as the Central Factor in Inhibition of Aspergillus fumigatus Biofilm

2017 ◽  
Vol 200 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriele Sass ◽  
Hasan Nazik ◽  
John Penner ◽  
Hemi Shah ◽  
Shajia Rahman Ansari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Aspergillus Fumigatus ◽  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Human Pathogens ◽  
Biofilm Growth ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Iron Deprivation

ABSTRACT Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus fumigatus are common opportunistic bacterial and fungal pathogens, respectively. They often coexist in airways of immunocompromised patients and individuals with cystic fibrosis, where they form biofilms and cause acute and chronic illnesses. Hence, the interactions between them have long been of interest and it is known that P. aeruginosa can inhibit A. fumigatus in vitro. We have approached the definition of the inhibitory P. aeruginosa molecules by studying 24 P. aeruginosa mutants with various virulence genes deleted for the ability to inhibit A. fumigatus biofilms. The ability of P. aeruginosa cells or their extracellular products produced during planktonic or biofilm growth to affect A. fumigatus biofilm metabolism or planktonic A. fumigatus growth was studied in agar and liquid assays using conidia or hyphae. Four mutants, the pvdD pchE, pvdD, lasR rhlR, and lasR mutants, were shown to be defective in various assays. This suggested the P. aeruginosa siderophore pyoverdine as the key inhibitory molecule, although additional quorum sensing-regulated factors likely contribute to the deficiency of the latter two mutants. Studies of pure pyoverdine substantiated these conclusions and included the restoration of inhibition by the pyoverdine deletion mutants. A correlation between the concentration of pyoverdine produced and antifungal activity was also observed in clinical P. aeruginosa isolates derived from lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. The key inhibitory mechanism of pyoverdine was chelation of iron and denial of iron to A. fumigatus. IMPORTANCE Interactions between human pathogens found in the same body locale are of vast interest. These interactions could result in exacerbation or amelioration of diseases. The bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa affects the growth of the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. Both pathogens form biofilms that are resistant to therapeutic drugs and host immunity. P. aeruginosa and A. fumigatus biofilms are found in vivo, e.g., in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. Studying 24 P. aeruginosa mutants, we identified pyoverdine as the major anti-A. fumigatus compound produced by P. aeruginosa. Pyoverdine captures iron from the environment, thus depriving A. fumigatus of a nutrient essential for its growth and metabolism. We show how microbes of different kingdoms compete for essential resources. Iron deprivation could be a therapeutic approach to the control of pathogen growth.

scholarly journals Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes Restrict Growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the Lungs of Cystic Fibrosis Patients

2014 ◽  
Vol 82 (11) ◽  
pp. 4477-4486 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kasper N. Kragh ◽  
Morten Alhede ◽  
Peter Ø. Jensen ◽  
Claus Moser ◽  
Thomas Scheike ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Growth Physiology

ABSTRACTCystic fibrosis (CF) patients have increased susceptibility to chronic lung infections byPseudomonas aeruginosa, but the ecophysiology within the CF lung during infections is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to elucidate thein vivogrowth physiology ofP. aeruginosawithin lungs of chronically infected CF patients. A novel, quantitative peptide nucleic acid (PNA) fluorescencein situhybridization (PNA-FISH)-based method was used to estimate thein vivogrowth rates ofP. aeruginosadirectly in lung tissue samples from CF patients and the growth rates ofP. aeruginosain infected lungs in a mouse model. The growth rate ofP. aeruginosawithin CF lungs did not correlate with the dimensions of bacterial aggregates but showed an inverse correlation to the concentration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) surrounding the bacteria. A growth-limiting effect onP. aeruginosaby PMNs was also observedin vitro, where this limitation was alleviated in the presence of the alternative electron acceptor nitrate. The finding thatP. aeruginosagrowth patterns correlate with the number of surrounding PMNs points to a bacteriostatic effect by PMNs via their strong O2consumption, which slows the growth ofP. aeruginosain infected CF lungs. In support of this, the growth ofP. aeruginosawas significantly higher in the respiratory airways than in the conducting airways of mice. These results indicate a complex host-pathogen interaction in chronicP. aeruginosainfection of the CF lung whereby PMNs slow the growth of the bacteria and render them less susceptible to antibiotic treatment while enabling them to persist by anaerobic respiration.

scholarly journals Use of a Multiplex Transcript Method for Analysis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Gene Expression Profiles in the Cystic Fibrosis Lung

2016 ◽  
Vol 84 (10) ◽  
pp. 2995-3006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex H. Gifford ◽  
Sven D. Willger ◽  
Emily L. Dolben ◽  
Lisa A. Moulton ◽  
Dana B. Dorman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Clinical Isolates ◽  
Probe Design ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Lung Infections

The discovery of therapies that modulatePseudomonas aeruginosavirulence or that can eradicate chronicP. aeruginosalung infections associated with cystic fibrosis (CF) will be advanced by an improved understanding ofP. aeruginosabehaviorin vivo. We demonstrate the use of multiplexed Nanostring technology to monitor relative abundances ofP. aeruginosatranscripts across clinical isolates, in serial samples, and for the purposes of comparing microbial physiologyin vitroandin vivo. The expression of 75 transcripts encoded by genes implicated in CF lung disease was measured in a variety ofP. aeruginosastrains as well as RNA serial sputum samples from fourP. aeruginosa-colonized subjects with CF collected over 6 months. We present data on reproducibility, the results from different methods of normalization, and demonstrate high concordance between transcript relative abundance data obtained by Nanostring or transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis. Furthermore, we address considerations regarding sequence variation between strains during probe design. Analysis ofP. aeruginosagrownin vitroidentified transcripts that correlated with the different phenotypes commonly observed in CF clinical isolates.P. aeruginosatranscript profiles in RNA from CF sputum indicated alginate productionin vivo, and transcripts involved in quorum-sensing regulation were less abundant in sputum than strains grown in the laboratory.P. aeruginosagene expression patterns from sputum clustered closely together relative to patterns for laboratory-grown cultures; in contrast, laboratory-grownP. aeruginosashowed much greater transcriptional variation with only loose clustering of strains with different phenotypes. The clustering within and between subjects was surprising in light of differences in inhaled antibiotic and respiratory symptoms, suggesting that the pathways represented by these 75 transcripts are stable in chronic CFP. aeruginosalung infections.

scholarly journals Postantibiotic and Sub-MIC Effects of Exebacase (Lysin CF-301) Enhance Antimicrobial Activity againstStaphylococcus aureus

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Taek Oh ◽  
Cara Cassino ◽  
Raymond Schuch
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Activity ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
The United States ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Postantibiotic Effect ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wall Ultrastructure ◽  
Bacterial Fitness

ABSTRACTCF-301 (exebacase) is a recombinantly produced bacteriophage-derived lysin (cell wall hydrolase) and is the first agent of this class to enter clinical development in the United States for treating bacteremia including endocarditis due toStaphylococcus aureus. Whereas rapid bactericidal activity is the hallmarkin vitroandin vivoresponse to CF-301 at exposures higher than the MIC, prolonged antimicrobial activity, mediated by cell wall damage, is predicted at concentrations less than the MIC. In the current study, a series ofin vitropharmacodynamic parameters, including the postantibiotic effect (PAE), postantibiotic sub-MIC effect (PA-SME), and sub-MIC effect (SME), were studied to determine how short-duration and sub-MIC CF-301 exposures affect the growth of surviving staphylococci and extend its antimicrobial activity. Mean PAE, PA-SME, and SME values up to 4.8, 9.3, and 9.8 h, respectively, were observed against 14 staphylococcal strains tested in human serum; growth delays were extended by 6 h in the presence of daptomycin. Exposures to CF-301 at sub-MIC levels as low as 0.001× to 0.01× MIC (∼1 to 10 ng/ml) resulted in aberrant cell wall ultrastructure, increased membrane permeability, dissipation of membrane potential, and inhibition of virulence phenotypes, including agglutination and biofilm formation. A mouse thigh infection model designed to study the PAE was used to confirm our findings and demonstratein vivogrowth delays of ≥19.3 h. Our findings suggest that at CF-301 concentrations less than the MIC during therapeutic use, sustained reductions in bacterial fitness and virulence may substantially enhance efficacy.

In Vitro Absorption of Radioiron by Everted Pouches of Rat Intestine

1958 ◽  
Vol 194 (2) ◽  
pp. 319-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elmer B. Brown ◽  
Bertram W. Justus
Keyword(s):  
Small Intestine ◽  
Ferrous Iron ◽  
Ferric Iron ◽  
Metabolic Inhibitors ◽  
Passive Transport ◽  
Rat Intestine ◽  
Intestinal Tissue

Everted pouches of rat intestine prepared by the technique of Wilson and associates were used to measure absorption of radioiron. Iron was taken up equally well in vitro by all segments of the rat's small intestine; but when the iron was given orally in vivo, a distinct gradient, highest in the duodenum and progressively smaller in the distal segments was demonstrated. There was little transfer into the inner serosal pouch. Transfer of iron in this preparation was by a process of passive transport. It was not appreciably affected by changes in pH, various metabolic inhibitors, buffer systems, or added substrates. Ferrous iron was significantly better taken up by the intestinal tissue, but transfer into the inner pouch fluid was greater with ferric iron.

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