Disaccharidase Levels in Iron Deficient Rats at Birth and during the Nursing and Postweaning Periods: Response to Iron Treatment

Summary: Newborn rats born to iron deficient mothers (IDM) were found to have significantly lower hemoglobin, sucrase, lactase and maltase levels compared to control newborn rats. Rats born to IDM and nursed by IDM, when sacrificed at 21 days of age, had statistically significantly lower hemoglobin, serum iron, sucrase, lactase and maltase levels compared to control rats. Rats born to IDM, but nursed by iron sufficient mothers (ISM) and sacrificed at 21 days of age, had hemoglobin, serum iron and sucrase levels compared to control rats whereas lactase and maltase were not corrected by 21 days of nursing by ISM. Rats born to IDM and nursed by either IDM or ISM for 21 days were given intramuscular iron dextran and placed on iron sufficient diet (ISD) for 7 days. These animals experienced correction of the hemoglobin, serum iron, sucrase and maltase levels compared to control rats, whereas intestinal lactase was not corrected by 7 days of ISD and intramuscular iron. Rats born to ISM, nursed by IDM and sacrificed on day 21 had significantly lower hemoglobin, serum iron and intestinal lactase levels compared to control rats. Rats born to ISM and nursed by IDM were given intramuscular iron dextran on day 21 and placed on an ISD from day 21–28. These animals had a return in hemoglobin, serum iron, sucrase and maltase levels comparable to control rats. Rats born to and nursed by ISM and maintained on an iron deficient diet from day 21–84 had significantly lower hemoglobin, serum iron, sucrase, lactase and maltase levels compared to control rats. Rats born to and nursed by ISM, maintained on iron deficient diet from day 21–84, and then given intramuscular iron dextran on day 84 and maintained on an ISD until day 92, experienced correction of the hemoglobin, serum iron and lactase levels compared to control rats. Intramuscular iron and 7 days of ISD did not correct the sucrase and maltase levels in these rats. Lactose tolerance tests in iron deficient rats showed flat curves compared to controls. After iron treatment, lactose tolerance curves returned to control values. Iron deficiency in rats in utero, during the nursing and postweaning period causes, in addition to anemia, a reduction in jejunal disaccharidase activity because of an alteration in the enzymes of the brush border membrane. Varying degrees of reduction and response of certain disaccharidases to iron treatment are dependent on the time of iron deprivation in relationship to the intra-uterine and postnatal development of the digestive and absorptive functions in the small intestine. Alterations in the levels of disaccharidases demonstrated in this paper represent another aspect of the spectrum of biochemical effects of iron deficiency. Speculation: Iron deficiency has a profound effect on protein synthesis. Alterations in the levels of disaccharidases represent only a fraction of this effect. The temporary reduction in lactase and other disaccharidases in iron deficient-infants might predispose them to malabsorption and diarrhea, which contribute to the lowered serum protein and increased incidence of low weight percentiles observed in iron deficient infants.