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Biomedical subjects

M Layrisse

Publications and source records attributed to M Layrisse.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[Requirements of nutrients which participate in erythropoiesis].

Proteins, some minerals and vitamins, play important roles in erythropoiesis and the survival of the red blood cell. This article deals specifically with the physiological requirements and recommended intakes of iron, folate and vitamin B12. A comparison of the physiologic iron requirements according to age and sex, and the amount of iron which is actually absorbed from the diets consumed by the lower socioeconomic strata of the Venezuelan population; indicates that these diets do not satisfy the requirements at all ages. Such disparity is most marked in children below three years of age, in adolescents and in women during their reproductive age. Failure to do so leads to varying degrees of iron deficiency. This low bioavailability of the Venezuelan diet is also observed in other Latin American diets consumed by the same low socioeconomic strata, which explains the high prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia in the vulnerable groups. The low intake of fruits and vegetables by the lower socioeconomic strata of the Latin American population prevents these sectors from consuming an adequate intake of folate, failing to fulfill the daily recommended intake (3.3 - 3.6 micrograms/kg body weight). This situation is aggravated in pregnant and lactating women who require an additional intake of 300 micrograms and 100 micrograms, respectively. Prevalence of folate deficiency in the first stage may be in the order of 30% in some regions. In the second stage of deficiency, characterized by megaloblastic changes in the bone marrow and an erythrocyte folate concentration of less than 50 micrograms/lt, it could be as high as 40% in pregnant women. Nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency does not constitute a health problem in Latin America. Various surveys in the lower socioeconomic strata have reported normal or higher than normal serum B12 concentrations, compared to well-nourished populations.

Adolescent↗

Daily physiological iron requirements in children.

Median daily iron absorption was determined in iron-replete males and females between 2 and 19 years of age from the upper and lower socioeconomic strata of the Venezuelan population. A comparison was made with iron absorption of well-nourished children, on the basis of hematological and anthropometric reference values from the U.S. The median absorption level, which was calculated from the increase in total body iron due to growth and the daily losses through exfoliation and menstruation, was also used to estimate the requirements of 95% of the population. When the requirements were expressed in terms of body weight, no significant difference in iron absorption was observed between the three Venezuelan and one U.S. groups, ranging from about 30 to 38 micrograms/kg/day in both sexes between 4 and 16 years of age. However, when the requirements were expressed without division by the weight factor, the requirements of the better nourished groups were somewhat higher than those of the Venezuelan lower socioeconomic population with, in addition, a threefold variation over the 5 to 16 year age range. These findings suggest that the total iron requirements of children at a certain age may be most adequately expressed in terms of the optimal body weight for that age.

Adolescent↗

Physiological and non-physiological forms of iron affect differently proliferation and ferritin synthesis in human mononuclear cells in vitro.

The effect of iron in different forms on the proliferative response to mitogen and ferritin content of human mononuclear leukocytes (MNL) was studied in vitro. Iron-loaded transferrin (FeTF) but not apotransferrin (apoTF) significantly enhanced the mitogenic response of MNL in serum-free culture. Removal of TF from serum markedly reduced its effectiveness as a serum supplement. This effect could be almost totally reversed when the serum was reconstituted with both iron and apoTF. Four forms of iron showed a stimulatory effect on ferritin synthesis in MNL in the increasing order: FeTF less than iron nitrilotriacetate less than iron citrate (molar ratio 1:20) less than iron citrate (1:1). The effect appeared to be correlated with their susceptibility to polymerization in aqueous solution. It is proposed that iron may a) enhance the mitogenic response of MNL, due probably to the physiological form of iron, FeTF, and b) stimulate ferritin synthesis, a protective reaction of the cell to toxic polymerized forms of the metal.

Cell Division↗

[Hematologic profile and absorption of iron from diets consumed by a population of low socioeconomic level of 2 Venezuelan states].

Hematologic studies carried out in inhabitants of the State of Carabobo revealed that 19% of the subjects studied presented iron deficiency, this being more prominent in women and in children. Iron deficiency anemia was absent in men, while in the other groups its frequency, as registered, was from 5 to 13%. Tests for iron absorption from foods which form the average diet of the population in the Carabobo State, and the diet consumed by adults from the low socioeconomic strata in the States of Carabobo and Yaracuy, demonstrated that in normal subjects, bioavailability is lower than physiological requirements of men, women and children. In the iron-deficient subjects, its bioavailability can cover physiological needs. It is estimated that an important proportion of the population strata consuming such diets, suffer from iron nutritional deficiency, especially women during the reproductive age, and children.

Adolescent↗

The effect of cysteine-containing peptides released during meat digestion on iron absorption in humans.

In order to investigate the constituents responsible for the enhancing effect of meat on intestinal iron absorption in humans, two different types of peptic digestion extracts were prepared from 100 g of beef, in which the thiol groups of the resulting peptides were either oxidized (CYS-), or left untreated (CYS+). The absorption of radioiron mixed with 250 g of maize was more than twofold greater when consumed along with the CYS+ extract than with the CYS- (p less than 0.05). It is suggested that the enhancing effect of meat on nonheme iron absorption is due to cysteine, and that cysteine-containing peptides, rather than the free amino acid, are responsible for this effect.

Cysteine↗

Heme, ferritin and vegetable iron absorption in humans from meals denatured of heme iron during the cooking of beef.

The iron absorption from heme, ferritin and vegetable foods was tested in 63 humans (10 males and 53 females). The iron absorption from heme in beef exposed to prolonged heating was markedly reduced, following the degree of denaturation of the heme. The iron absorption from ferritin was about 31% of the absorption of the reference dose when administered with meat alone, falling to 11% of the reference dose when administered in a meal containing meat and vegetable foods. The absorption of ferritin iron was less than half that of vegetable iron. The data confirm a previous proposal that ferritin forms part of a subgroup of the non-heme iron pool.

Animals↗

Iron absorption from typical Latin American diets.

The availability and daily absorption of iron was determined by the extrinsic label method in typical lower middle to lower class diets consumed in regions of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela. Differences in iron absorption from meals up to 7-fold, could be attributed to the varying contents of absorption enhancers, eg, in meat, and of inhibitors in tea, vegetables, and wheat or maize bread. The total iron available in the diets from four countries did not meet the physiological requirements for normal subjects but deficient subjects fulfilled their requirements absorbing from 1.0 to 2.1 mg/day. In five diets heme iron (6 to 24% of the total) provided 34 to 73% of the iron absorbed. These data suggest that such absorption and utilization studies may be used to correlate the prevalence of iron deficiency in a population with certain diets and to guide fortification programs.

Absorption↗

Effect of histidine, cysteine, glutathione or beef on iron absorption in humans.

One hundred thirteen subjects participated in iron absorption studies in which histidine, cysteine, reduced glutathione or beef were administered with test meals. Increasing doses of histidine from 416 to 2080 mg did not affect the absorption of 2 mg of corn iron. Reduced glutathione significantly increased the absorption from nonheme and heme iron present in black beans, corn and hemoglobin. Increasing doses of either cysteine or glutathione produce the same trend in the increase of absorption from corn iron as that observed from beef. The results suggest that the effect of cysteine on iron absorption is similar in the peptide form and as a single molecule.

Absorption↗

Iron absorption by humans and swine from Fe(III)-EDTA. Further studies.

Studies on iron absorption from Na59Fe-EDTA in humans have shown that only a small proportion of the iron absorbed is excreted by the kidney, less than 1% of the dose administered. The pathway of Na55Fe-[2-14C]EDTA absorption and excretion when administered orally was studied in swine. A certain proportion (about 5%) of the 55Fe is split from the EDTA complex in the lumen of the gut, absorbed mainly from the pylorus and upper jejunum, transferred to plasma transferrin and then incorporated into the circulating hemoglobin. A small proportion of the iron absorbed, less than 1% of the dose administered, is excreted by the kidney, to a degree similar to that excreted by humans. The rest of the iron is eliminated in the feces, about 3% in a soluble form possibly still bound to EDTA and the greater part, about 92%, in an insoluble form. About 5% of the 14C is absorbed almost uniformly along the pyloric duodenal and jejunal mucosa, then transferred slowly to the plasma and excreted by the kidney within 48 hours. The rest of the 14C was excreted in the feces, about 80% in a soluble form and 20% in the insoluble fraction.

Administration, Oral↗

Effect of exposure to low temperature on normal and iron-deficient subjects.

Twenty-one Venezuelan peasants were segregated into three groups on the basis of measurements of iron status: seven normal subjects, six iron-deficient subjects with normal hemoglobin and eight iron-deficient subjects with a hemoglobin concentration of less than 9 g/dl. All subjects were placed in a water bath at an initial temperature of 36 degrees C. The water temperature was then rapidly lowered to 28 degrees C, and observations were made over the period of 1 h. Mean oral temperature of the first group fell 0.2, the second group 0.5, and the third group 0.9 degrees C. Mean plasma norepinephrine levels in both groups of iron-deficient subjects were significantly higher at 36 degrees C and during cold exposure compared with control subjects. Oxygen consumption was also significantly increased in both groups of iron-deficient subjects after cold exposure.

Adult↗

Effect of iron deficiency on the mitogen-induced proliferative response of rat lymphocytes.

To delineate the alterations of the immune function induced by iron deficiency male Sprague-Dawley rats were obtained at 3 weeks of age and fed an iron-deficient diet. By the end of the 3rd week on this diet the animals were anemic and ferropenic. A marked increase in the proliferative response of splenic lymphocytes at optimal doses of mitogen (PHA, Con A, and PWM) was observed. On the contrary, thymic lymphocytes showed a decreased proliferative response. Time-course experiments demonstrated significant alterations in these proliferative responses after only 1 week of iron deprivation, at a time when the level of hemoglobin was normal. Nutritional rehabilitation after 5 weeks of iron deprivation showed complete recovery of the response after 11/2 weeks on normal diet.

Anemia, Hypochromic↗

Effect of cysteine on iron absorption in man.

Cysteine significantly increases, about 2-fold, the absorption from nonheme iron present in vegetable foods, hemosiderin, and of a ferric salt, when this amino acid is administered during the ingestion of foods. No enhancing effect was obtained when the amino acid was mixed with the food before the final cooking. A slight but significant enhancement of heme iron absorption was observed when a large dose of cysteine was administered during the ingestion of hemoglobin. This amino acid mimics the enhancing effect from proteins present in animal foods such as beef, lamb, pork, fish, chicken, and liver. It could be possible that proteins and cysteine share the same mechanism by which they induce an increase of iron absorption.

Absorption↗

Fe(III)-EDTA complex as iron fortification. Further studies.

The data presented confirm the advantages of Fe(III)-EDTA as a salt for iron fortification. This iron compound exchanges completely with intrinsic wheat iron in the lumen of the gut. The iron absorption data from this salt tested with six different food vehicles compared with the absorption of ferrous sulfate administered with the same vehicles indicate that while the mean absorption from ferrous sulfate varies from 2 to 30% according to the food vehicle mixed with the salt, the absorption from Fe(III)-EDTA remains practically the same. Apparently, the iron absorption from Fe(III)-EDTA complex is slightly or not affected by the presence of vegetable foods or milk. All these data suggest that only a small amount of iron from this salt, about 10 mg/day, would be necessary to prevent iron deficiency anemia even in those populations relying for their subsistence on vegetable food only.

Absorption↗

Hepatitis--Bs antigen in an isolated Indian population of southern Venezuela: a family study.

A genetic analysis of the presence of HBsAg in a population of which 7.2% of the members were positive is presented. Though the ratios of carriers: non-carriers were generally in good agreement with expectation if the carrier state were determined by homozygosity for a single recessive gene, the two examples of mating most critical to a test of the hypothesis, carrier X carrier, yielded 2 normal children among 4 in one family, and one normal child, the only offspring, in the second family. Other investigators have reported similar findings. We conclude that the hypothesis of simple recessive inheritance cannot be sustained.

Adolescent↗

Estimation of available dietary iron.

Dietary iron requirements are dependent on the amount and availability of food iron ingested. On the basis of recent studies of food iron absorption employing extrinsic tag techniques, the availability of heme iron has been defined and estimates of the availability of nonheme iron based on the amounts of enhancing substances appear possible. A model has been developed whereby the availability of iron in a given meal may be estimated. Calculations are made on a meal basis of 1) the amount of heme iron and its availability, and 2) the amount of nonheme iron and its availability as influenced by the meal's content of enhancing factors. Examples of these calculations are provided.

Absorption↗