Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in which an overactive immune system causes ulcers in the large intestine. Anemia is one of the foremost secondary complications of UC, presenting in 70% of those diagnosed. Iron absorption occurs primarily in the duodenum and proximal jejunum. A recent study demonstrated increased iron transporter [i.e., iron importer divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) and exporter ferroportin 1 (FPN1)] expression and iron uptake in UC human colon. It is not known whether increased iron transporter associate would increase colonic iron absorption in UC. We hypothesized that either duodenal and/or colonic iron absorption would be increased in experimental UC colon. Acute UC was produced in rats by giving 5% DSS water ad libitum for seven days. To determine duodenal and colonic iron absorption, serum iron (55Fe) levels were measured in rats euthanized 2 and 24 hours after gavage with 250 ml of solution (10 mM HCl containing 200 mM FeSO4 and 10 mCi FeCl3) respectively. Four-fold and persistent higher serum 55Fe level present in UC rats euthanized 2 and 24 hours after gavage, respectively. Significantly increased epithelial 55Fe accumulation is present in both duodenum and colon of UC rats euthanized 24 hours after gavage. In conclusion, both duodenal and colonic apical DMT1 expression and iron absorption are increased in UC rats.

Increased duodenal iron absorption in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis rat

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