Inflammation subsequent to mild iron excess differentially alters regional brain iron metabolism, oxidation and neuroinflammation status in mice

Azhaar Ahmad Ashraf, Manal Aljuhani, Chantal J. Hubens, Jérôme Jeandriens, Harold G. Parkes, Kalotina Geraki, Ayesha Mahmood, Amy H. Herlihy, Po Wah So*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)
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Abstract

Iron dyshomeostasis and neuroinflammation, characteristic features of the aged brain, and exacerbated in neurodegenerative disease, may induce oxidative stress-mediated neurodegeneration. In this study, the effects of potential priming with mild systemic iron injections on subsequent lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in adult C57Bl/6J mice were examined. After cognitive testing, regional brain tissues were dissected for iron (metal) measurements by total reflection X-ray fluorescence and synchrotron radiation X-Ray fluorescence-based elemental mapping; and iron regulatory, ferroptosis-related, and glia-specific protein analysis, and lipid peroxidation by western blotting. Microglial morphology and astrogliosis were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Iron only treatment enhanced cognitive performance on the novel object location task compared with iron priming and subsequent LPS-induced inflammation. LPS-induced inflammation, with or without iron treatment, attenuated hippocampal heme oxygenase-1 and augmented 4-hydroxynonenal levels. Conversely, in the cortex, elevated ferritin light chain and xCT (light chain of System Xc) were observed in response to LPS-induced inflammation, without and with iron-priming. Increased microglial branch/process lengths and astrocyte immunoreactivity were also increased by combined iron and LPS in both the hippocampus and cortex. Here, we demonstrate iron priming and subsequent LPS-induced inflammation led to iron dyshomeostasis, compromised antioxidant function, increased lipid peroxidation and altered neuroinflammatory state in a brain region-dependent manner.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1393351
JournalFrontiers in Aging Neuroscience
Volume16
Early online date21 May 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024

Keywords

  • aging
  • cortex
  • hippocampus
  • hyper-ramified microglia
  • inflammation
  • iron metabolism
  • lipid peroxidation
  • System X

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