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Iron metabolism and neonatal hypoxic ischemic brain damage

XU Kai-Yu, LI Fan

Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming 650223, China； Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China

Abstract

Iron is an essential element for nervous system development, and maintaining a normal iron level in nervous system is controlled by multiple factors. Recent studies reported that iron dysregulation and the following iron metabolic pathways played an important role in hypoxic ischemic brain damage (HIBD) in neonates. Circulatory iron level is altered after hypoxia-ischemia exposure, which may cause abnormal iron deposition in the nervous system followed by neuronal injury. Finding the causing factors for abnormal iron metabolism after hypoxia-ischemia exposure, as well as understanding the mechanisms how iron metabolism contributes to HIBD, will shed lights on HIBD prevention and treatment. In this mini-review, we summarized changes in iron metabolism after neonatal hypoxia-ischemia exposure, its possible regulatory factors and how iron abnormalities contribute to HIBD.

Key words: Iron metabolism; hypoxic ischemic brain damage ; iron accumulation

Received: 2016-08-10　　Accepted: 2016-10-31

Corresponding author: 李凡　　E-mail: leefan623@sina.com

Citing This Article：

XU Kai-Yu, LI Fan. Iron metabolism and neonatal hypoxic ischemic brain damage. Acta Physiol Sin 2017; 69 (2): 218-224