Brain iron accumulation in unexplained fetal and infant death victims with smoker mothers-The possible involvement of maternal methemoglobinemia

BMC Pediatrics

Luigi Matturri²  Melissa F Corna²  Graziella Alfonsi²  Lucijan Mohorovic¹  Anna M Lavezzi² 

[1] Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rijeka School of Medicine, Rijeka, Croatia;"Lino Rossi" Research Center for The Study and Prevention of Unexpected Perinatal Death and SIDS, Department of Surgical, Reconstructive and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Milan, Italy

关键词: methemoglobin;    oxidative stress;    brain iron injury;    SIDS;    SIUD;   

Others  :  1172147
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2431-11-62

 received in 2010-10-08, accepted in 2011-07-06,  发布年份 2011

【 摘 要 】

Background

Iron is involved in important vital functions as an essential component of the oxygen-transporting heme mechanism. In this study we aimed to evaluate whether oxidative metabolites from maternal cigarette smoke could affect iron homeostasis in the brain of victims of sudden unexplained fetal and infant death, maybe through the induction of maternal hemoglobin damage, such as in case of methemoglobinemia.

Methods

Histochemical investigations by Prussian blue reaction were made on brain nonheme ferric iron deposits, gaining detailed data on their localization in the brainstem and cerebellum of victims of sudden death and controls. The Gless and Marsland's modification of Bielschowsky's was used to identify neuronal cell bodies and neurofilaments.

Results

Our approach highlighted accumulations of blue granulations, indicative of iron positive reactions, in the brainstem and cerebellum of 33% of victims of sudden death and in none of the control group. The modified Bielschowsky's method confirmed that the cells with iron accumulations were neuronal cells.

Conclusions

We propose that the free iron deposition in the brain of sudden fetal and infant death victims could be a catabolic product of maternal methemoglobinemia, a biomarker of oxidative stress likely due to nicotine absorption.

【 授权许可】

   
2011 Lavezzi et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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