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The functional connotations of iron deficiency-effect on neutrophil oxidative burst activity in preschool children

Shweta Dutt1, Poonam Rani1, Richa Gupta1

  • 1Department of Pathology, University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital Delhi, India.

American Journal of Blood Research
|January 24, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Iron deficiency anaemia impairs neutrophil oxidative burst, a key defense against bacterial infections. This study confirms reduced immune response in children with IDA, increasing infection susceptibility.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Hematology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) compromises the innate immune system, particularly neutrophil antimicrobial functions.
  • Neutrophil oxidative burst, crucial for fighting bacterial infections, is iron-dependent.
  • Previous studies on iron deficiency's impact on neutrophil function often used less precise methods like the Nitro blue tetrazolium test.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effect of iron deficiency on neutrophil oxidative burst activity in children under 5 years.
  • To compare neutrophil function in children with IDA to a control group using flow cytometry.
  • To investigate the utility of the dihydro rhodamine (DHR) assay in assessing immune function in pediatric IDA.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study involving 36 children aged 6 months to 5 years with moderate to severe IDA and 36 matched controls.
  • Analysis of hematological and iron profile parameters, including hemoglobin, serum vitamin B12, and folate levels.
  • Assessment of neutrophil oxidative burst activity using the flow cytometry-based Dihydrorhodamine (DHR) assay.

Main Results:

  • Significantly reduced neutrophil oxidative burst parameters (percentage of stimulated neutrophils, Mean Fluorescence Index, Neutrophil oxidative index) were observed in children with IDA compared to controls.
  • Hemoglobin levels showed a significant positive correlation with neutrophil oxidative index and the percentage of neutrophils exhibiting stimulation in the IDA group.
  • The DHR assay demonstrated a clear deficit in neutrophil function associated with iron deficiency.

Conclusions:

  • Children with iron deficiency anaemia exhibit a significantly impaired neutrophil oxidative burst, indicating a weakened innate immune response.
  • This diminished immune function increases susceptibility to bacterial infections, with severity correlating to the degree of anaemia.
  • The findings highlight the critical role of iron in immune defense and the need for timely intervention in pediatric IDA.

Keywords:
Dihydrorhodamine assayPreschool childrenflowcytometryiron deficiency anaemianeutrophil oxidative burst

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