Abnormalities of iron metabolism and erythropoiesis in vitamin E-deficient rabbits

Rabbits fed a vitamin E-deficient diet developed severe muscular dystrophy in 3-4 wk, but they did not become anemic. Nevertheless, reticulocyte counts increased in deficient rabbits (3.2%) compared to control rabbits (0.9%), and erythroid hyperplasia was evident in the bone marrow. Comparing deficient rabbits to controls, the plasma iron concentration was lower (134.4 versus 206.6 microgram/dl); the TIBC was higher (335.9 versus 228.3 microgram/dl); the whole blood protoporphyrin concentration was higher (131.6 versus 81.7 microgram/dl); and the total iron content was lower in spleen (71 versus 153 microgram), higher in skeletal muscle (4956 versus 3054 microgram), and unchanged in bone marrow, liver, and heart. Studies of iron absorption and excretion using 59Fe showed no abnormalities in deficient rabbits. There were abnormalities of ferrokinetics, however. The half-time of disappearance of 59Fe was shorter (100.6 versus 169.4 min), the plasma iron turnover was greater (1.25 versus 0.95 mg/dl blood/day), and the reappearance of 59Fe in circulating erythrocytes at day 9 was greater (77.2% versus 57.2%) in deficient rabbits. Anemia induced by phlebotomy accentuated the abnormal iron metabolism of deficient rabbits, and the animals were unable to correct the anemia. These findings show that vitamin E deficiency in rabbits causes abnormal erythropoiesis associated with abnormal iron metabolism and sequestration of iron in skeletal muscle.