Research Paper Volume 11, Issue 21 pp 9846—9861

Figure 1. Chronic oral administration of ferric citrate induces selective iron overload in the brain. (A to C) Quantifications show no differences in the body weight, daily food intake and brain weight of mice supplemented with ferric citrate. Error bars indicate SD. (D) Quantification shows the increased serum iron levels of mice supplemented with ferric citrate (N=10). Error bars indicate SEM. (E) Quantification shows the increased peripheral tissue iron levels of mice supplemented with ferric citrate (N=10). Error bars indicate SEM. (F) Quantification shows the selective iron overload in the brains of mice supplemented with ferric citrate (N=10). Error bars indicate SEM. (G and H) Representative images from Prussian blue staining show the excessive iron accumulation in the Cpu and SN of mice supplemented with ferric citrate. Bars, 100 μm. (I) qRT-PCR shows the increased mRNA levels of TFR1 in the Cpu and SN of mice supplemented with ferric citrate (N=5). Error bars indicate SEM. (J) qRT-PCR shows that the mRNA levels of FPN1 increased in the Cpu and SN of mice from the 1.25% ferric citrate group but decreased in those of mice from the 5% ferric citrate group (N=5). Error bars indicate SEM. Compared with the Ctr group, *p<0.05 and **p<0.01. Compared with the 1.25% ferric citrate group, ^#p<0.05 and ^##p<0.01.