Effects of dietary iron restriction on protein expression profile in dopaminergic regions aferent

Abstract

The aging interferes in diverse organic functions of the body with the capability to instigate diseases. Neurodegenerative diseases are an example that affects the elderly population. These diseases have a common feature in their pathological process, which is the deposition of protein aggregates. Protein aggregates can be formed spontaneously through the lifelong and their formation can be stimulated due to the increase of reactive oxygen species (EROS) that can be produced in various metabolic pathways. It is known that the lifestyle can interfere in the performance of the body and eating habits are an important factor for its homeostasis, since a healthy eating habit contributes to the correct functioning of the cells. Inadequate diets can contribute to the onset of disease. One of the most frequent nutritional deficiencies includes iron deficiency, which can be manifested as anemia when the deficiency is severe. Typical clinical features also include reduced attention capabilities, short-term memory loss, and low cognitive performance. Such symptoms may be related to dopaminergic transmission, which may be affected due to a lack of iron. In addition, both iron and dopamine metabolisms are sources of EROS production and are related to the mechanism of pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases. In order to investigate how the dopaminergic pathways are altered with iron restriction, our group investigated the protein expression profile of the hippocampus and the striatum of animals submitted to iron restriction. Our results demonstrated that each region presented a distinct pattern of alteration, indicating that these regions respond in different ways to iron dietary restriction. These regions have distinct afferent regions: Substance Nigra and Ventral Tegmental Area respectively. Therefore, the aim of this project is to analyze the profile of protein expression in the afferent regions after iron restriction to contribute to a better understanding of the involvement of dopaminergic pathways in cognitive function in cases of iron deficiency. In addition, the data obtained from this study may provide relevant information on the relationship between neurodegenerative diseases, iron metabolism, and dopamine.