Role of ferritin in nutritional edema

¹ Nutrition Research Laboratories, Indian Council of Medical Research, Tarnaka, Hyderabad, India

The sequence of changes that occur in induced protein malnutrition has been studied in nine monkeys, three of which received an aureomycin supplement of 25 mg/kg per day from the first day of the experimental period. Serial estimations of serum protein and albumin levels, response to water load, thiocyanate space and the presence of active ferritin in circulation were determined in all nine monkeys. All the monkeys developed edema between the 13th and 16th week of the experiment, except two of the three aureomycin-supplemented animals. While no correlation was observed between serum albumin levels or impairment of response to water load on the one hand and edema on the other, there was a striking relationship between the appearance of active ferritin in circulation and the subsequent formation of edema. The increase in thiocyanate space was invariably preceded by the presence of ferritin in the blood. During nutritional rehabilitation, ferritin disappeared from circulation before the thiocyanate space returned to normal levels. It is significant that aureomycin, which prevented the appearance of ferritin in the blood, also prevented the development of edema. The results of the investigation strongly suggest a causal relationship between ferritin and nutritional edema.