Increased myocardial and hepatic iron concentration in pigs with microangiopathy (mulberry heart disease) as a risk factor of oxidative damage.

The role of iron was evaluated in pigs that died suddenly of microangiopathy (mulberry heart disease) characterized by myocardial and endothelial cell damage and capillary microthrombosis. Myocardial iron concentration (mean +/- SD) in pigs with microangiopathy (416 +/- 87 micrograms/g, dry weight) was significantly (p less than 0.001) higher than in pigs with other diseases (294 +/- 93 micrograms/g) and in healthy slaughter pigs (231 +/- 43 micrograms/g). Similarly, hepatic iron concentration in pigs with microangiopathy (1,211 +/- 254 micrograms/g) was significantly (p less than 0.001) higher than in pigs with other diseases (873 +/- 296 micrograms/g) and in healthy slaughter pigs (831 +/- 284 micrograms/g). The results indicate that myocardial and hepatic iron concentration was increased in pigs with microangiopathy. Increased myocardial and hepatic iron concentration might have promoted oxidative stress in selenium-vitamin E-deficient pigs and thus contributed to the development of oxidative damage.