Iron is an essential element for the growth and survival of nearly all living organisms (P. Aisen et al., J. Biochem. Cell Biol., 2001, 33: 940-959) except for a few unusual bacterial species. It plays an important role in oxygen transport and storage (in combination with oxygen-binding molecules such as hemoglobin and myoglobulin) and is a key component of many enzymes that catalyze the redox reactions required for the generation of energy (e.g., cytochromes), the production of various metabolic intermediates, and for host defense (e.g., nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate [NADPH] oxidase). Iron can also be toxic. It catalyzes the generation of reactive radical species that can attack cellular membranes, proteins, and DNA (J. M. C. Gutteridge et al., Biochem. J., 1982, 296: 605-609), and activates NF-κB, the prototype transcription factor for genes involved in inflammation (S. Xiong et al., J. Biol. Chem., 2003, 278: 17646-17654). At high levels, iron accumulation in tissues is damaging.
To prevent iron deficiency or iron overload, virtually all organisms have developed elaborate mechanisms for regulating iron intake and efflux (C. Finch, Blood, 1994, 84: 1697-1702). In adult mammals, iron homeostasis depends upon regulated absorption of iron by the enterocyte, a highly specialized cell of the duodenum that coordinates dietary iron uptake and transport into the body. In the fetus, the mechanisms involved in placental materno-fetal iron transport are also tightly regulated. Iron is stored in the body in the form of the protein complexes, ferritin and hemosiderin, and is transported in the plasma via the protein complex, transferrin. Under normal circumstances, only trace amounts of iron exist outside these physiologic sinks, although stored iron can be mobilized by reuse. Perturbations in these highly regulated mechanisms can lead to iron overload or iron deficiency in the body.
Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder in the world. As many as 4-5 billion people (i.e., 65-80% of the world's population) may be iron deficient; and 2 billion people (over 30% of the world's population, mostly children and women of childbearing age) are anemic, mainly due to iron deficiency. In developing countries, the disease is exacerbated by malaria and worm infections. Iron deficiency affects more people than any other condition, constituting a public health condition of epidemic proportions. Iron overload disorders are less prevalent; however, they can lead to serious life-threatening conditions. Worldwide, some 24 million people of northern European ancestry suffer from a genetic disorder called hemochromatosis. Another 600 million carry one of the genes responsible for the disorder, and absorb up to 50% more iron than non-carriers. The disease leads to iron accumulation, particularly in the liver and other storage organs, which can cause organ failure (like cirrhosis of the liver), heart attack, cancer, and pancreatic damage.
Dysfunctions in iron metabolism pose a major problem worldwide due not only to their frequency but also to the lack of therapeutic options (N. C. Andrews, N. Engl. J. Med., 1999, 341: 1986-1995). Iron overload conditions are generally treated by administration of iron chelating agents, which exert their effects by remobilizing accumulated iron and allowing for its excretion. In practice, however, none of the chelating agents which have been evaluated to date have proved entirely satisfactory, suffering from poor gastrointestinal absorption, and either low efficacy, poor selectivity, or undesirable side effects. The preferred treatment for reducing iron levels in most hemochromatosis patients is called therapeutic phlebotomy, a procedure which simply consists of removing blood from the body. Patients with hemochromatosis usually need a large number of phlebotomies in a relative short period of time (up to once or twice a week). Thus, in addition to carrying the same risks as with any blood donation (e.g., nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fainting, hematoma, seizures or local infection), phlebotomy can also be highly constraining to the patient.
Several forms of iron salt are used to treat iron deficiency conditions. It generally takes several months of replacement therapy to replenish body iron stores. Some patients have difficulty tolerating iron salts, because these substances tend to cause gastrointestinal distress. Studies have also reported that liquid iron-salt preparations, given to young children, may cause permanent staining of the teeth. However, more problematic is the finding that high doses of iron supplements, taken orally or by injection, can increase susceptibility to bacterial infection.
Clearly, the development of novel agents and methods for the prevention and treatment of iron metabolism disorders, remains highly desirable.