How iron deficiency reduces body's immune defenses

Blood iron deficiency can lead to a dramatic decrease in the number of important immune system cells - white blood cells, researchers from the German Cancer Research Center have found.

According to an article published in Science Advances, the entry of iron into cells is controlled by two proteins IRP-1 and IRP-2. Scientists blocked both proteins in adult mice, which resulted in the animals developing severe anemia: the lack of iron reduced hemoglobin and red blood cell size.

The level of leukocytes, mainly neutrophils, decreased dramatically. These immune cells make up to two-thirds of human white blood cells and are an important component of the innate immune system.

Scientists have found that this decrease was not caused by the death of neutrophils, but by the stoppage of their maturation in the bone marrow. This may indicate that this process is iron-dependent. Other types of leukocytes, such as monocytes, were not affected by iron deficiency.

Perhaps iron deficiency affects the immune defense against bacterial pathogens, the authors believe. On the other hand, it is interesting that iron deficiency is one of the body's defense strategies in bacterial infections: many pathogens depend on iron. To slow their reproduction, the body stores the metal in certain cells, which serve as storage chambers so that it is harder for pathogens to access this valuable resource.

Not only infections, but also inflammations often lead to iron deficiency and thus anemia. Therefore, cancer patients whose disease is accompanied by chronic inflammatory conditions often suffer from anemia, which can seriously reduce their quality of life.

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