Influence of body iron status on reticulocyte subpopulations and reticulocyte maturity index.

초록

To investigate the influence of body iron status on reticulocyte subpopulations and reticulocyte maturity index (RMI), we measured serum iron markers, fluorescent intersity of reticulocytes, and serum transferrin receptor (sTfR) concentration in 372 subjets. There were no significant differences in the values of reticulocyte subpopulations and RMI between ferritin alone-depleted group and healthy controls. However, middle- and high-fluorescence reticulocytes, and RMI were significantly higher in both serum iron and serum ferritin depleted group than in ferritin alone-depleted group. Middle fluorescence reticulocytes and RMI increased gradually as body iron store was depleted and were 3.4- and 3.6-fold higher, respectively then normal controls, when the subjects attained a frank iron deficiency anemia. There were no significant changes in the values of red blood cells and total reticulocyte counts during iron-depleted states. mean value os sTfR (3.98 mg/L) in the subjects with RMI >=1.5% wassignificantly higher than that (2.26 mg/L) in the subjects with RMI <1.5% (P<0.01). The sTfR concentration correlated significantly with RMI (r=0.61, P<0.01) and middle fluorescence reticulocytes (r=0.59, P<0.01). In conclusion, body iron depletion induces to elevate immature reticulocyte fractions and RMI. Increase of reticulocyte fluorescent intensity during iron-depleted states seems to be influenced by an increased amount of intracellular TfR RNA.