Chronic kidney disease (CKD) causes
anemia and impairs intestinal
iron absorption. However, use of the
phosphate binder
ferric citrate (FC) increases body
iron stores and
hemoglobin levels in CKD patients. By intensifying oxidative stress and
inflammation iron overload resulting from excessive use of intravenous
iron can accelerate CKD progression. The present study explored the route of absorption and tissue distribution of
iron with FC administration and its effect on renal function, histology, and inflammatory, oxidative, and
fibrosis pathways in CKD rats. Male Sprague Dawley rats were randomized to
sham-operated control (CTL) group and 5/6 nephrectomized (CKD) groups fed either regular or 4% FC-supplemented diets for 6 weeks. Animals were then sacrificed, and blood and target tissues were harvested and processed. The untreated CKD rats exhibited
anemia,
hypertension, upregulation of renal tissue inflammatory, oxidative, and fibrotic pathways, impaired nuclear translocation, and downregulation of Nrf2's target gene products and depletion of colonic epithelial
tight junction proteins. FC administration raised serum
iron, improved
anemia, attenuated
hyperphosphatemia, partially improved renal function, reduced oxidative stress,
inflammation, and
fibrosis, and restored colonic epithelial
zonula occludens-1 protein abundance. Tissue
iron staining detected presence of
iron in epithelial cells and subepithelium of colon and in renal proximal tubules. In conclusion
ferric citrate administration resulted in modest amelioration of renal function and histology and partial improvements of
fibrosis,
inflammation, and oxidative stress in the kidney tissues of CKD rats.