Role of Iron Overload in Apoptosis of Balb/C Mice Macrophages Infected Wi'Th Leishmania Major in Vitro

Objective: although iron is a crucial element for many metabolicpathways of the body, the excess iron may induce apoptosis in somecell types such as macrophages. in the present investigation, the roleof iron overload in inducing apoptosis of balb/c mice macrophagesinfected with l. major in vitro, as a selective model, was studied.materials and methods: the peritoneal macrophages were harvestedand cultured with different concentrations of iron to refuse its cytotoxiceffect. then, the macrophages were harvested and cultured withor without leishmania in the presence of iron or donated reagent[s-nitro-n-acetylpenicillamine(snap)] or an inhibitor of no, synthase[ng-methyl-l-arginine(ijmma)]. the concentration of no as animmunological mediator in culture supernatants was measured after 18hour incubation. simultaneously, macrophages undergoing apoptosiswere identified by fluorescence and electron microscopy.results: the findings showed that there is a statistically significantrelationship between iron overload and apoptosis (p