Iron deficiency anemia and platelet dysfunction: A comprehensive analysis of the underlying mechanisms.

AIMS: This research aimed to study the changes in platelet function and their underlying mechanisms in iron deficiency anemia. MAIN METHODS: Initially, we evaluated platelet function in an IDA mice model. Due to the inability to accurately reduce intracellular Fe2+ concentrations, we investigated the impact of Fe2+ on platelet function by introducing varying concentrations of Fe2+. To probe the underlying mechanism, we simultaneously examined the dynamics of calcium in the cytosol, and integrin αIIbß3 activation in Fe2+-treated platelets. Ferroptosis inhibitors Lip-1 and Fer-1 were applied to determine whether ferroptosis was involved in this process. KEY FINDINGS: Our study revealed that platelet function was suppressed in IDA mice. Fe2+ concentration-dependently facilitated platelet activation and function in vitro. Mechanistically, Fe2+ promoted calcium mobilization, integrin αIIbß3 activation, and its downstream outside-in signaling. Additionally, we also demonstrated that ferroptosis might play a role in this process. SIGNIFICANCE: Our data suggest an association between iron and platelet activation, with iron deficiency resulting in impaired platelet function, while high concentrations of Fe2+ contribute to platelet activation and function by promoting calcium mobilization, αIIbß3 activation, and ferroptosis.

Robust and sensitive determination of nitrites in pickled food by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

Nitrites are ubiquitous in food and pose a serious threat to human health. Therefore, the rapid and accurate determination of nitrite ion concentration in food is a prerequisite for eliminating the damage of nitrites. In this study, a robust, rapid, and sensitive method is proposed for nitrite detection in pickled food, in which Au@Ag nanoparticles are used as a reliable surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate taking advantage of the high enhancement effect of silver and the good stability of gold. Nitrites were anchored to the surface of the SERS substrate by bridging with 4-aminophenylthiophenol (PATP). With Raman scattering cross-section amplification and internal calibration by PATP, a satisfactory linear relationship (R2 = 0.987) was established for nitrite detection in the concentration range of 5.00-100.00 µM, and the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.17 µM. This SERS-based method demonstrated high selectivity, good precision (RSD < 7.00 %), and satisfying recovery rates (101.42-107.35 %) in real samples, thus improving the determination method for nitrites. Therefore, this method has application potential in food safety and supervision.