ORAL SUCROSOMIAL® IRON IMPROVES IRON STATUS IN PREMATURE PIGLETS BORN BY CESAREAN DELIVERY

Xiuying WANG1, Rafal STARZYNSKI1, Jaroslaw WOLINSKI2, Pawel LIPINSKI1, Magdalena OGLUSZKA3, Rafal MAZGAJ1, Zuzanna KOPEC1, Beata ZELAZOWSKA1, Germano TARANTINO4, Elisa BRILLI4

1Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology PAS, Department of Molecular Biology, Laboratory of Iron Molecular Biology, Jastrzebiec, Poland
2Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition PAS, Department of Animal Physiology, Laboratory of Large Animal Model, Jablonna, Poland
3Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology PAS, Department of Genomics and Biodiversity, Jastrzebiec, Poland
4Scientific Department, Pharmanutra S.p.A. Via delle Lenze, Pisa, Italy

Given that the majority of iron transfer from mother to fetus occurs during the third trimester of pregnancy, premature infants are more likely to develop iron imbalances due to inadequate iron storage. Sucrosomial® iron (SI) is an oral iron formulation of ferric pyrophosphate with high bioavailability and tolerability. This research was conducted to evaluate the effects of SI on iron status in premature piglets. Newborn piglets were used in a two-factor factorial design, and the main factors included delivery mode (cesarean section on day 109 of gestation or normal vaginal delivery on day 115 of gestation) and diet (with or without SI). During the experiment, piglets were fed hourly milk. After feeding without or with SI (2 mg Fe/piglet/day) between days 4 and 10 after birth, samples were collected on day 11. Premature piglets showed poor growth performance and low total body iron content. Premature piglets also developed early iron deficiency anemia as indicated by low red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin concentrations and reticulocyte hemoglobin content. These RBC indices were partially improved by SI supplementation. Interestingly, higher hepatic and splenic non-heme iron content were found in preterm piglets compared to full-term piglets. Administration of SI contributed also to the hepatic and splenic iron accumulation in preterm piglets. High tissular iron content in preterm piglets supplemented with SI was associated with increased hepcidin-25 and decreased erythroferrone (its negative regulator) plasma levels. These results indicate that SI attenuates iron deficiency anemia of prematurity. This study was supported by NCN/2020/39/B/NZ5/02469.