Iron enzymes in iron deficiency. V. Succinic dehydrogenase in rat liver, kidney and heart.

LTHOUGH iron-deficiency anemia is one of the most common disorders seen in clinical medicine, the symptoms that occur in this deficiency state have never been explained satisfactorily. Studies by Guhier et al.1 and studies (lone in our laboratory24 have demonstrated that the long-held and often-repeated concept that iron enzymes are not affected in iron deficiency is incorrect. The cytochrorne c italasei and cytochrome oxidase4 content of tissues in iron-deficient and normal rats and the catalase content of the red cells of man5 were studied earlier in this series of investigations. In the current study, assays of the enzyme succinic dehydrogenase ( SDH ) have been carried out. It has recently been suggested that iron is a component of this enzyme.#{176} Unlike the other iron enzymes we have studied. the iron in SDH is apparently not present in the form of a heme group.