Attachment 6 Name and Address of Institution ILLEGIBLE Title of Research Problem Biological labelling of Foodstuffs for a Purpose of Studying Iron Absorption in Humans. The Incorporation of Radioiron 59 Into Chicken Eggs. Give names, departments and official titles of all Professional Personnel engaged in the research: James A.E. Halkett, M.S. Radioisotope Unit Biologist Joseph F. Ross M.D. " Director Summary of Research Problem: In order to study the human absorption of iron from chicken eggs, radioactive eggs have been produced and fed to 18 patients. Known amounts of radioiron 59 as ferric ammonium citrate have been injected into the wing veins of laying hens. These hens have produced radioactive eggs of varying activities. If egg activity is plotted against time, the initial activity peak occurs nearly four days after injection. This peak is followed, 24 to 28 days later, by a second smaller activity peak. These recurring activity peaks have been present in 6 injected hens. ILLEGIBLE peaks were followed in one hen before a second injection of iron 59 disrupted the cycle. Over 60% of the injected iron has been recovered in the eggs laid during the 70 days after injection. Iron distribution studies in hard boiled eggs have shown that over 96% of the radioiron is found in the yolk, over 8% in the white, and the rest in the shell and egg membranes. Hard boiled or scrambled eggs containing 8 to 15 uc of iron 50 are used for the iron absorption studies. 1 NOTICE OF RESEARCH PROJECT BIO SCIENCES INFORMATION EXCHANGE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Name and Address of Institution VA Hospital Radioisotope Unit, 130 South Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA Title of Research Problem Biologic Labeling of Foodstuffs for a Purpose of Studying Iron Absorption in Humans. The Incorporation of Radioiron 59 in Meats, Yeast, and Algae. Give names, departments and official titles of all Professional Personnel engaged in the research: James A.E. Halkett, M.S. Radioisotope Unit Biologist Joseph F. Ross M.D. " Director Summary of Research Problem: The experimental results of human iron absorption from radioactive eggs and radioactive vegetable greens have shown that only a small amount of food iron present is absorbed by the body. Clinical cases show greater absorption of inorganic iron than of food iron. Further studies on iron absorption using radioactive meats are in progress. Experiments are under way to determine the simplest and most efficient technique for the incorporation of iron 59 intravenously; the intravenous injection of radioiron 59 plus a large amount of colloidal iron in order that all daily needs of iron metabolism will be satisfied and the remaining iron will be stored; intraperitoneal injections of radioiron 59. Chickens and rabbits are the source of meat. Perfusion of certain organs, or of the whole animal reduces the contamination effect of radioactive red blood cells. Radioactive algae were grown as contaminants in some early vegetable green experiments. Radioactive yeast has been grown in a culture medium containing radioiron 59. These food sources have been grown in small quantities and have not been used in any iron absorption studies. 2 NOTICE OF RESEARCH PROJECT BIO SCIENCES INFORMATION EXCHANGE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Name and Address of Institution VA Hospital Radioisotope Unit, 130 South Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA Title of Research Problem Biologic Labeling of Foodstuffs for a Purpose of Studying Iron Absorption in Humans. The Incorporation of Radioiron 59 in Vegetable Greens Give names, departments and official titles of all Professional Personnel engaged in the research: James A.E. Halkett, M.S. Radioisotope Unit Biologist Joseph F. Ross M.D. " Director Summary of Research Problem: In order to study human absorption of iron from vegetable greens, radioactive greens have been produced and fed to 12 patients. Using the technique of hydroponics, a rapid and efficient method for incorporating radioiron 59 in beet greens, swiss chard, and radish greens has been developed. The seeds are germinated in moist vermiculite; the seedlings are washed free of vermiculite and placed in green bottles containing 40 cc. of a 1/3 strength iron-free nutrient solution. The seedlings are held in place by a cotton wad. Algae growth is prevented by placing ILLEGIBLE bottles in a suitable container which prevents light from reaching the nutrient solution. After 4 days, the original solution is replaced by a full-strength nutrient solution and a known amount of radioiron 59 as ferric chloride. Depending on the season, the plants are allowed to grow for 12 to 20 days, at which time the activity of the leaves of one plant will average 1 cc of iron 59. Between 30% to 40% of a ILLEGIBLE dose of iron 59 ILLEGIBLE incorporated in beet greens grown under the above conditions. This technique allows continuous study of iron absorption by the roots and incorporation by the leaves without damage to the plants. Harvested greens measuring 10 to 20 cc are washed, boiled, and homogenized for feeding or frozen storage. 3 NOTICE OF RESEARCH PROJECT BIO SCIENCES INFORMATION EXCHANGE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Name and Address of Institution VA Hospital Radioisotope Unit, 130 South Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA Title of Research Problem Factors in the Absorption of Food Iron Give names, departments and official titles of all Professional Personnel engaged in the research: Theodore Peters, PhD. Radioisotope Unit Biochemist Myron Pollycove, M.D. Radioisotope Unit Physician, Resident Leonard Apt, M.D. Radioisotope Unit Physician, Senior Joseph F. Ross, M.D. Radioisotope Unit Director Summary of Research Problem: In vitro conditions have been devised to stimulate the availability of iron for absorption in the duodenum. Egg yolk, egg white, other foods and inorganic materials have been digested with pepsin ad pH1, neutralized, and dialyzed against saline at Ph 7.5. The effects of ascorbic acid and eggs on iron absorption in vivo have been confirmed in vitro. Effects of foodstuffs, phosphate and calcium on iron dialysis appear to be related to their effects on reduction of the iron by ascorbic acid. It is planned to test certain of the basic effects observed by further human feeding experiments. 4 NOTICE OF RESEARCH PROJECT BIO SCIENCES INFORMATION EXCHANGE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Name and Address of Institution VA Hospital Radioisotope Unit, ILLEGIBLE Title of Research Problem The Study of Erythropoiesis and Iron Metabolism with ILLEGIBLE Give names, departments and official titles of all Professional Personnel engaged in the research: Leonard Apt. M.D. Radioisotope Unit Sr. Physician Myron Pollycove, M.D. Radioisotope Unit Resident Mary Pratt, M.A. Radioisotope Unit Biochemist Joan Donovan, B.A. Radioisotope Unit Phys Sci Aide John Sullivan, B.S. Radioisotope Unit Phys Sci Aide Joseph F. Ross M.D. Radioisotope Unit Director Summary of Research Problem: The pattern of iron metabolism is being studied by the use of radioiron in a group of normal individual and in patients with various types of hematologic diseases. The rate of turnover of plasma iron, the distribution of the tracer dose of radioiron in various tissue and organs, the rate and amount of incorporation of the tracer dose of radioiron in circulating erythrocytes are being determined. The results of these studied ILLEGIBLE normal males are: 1. Plasma iron turnover of ILLEGIBLE to 45 mg per kg per liter of blood volume. 2. Eighty-five to 100 percent incorporation of the tracer dose of radioiron in circulating erythrocytes within seven to ten days after intravenous injection. The movement of radioiron within the body was followed by using a mobile scintillation counter. The normal tracer iron pathway is plasma to bone marrow to erythrocytes. The iron turnover patterns and their significance are being studied in a series of patients with hemolytic anemia, leukemia, lymphoma, iron deficiency anemia, bemochromatosis, and in a variety of disease states that are associated with a disturbance in iron metabolism and/or anemia.