Studies on Copper Metabolisn : II. Hematologic Manifestations of Copper Deficiency in Swine

1. A total of 70 swine were fed a diet consisting only of evaporated cow’s milk. Copper and iron were added to the diet of 10 of the pigs. Iron only was added to the diet of 46 of the pigs. Copper only was added to the diet of 10 of the pigs. Four pigs received neither iron or copper.

2. The animals deficient in copper developed skeletal abnormalities, microcytic hypochromic anemia, leukopenia, neutropenia, normoblastic hyperplasia of the bone marrow, hypoferremia, an increase in the iron-binding capacity of the plasma, hypocupremia and reduced erythrocyte copper as well as tissue copper. No abnormality in porphyrin metabolism was observed and tissue as well as erythrocyte catalase activity was not significantly reduced. Following the administration of copper, the blood of the animals was rapidly and completely restored to normal.

3. The animals deficient in iron developed a severe microcytic, hypochromic anemia, normoblastic hyperplasia of the bone marrow, hypoferremia and an increase in the total iron-binding capacity of the plasma. No abnormality in copper or porphyrin metabolism was observed in these animals except for a slight elevation in the plasma copper level and a marked increase in liver copper.

4. The animals deficient in both copper and iron developed all of the manifestations noted in the copper-deficient pigs. These changes occurred more rapidly and to a greater degree than in the swine with a deficiency of either element alone.

5. The morphologic and biochemical similarities between anemia due to copper deficiency and anemia due to iron deficiency suggest that in copper-deficient swine there is an abnormality in the metabolism of iron and that, furthermore, the anemia may be the consequence of this abnormality.