Iron homeostasis in plasmacytoma-bearing mice.

Plasmacytomas in mice have been shown to contain significant quantities of nonheme iron, half of which is in the form of ferritin. The livers of animals with plasmacytomas have a decreased iron content, and plasma iron is reduced. The animals develop an anemia that is partially corrected by parenteral iron. However, when plasmacytoma-bearing mice are given excessive amounts of parenteral iron, the surplus is stored in the liver of animals rather than in the tumor itself. These findings suggest that plasmacytomas sequester iron and deprive other organs of it to satisfy their own need. However, the tumors do not function as a storage site for iron above their own need.