Abstract: Objective To explore the potential role of iron regulator protein 2(IRP2)under conditions of vitamin A deficiency and the relationship between vitamin A deficiency and anemia.Methods Forty-eight SD rats were divided randomly into four groups of control,complete deficient in vitamin A,marginal deficiency in vitamin A,and ion plus vitamin A marginal deficiency.After 8 weeks,all the rats were killed by sodium pentobarbital anesthesia and all samples were collected and detected for gene expression.Results As expected,the concentration of serum retinol in completely vitamin A deficiency group(0.22±0.26μmol/L),compared with that of the control group(1.50±0.41μmol/L),was significantly decreased.Compared with that of the control group(3.85±0.94μg/ml),the concentration of serum rion(2.26±0.72μg/ml) in complete vitaminA deficiency group was significantly decreased.Compared with that of the control group(0.81±0.08), the level of IRP2 mRNA(1.53±0.18)in complete vitamin A deficiency group was significantly increased,and the level of transferrin receptor mRNA(0.62±0.06)was also increased compared with that of the control group(0.33±0.02).Compared with the control group(0.85±0.04),the level of ferrintin RNA(0.52±0.08)in complete vitamin A deficiency group was significantly decreased.Conclusion The results indicate that vitamin A deficiency influences iron homeostasis in cells through affecting the expression of IRP2 and the activity of IRP-RNA comhinatiion and then changing the expressions of ferritin and transferrin mRNA.