Influence of maternal ethanol ingestion on copper utilization during gestation and lactation in the rat
A factorial experiment was conducted to determine the influence of ethanol intake (30% of Kcal) on the utilization of copper (Cu) at two dietary levels of Cu during gestation and lactation in the rat. Cu levels in the liquid diet were adjusted to provide either 60% of the minimum requirement or a more than adequate intake. Both ethanol and low Cu depressed dam liver Cu, but the lowest concentration was produced when ethanol and low Cu were combined. Although only ethanol depressed pup liver Cu concentration, the effects observed in dams were reflected in pup Cu content of the metallothionein fraction eluted from a Sephadex G-75 column. Otherwise, neither the metallothionein content of maternal intestinal cells nor that of pup liver affected the outcome of ethanol-antagonized Cu utilization. Effects of ethanol on Cu status of dams and pups cannot be defined as a simple C deficiency even though liver iron was elevated because the ferroxidase activity of dam ceruloplasmin was enhanced rather than inhibited by ethanol which is in agreement with observations made in alcoholics. The authors results are more consistent with a possible enhancing effect of ethanol on biliary excretion of Cu. Exactly why ethanol would have this effect in dams is not defined by available data. In pups, however, maternal ethanol ingestion caused a 30% increase in pup plasma corticosterone, a steroid known to enhance loss of neonatal liver Cu by way of biliary excretion.
- Research Organization:
- Oregon State Univ., Corvallis
- OSTI ID:
- 6754482
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8604222-
- Journal Information:
- Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States), Vol. 45:4; Conference: 70. annual meeting of the Federation of American Society for Experimental Biology, St. Louis, MO, USA, 13 Apr 1986
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
COPPER
METABOLISM
ETHANOL
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
EXCRETION
INGESTION
LACTATION
LIVER
METALLOTHIONEIN
NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY
PREGNANCY
RATS
ALCOHOLS
ANIMALS
BODY
CLEARANCE
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
ELEMENTS
GLANDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INTAKE
MAMMALS
METALLOPROTEINS
METALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PROTEINS
RODENTS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology