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Title: Plasma zinc status and membrane lipid composition in genetically diabetic mice (db/db)

Journal Article · · Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6846528

Sex and age matched diabetic C57BL/Ks-db+/db+ mice (db/db) were sacrificed at eight weeks of age. Plasma samples were collected and zinc levels determined. Livers were excised and mitochondrial and microsomal membranes prepared. Aliquots of membrane fractions were subjected to lipid extraction and cholesterol (Cl), phospholipid (PL) and fatty acid analysis (FA) performed. Plasma zinc levels in db/db mice were elevated 25% compared to m/m controls (148.8+/-8.1 ..mu..g/dl vs. 118.9+/-14.9 ..mu..g/dl). Cholesterol and PL levels remained unchanged in both mitochondrial and microsomal membranes. Analysis of PL composition from db/db mitochondria by two dimensional thin layer chromatography revealed no change in the percentage of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) but a 40% decrease in cardiolipin. Slight increases were observed in the percentage of phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol (PS+PI) in microsomes isolated from db/db mice. Fatty acid analysis of microsomal PC and PE showed a decrease of 28% in the 18:1/18:0 ratio as well as a 21% decrease in the ratio of 20:4/18:2 in db/db animals. Analysis of succinate dehydrogenase (mitochondrial) and glucose-6-phosphatase (microsomal) revealed significant decreases in activity in livers of db/db mice. The altered zinc metabolism as well as the changes in membrane lipid composition suggest that this may be a model to study the role of zinc in membrane structure.

Research Organization:
Pennsylvania College of Podiatric Medicine, Philadelphia
OSTI ID:
6846528
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