Female rats are susceptible to cardiac hypertrophy induced by copper deficiency: The lack of influence of estrogen and testosterone

Journal Article · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3181/00379727-188-42736· OSTI ID:5078335

Farquharson, C; Robins, S P ^[1]

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1. Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen (Scotland)

In contrast to a previous report female rats were shown to be susceptible to copper (Cu) deficiency giving rise to restriction of growth, cardiac hypertrophy, and anemia. The severity of these effects was, however, found to be less marked than in the male rats which had similar liver Cu levels. Castration or ovariectomy of Cu-deficient rats had little effect on CH or the other parameters associated with Cu deficiency, and supplementation of the neutered animals with estrogen or testosterone was similarly without effect. The ultrastructural appearance of the hypertrophied Cu-deficient female heart was similar to that previously found in males and was characterized by a large increase in mitochondrial area with disrupted cristae. The results also indicated that in contrast to Cu-deficient males iron (Fe) was not accumulated in the liver of the Cu-deficient female rats. It may be concluded that the limited protection of female rats to the effects of Cu deficiency observed in this study unconnected with the sex steroids.

• OSTI ID: 5078335
• Journal Information: Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine; (USA), Journal Name: Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine; (USA) Vol. 188:3; ISSN PSEBA; ISSN 0037-9727
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANDROGENS
ANDROSTANES
ANEMIAS
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
COPPER
DISEASES
ELEMENTS
ESTROGENS
FEMALES
HEART
HEMIC DISEASES
HORMONES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
HYPERTROPHY
KETONES
MAMMALS
METALS
MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES
NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
RATS
RODENTS
SEX DEPENDENCE
STEROID HORMONES
STEROIDS
SYMPTOMS
TESTOSTERONE
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
ULTRASTRUCTURAL CHANGES
VERTEBRATES