Iron and zinc concentrations and /sup 59/Fe retention in developing fetuses of zinc-deficient rats

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · J. Nutr.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5516725

Rogers, J M; Loennerdal, B H; Hurley, L S; Keen, C L

Because disturbances in iron metabolism might contribute to the teratogenicity of zinc deficiency, we examined the effect of zinc deficiency on fetal iron accumulation and maternal and fetal retention of /sup 59/Fe. Pregnant rats were fed from mating a purified diet containing 0.5, 4.5 or 100 micrograms Zn/g. Laparotomies were performed on d 12, 16, 19 and 21 of gestation. Maternal blood and concepti were analyzed for zinc and iron. Additional groups of dams fed 0.5 or 100 micrograms Zn/g diet were gavaged on d 19 with a diet containing /sup 59/Fe. Six hours later maternal blood and tissues, fetuses and placentas were counted for /sup 59/Fe. Maternal plasma zinc, but not iron, concentration was affected by zinc deficiency on d 12. Embryo zinc concentration on d 12 increased with increasing maternal dietary zinc, whereas iron concentration was not different among groups. On d 16-21 plasma iron was higher in dams fed 0.5 micrograms Zn/g diet than in those fed 4.5 or 100 micrograms/g, whereas plasma zinc was lower in dams fed 0.5 or 4.5 micrograms Zn/g than in those fed 100 micrograms Zn/g diet. On d 19 zinc concentration in fetuses from dams fed 0.5 micrograms/g zinc was not different from that of those fed 4.5 micrograms/g zinc, and iron concentration was higher in the 0.5 microgram Zn/g diet group. The increase in iron concentration in zinc-deficient fetuses thus occurs too late to be involved in major structural teratogenesis. Although whole blood concentration of /sup 59/Fe was not different in zinc-deficient and control dams, zinc-deficient dams had more /sup 59/Fe in the plasma fraction.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Davis
• OSTI ID: 5516725
• Journal Information: J. Nutr.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Nutr.; (United States) Vol. 117:11; ISSN JONUA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ABSORPTION
ANIMALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
COPPER
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTS
EMBRYOS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FETAL MEMBRANES
GLANDS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTESTINAL ABSORPTION
IRON
IRON 59
IRON ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
LIVER
MAMMALS
MEMBRANES
METABOLISM
METALS
MOLECULAR WEIGHT
NUCLEI
NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY
ORGANS
PLACENTA
PREGNANCY
RADIOISOTOPES
RATS
RETENTION
RODENTS
TERATOGENESIS
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
UPTAKE
VERTEBRATES
ZINC