Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Effect of marginal zinc deficiency on the lymphatic absorption of /sup 14/C-cholesterol

Conference · · Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States)
OSTI ID:7186548

The effect of zinc deficiency on intestinal absorption of cholesterol was investigated in adult male rats fed 3 ppm of dietary zinc (ZD), as compared with pair-fed (PF) and adlibitum (CT) controls fed 30 ppm of zinc for 10 to 12 weeks. The intestinal absorption of cholesterol was measured by collecting the mesenteric lymph at hourly intervals for 8 hrs after infusing a dose of /sup 14/C-cholesterol in a lipid emulsion through an indwelling duodenal catheter. Data on the hourly lymphatic output of /sup 14/C-cholesterol showed that the absorption of /sup 14/C-cholesterol plateaued at 4 hrs post dosing in all groups. A significant decrease in /sup 14/C-cholesterol absorption was observed in ZD rats at 5 hrs and thereafter. The cumulative absorption of /sup 14/C-cholesterol by ZD rats for the 8-hour period was 4.4 +/- 1.0% of the dose, as compared with 11.8 +/- 1.1% by PF and 10.7 +/- 1.4% by CT rats. There were no differences in percent distribution of esterified /sup 14/C-cholesterol among the 3 groups. Also, no significant change in mucosal cholesterol esterase activity was observed due to zinc deficiency. The present data and previous findings taken together suggest that the primary mechanism responsible for the impaired absorption of cholesterol in zinc deficiency may be associated with defective formation of chylomicrons in the intestinal mucosa.

Research Organization:
Oral Roberts Univ. School of Medicine, Tulsa, OK
OSTI ID:
7186548
Report Number(s):
CONF-8604222-
Journal Information:
Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States), Journal Name: Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States) Vol. 45:4; ISSN FEPRA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English