Biomaterial Database

Evidence that adverse effects of zinc deficiency on essential fatty acid composition in rats are independent of food intake. 1988

S C Cunnane

Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Canada.

1. Young male rats were fed on diets containing 3.4, 36 or 411 mg zinc/kg for 10 weeks in order to determine whether effects of Zn deficiency on plasma and liver essential fatty acid composition could be distinguished from those of reduced protein and energy intake. 2. Fatty acid analysis revealed that a Zn intake of 3.4 mg/kg (plasma Zn 0.80 v. 1.97 mmol/l in controls fed on 36 mg Zn/kg) resulted in a significant increase in the linoleic acid:arachidonic acid ratio in both plasma and liver phospholipids in comparison with rats fed on 36 or 411 mg Zn/kg. 3. Zn supplementation (411 mg/kg) decreased the linoleic acid:arachidonic acid ratio in plasma phosphatidylserine compared with that of the controls. 4. The previously reported increase in arachidonic acid (mol %) in liver triacylglycerol of Zn-deficient rats was shown to be a function of a reduced liver triacylglycerol pool size; quantitatively, triacylglycerol content of arachidonic acid in the liver was not significantly affected by Zn intake.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008099	Liver	A large lobed glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates that is responsible for detoxification, metabolism, synthesis and storage of various substances.	Livers
D008297	Male		Males
D009929	Organ Size	The measurement of an organ in volume, mass, or heaviness.	Organ Volume,Organ Weight,Size, Organ,Weight, Organ
D011919	Rats, Inbred Strains	Genetically identical individuals developed from brother and sister matings which have been carried out for twenty or more generations or by parent x offspring matings carried out with certain restrictions. This also includes animals with a long history of closed colony breeding.	August Rats,Inbred Rat Strains,Inbred Strain of Rat,Inbred Strain of Rats,Inbred Strains of Rats,Rat, Inbred Strain,August Rat,Inbred Rat Strain,Inbred Strain Rat,Inbred Strain Rats,Inbred Strains Rat,Inbred Strains Rats,Rat Inbred Strain,Rat Inbred Strains,Rat Strain, Inbred,Rat Strains, Inbred,Rat, August,Rat, Inbred Strains,Rats Inbred Strain,Rats Inbred Strains,Rats, August,Rats, Inbred Strain,Strain Rat, Inbred,Strain Rats, Inbred,Strain, Inbred Rat,Strains, Inbred Rat
D001835	Body Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Body Weights,Weight, Body,Weights, Body
D002149	Energy Intake	Total number of calories taken in daily whether ingested or by parenteral routes.	Caloric Intake,Calorie Intake,Intake, Calorie,Intake, Energy
D005228	Fatty Acids, Essential	Long chain organic acid molecules that must be obtained from the diet. Examples are LINOLEIC ACIDS and LINOLENIC ACIDS.	Acids, Essential Fatty,Essential Fatty Acids
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D015032	Zinc	A metallic element of atomic number 30 and atomic weight 65.38. It is a necessary trace element in the diet, forming an essential part of many enzymes, and playing an important role in protein synthesis and in cell division. Zinc deficiency is associated with ANEMIA, short stature, HYPOGONADISM, impaired WOUND HEALING, and geophagia. It is known by the symbol Zn.
D051381	Rats	The common name for the genus Rattus.	Rattus,Rats, Laboratory,Rats, Norway,Rattus norvegicus,Laboratory Rat,Laboratory Rats,Norway Rat,Norway Rats,Rat,Rat, Laboratory,Rat, Norway,norvegicus, Rattus