Biomaterial Database

Marginal zinc deficiency lowers the lymphatic absorption of alpha-tocopherol in rats. 1998

E S Kim, and S K Noh, and S I Koo

Department of Foods and Nutrition, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.

The present study was conducted to investigate whether the intestinal absorption of vitamin E is influenced by marginal zinc deficiency. Rats trained to meal feed were divided into two groups and fed a diet containing 3 mg Zn/kg [a low zinc (LZ group)] or pair-fed (PF controls a zinc-adequate diet (30 mg Zn/kg). At 5 wk, the body weight (352 +/- 5 g, mean +/- SD) of LZ rats was 98.5% of that of PF rats (357 +/- 8 g). Rats with lymph cannula were infused at 3 mL/h via a duodenal catheter with a lipid emulsion consisting of 568 micromol triolein, 3.56 micromol alpha-tocopherol (alphaTP) and 396 micromol Na+-taurocholate in 24 mL of phosphate-buffered saline (pH 6.4). Lymph was collected hourly for 8 h. The amounts of alphaTP absorbed into the lymph were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The hourly rate of alphaTP absorption was significantly lower in LZ than in PF rats. A marked difference (P < 0.05) was clearly evident even at 1 h (1.8 +/- 1.2 nmol/h in LZ vs. 8.5 +/- 3.0 nmol/h in PF). The peak rate of absorption was significantly lower in LZ rats (67.1 +/- 16.7 nmol/h at 5 h) than in PF rats (95.9 +/- 7.7 nmol/h at 4 h). The total amounts of alphaTP absorbed in 8 h in LZ and PF rats were 391.1 +/- 54.4 nmol (11.0 +/- 1.5% dose) and 613.9 +/- 105.8 nmol (17.2 +/- 3.0% dose), respectively. The lymphatic absorption of alphaTP was correlated with the amounts of PL (r = 0.77, P < 0.05) released into the mesenteric lymph. The hourly outputs of phospholipid and oleic acid also were significantly lower in LZ rats than in PF rats up to 4 h (P < 0.05). The cumulative lymphatic outputs of phospholipid (PL) were 20.1 +/- 3.7 micromol/8 h in LZ and 27.0 +/- 3.9 micromol/8 h in PF rats (P < 0.05). These results show that the intestinal absorption of vitamin E is affected by the zinc status of rats. This observation along with our earlier finding of a lower intestinal absorption of retinol suggests that zinc nutriture has a profound effect on the intestinal absorption and body status of lipid soluble vitamins.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007408	Intestinal Absorption	Uptake of substances through the lining of the INTESTINES.	Absorption, Intestinal
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
D008208	Lymphatic System	A system of organs and tissues that process and transport immune cells and LYMPH.	Lymphatic Systems
D008297	Male		Males
D004032	Diet	Regular course of eating and drinking adopted by a person or animal.	Diets
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
D014810	Vitamin E	A generic descriptor for all TOCOPHEROLS and TOCOTRIENOLS that exhibit ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL activity. By virtue of the phenolic hydrogen on the 2H-1-benzopyran-6-ol nucleus, these compounds exhibit varying degree of antioxidant activity, depending on the site and number of methyl groups and the type of ISOPRENOIDS.
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.
D017207	Rats, Sprague-Dawley	A strain of albino rat used widely for experimental purposes because of its calmness and ease of handling. It was developed by the Sprague-Dawley Animal Company.	Holtzman Rat,Rats, Holtzman,Sprague-Dawley Rat,Rats, Sprague Dawley,Holtzman Rats,Rat, Holtzman,Rat, Sprague-Dawley,Sprague Dawley Rat,Sprague Dawley Rats,Sprague-Dawley Rats
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