Abstract
The effects of dietary zinc deficiency (ZD) on the composition and metabolism of the fatty acyl chains of phospholipids in rat liver were investigated with a fat-free diet. The levels of (n−9) fatty acids such as 18∶1 and 20∶3(n−9) in liver phospholipids (PL) were significantly lower in ZD-rats (19.4% and 5.4%, respectively) than in PF-rats (25.2 and 8.3%). On the other hand, the level of (n−6) acids such as 18∶2 and 20∶4 were higher in ZD-rats (3.3 and 19.1%, respectively) than in PF-rats (2.1 and 14.9%).
In order to study the metabolism of fatty acids in vivo,14C-18∶0 or14C-18∶2 was intravenously injected, and then the conversion to the respective metabolite was examined. After the injection of14C-18∶0, the radioactivity was found in 18∶0 (49.3% of the total), 18∶1 (33.2%), and 20∶3 (n−9) (9.1%) in liver PL in PF-rats at 24h. In ZD-rats, the radioactivity was dramatically lower in 18∶1 (23.5%) and 20∶ (n−9) (3.6%), suggesting that the conversion of 18∶0 to 18∶1 and 20∶3 (n−9) was strongly inhibited in ZD-rats. When14C-18∶2 was injected, the radioactivity was mainly found in 18∶2, 20∶3(n−6), and 20∶4. The radioactivity in 20∶4 in ZD-rats was slightly higher than that in control rats.
These results indicate that zinc deficiency affects the fatty acid metabolism in liver, in particular, it causes a reduction in δ9 desaturase activity, when rats are fed a fat-free diet.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
W. J. Bettger, P. G. Reeves, E. A. Moscatelli, G. Reynolds, and B. L. O'Dell,J. Nutr. 109, 480 (1979).
Y. S. Huang, S. C. Cunnane, D. F. Horrobin, and J. Davignon,Atherosclerosis 41, 193 (1982).
S. C. Cunnane and D. F. Horrobin,Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 164, 583 (1980).
S. C. Cunnane and K. W. J. Wahle,Lipids 16, 771 (1981).
S. Clejan, M. Castro-Magana, P. J. Collipp, E. Jonas, and U. T. Maddaiah,Lipids 17, 129 (1982).
S. C. Cunnane, D. F. Horrobin, and M. S. Manku,Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 177, 441 (1984).
W. J. Bettger, P. G. Reeves, E. A. Moscatelli, J. E. Savage, and B. L. O'Dell,J. Nutr. 110, 50 (1980).
B. L. O'Dell, G. Reynolds, and P. G. Reeves,J. Nutr. 107, 1222 (1977).
R. Cash and C. K. Berger,J. Pediatr. 74, 717 (1969).
T. R. Kramer, M. Briske-Anderson, S. B. Johnson, and R. T. Holman,J. Nutr. 114, 1224 (1984).
E. G. Bligh and W. J. Dyer,Can. J. Biochem. Physiol. 37, 911 (1959).
Y. Onuma, Y. Masuzawa, Y. Ishima, and K. Waku,Biochim. Biophys. Acta 793, 80 (1984).
M. I. Aveldano, M. VanRollins, and L. A. Horrocks,J. Lipid Res. 24, 83 (1983).
E. J. Underwood,Trace Elements in Human and Animal Nutrition, Academic, New York, 1977, pp. 196–242.
M. Kirchgessner, H. P. Roth, and E. Weigand,Trace Elements in Human Health and Disease vol. 1, A. S. Prasad, ed., Academic, New York, 1976, pp. 189–225.
S. C. Cunnane, M. S. Manku, and D. F. Horrobin,J. Nutr. 114, 1754 (1984).
M. E. De Tomas, O. Mercuri, and A. Rodrigo,J. Nutr. 110, 595 (1980).
T. Gerson,J. Nutr. 104, 701 (1974).
E. G. Hill and R. T. Holman,J. Nutr. 110, 1057 (1980).
S. Q. Alam, B. S. Alam, and T. W. Chen,Biochim. Biophys. Acta 792, 110 (1984).
R. T. Holman,J. Amer. College Nutr. 5, 183 (1986).
R. R. Brenner, H. Garta, I. N. T. de Gomez Dumm, and H. Pezzano,Progress in Lipid Research, vol. 20, R. T. Holman, ed., Pergamon, New York, 1981, pp. 315–321.
S. N. Meydani and J. Dupont,J. Nutr. 112, 1098 (1982).
P. Strittmatter, L. Spatz, D. Corcoran, M. J. Rogers, B. Setlow, and R. Redline,Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 71, 4565 (1974).
T. Okayasu, M. Nagao, T. Ishibashi, and Y. Imai,Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 206, 21 (1981).
G. A. Rao, Manix, and E. C. Larkin,Lipids 15, 55 (1980).
G. A. Rao, T. Crane, and E. C. Larkin,Lipids 18, 573 (1983).
S. C. Cunnane, K. R. McAdoo, and J. R. Prohaska,J. Nutr. 116, 1248 (1986).
K. W. J. Wahle and N. T. Davies,Br. J. Nutr. 34, 105 (1975).
N. P. Singh and D. M. Medeiros,Biol. Trace Element Res. 6, 423 (1984).
J. D. Hammermueller, T. M. Bray, and W. J. Bettger,J. Nutr. 117, 894 (1987).
C. L. Keen, N. H. Reinstein, J. Goudey-Lefevre, M. Lefevre, B. Lonnerdal, B. O. Schneeman, and L. S. Hurley,Biol. Trace Element Res. 8, 123 (1985).
S. Clejan, V. T. Maddaiah, M. Castro-Magana, and P. J. Collip,Lipids 16, 454 (1981).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kudo, N., Nakagawa, Y. & Waku, K. Effects of zinc deficiency on the fatty acid composition and metabolism in rats fed a fat-free diet. Biol Trace Elem Res 24, 49–60 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02789140
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02789140