ISSN:
1432-0738
Keywords:
Key words Long-Evans Cinnamon rat
;
Cu and Fe metabolism
;
Cu and Fe deficient diets
;
Hepatitis
;
Wilson disease
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract To study effects of dietary Cu and Fe levels on the onset of hepatitis in Long-Evans Cinnamon (LEC) rats, female rats (40 days old) were fed a semipurified diet containing 0.1 or 10 mg Cu/kg and 1.5 or 150 mg Fe/kg in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement for 35 days. At 75 days after birth, LEC rats (+Cu−Fe) fed a Cu-sufficient but Fe-deficient diet (Cu, 10 mg/kg; Fe, 1.5 mg/kg) showed jaundice, with lethargy, anorexia, and malaise. The biochemical variables relating to liver function were significantly increased compared to three other groups, a Cu- and Fe-deficient (−Cu−Fe) group, a Cu-deficient but Fe-sufficient (−Cu+Fe) group, and a Cu and Fe sufficient (+Cu+Fe) group. Furthermore, the +Cu−Fe rat liver showed massive necrosis with huge nuclei. The other three groups presented no biochemical and histological findings of hepatitis. Hepatic Cu and metallothionein concentrations were 289 ± 87 (mean ± SD) μg/g liver and 8.7 ± 1.8 mg/g liver, respectively, in the +Cu−Fe rats. However, in the +Cu+Fe group the values were 196 ± 28 μg Cu/g liver and 10.8 ± 1.0 mg/g liver. Hepatic Fe deposition was not influenced significantly by the dietary Cu level. The +Cu−Fe group with jaundice showed the highest free Cu concentration in the liver among the four groups, but the hepatic free Fe concentration was similar to those in the −Cu+Fe and +Cu+Fe groups. Our results indicate that an Fe-deficient diet enhances the deposition of hepatic Cu due to increased absorption of Cu from the gastrointestinal tract. This deposition stimulated the onset of hepatitis.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s002040050673
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