Response of serum zinc and copper to inflammatory stimulation in the rat with chronic liver damage.
OBJECTIVE
To measure the seric levels of zinc and copper in healthy and in hepatic damaged rats when an inflammatory stimulus is applied.


METHODS
2 x 2 factorial design.


METHODS
Fisher *44 strain rats, healthy and with chronic hepatic damage.


METHODS
Serum levels of Zn and Cu were determined in the different experimental conditions.


RESULTS
Basal Zn levels were found diminished in rats with hepatic damage as compared with healthy ones (p < 0.05), whereas Cu levels were found increased in hepatic damaged rats as compared with healthy ones (p < 0.05). Application of an inflammatory stimulus decreased Zn and increased Cu levels in healthy rats as compared to their basal conditions (p < 0.05), whereas no statistically significant variations were found in the group of rats with hepatic damage when comparing their serum levels before and after inflammatory stimulation.


CONCLUSIONS
Rats with liver damage present alterations in their Zn and Cu levels under basal conditions. Rats with liver damage, submitted to an inflammatory stimulus, do not modify their serum Zn and Cu levels.
Garduño Espinosa
J
J
Clinical Epidemiology Section, Pediatrics Hospital National Medical Center, IMSS.
Paniagua Sierra
R
R
Díaz Bensussen
S
S
Lifshitz
A
A
D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction; D000818:Animals; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood* / Q000139:chemically induced; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D008899:Mineral Oil / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
D003300:Copper; D008899:Mineral Oil; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D015032:Zinc