title: Influence of maternal dietary zinc intake on in vitro tubulin polymerization in fetal rat brain.
abstract: The hypothesis that one of the biochemical lesions underlying zinc deficiency-induced teratogenicity is altered microtubule formation was tested. Day 19 fetuses from zinc-deficient Sprague-Dawley dams were characterized by low brain supernate zinc concentrations and slow brain tubulin polymerization rates compared to controls. Brain supernate tubulin and protein concentrations were similar in zinc-deficient and control fetuses. In vitro brain tubulin polymerization rates were increased following addition of zinc to either control or zinc-deficient brain supernates; however, the stimulatory effect of added zinc on polymerization was significantly higher in brain supernates obtained from zinc-deficient fetuses compared to controls. These results support the idea that one effect of fetal zinc deficiency is a reduction in tubulin polymerization, which in turn may result in altered microtubule function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis 95616.
authors.forename: P I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Oteiza
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cuellar
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lönnerdal
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Hurley
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Keen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D004032:Diet; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008870:Microtubules / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis; D014404:Tubulin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D014131:Trace Elements; D014404:Tubulin; D015032:Zinc