Ethane production in copper-deficient rats.
Evidence is accumulating which indicates that copper-deficient animals are prone to oxidative damage. To investigate this possibility further, we measured the production of breath ethane, a hydrocarbon by-product of lipid peroxidation, in copper-deficient rats. Male, weanling Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either a purified diet which was deficient in copper (CuD) or the same diet made sufficient with 5 ppm of copper (CuS). After 33 to 34 days the rats were placed individually in gastight metabolic cages through which ethane-free air or 100% O2 was passed. Expired ethane was absorbed onto cold, activated charcoal, liberated by heating, and measured by gas chromatography. Ethane production rates (pmoles/min/100 g +/- SD) were 3.3 +/- 0.8 (CuS-air), 4.3 +/- 1.4 (CuD-air), 8.3 +/- 2.5 (CuS-O2), and 12.2 +/- 4.3 (CuD-O2). Repeated measures analysis of variance indicated that both copper deficiency (P less than 0.01) and breathing 100% O2 (P less than 0.0001) enhanced ethane production, with no interaction between treatments. This finding complements previous evidence that increased lipid peroxidation occurs in copper-deficient rats.
Human Nutrition Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58202.
J T
JT
Saari
F D
FD
Dickerson
M P
MP
Habib
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002570:Ceruloplasmin / Q000032:analysis; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003300:Copper / Q000172:deficiency*; D004032:Diet; D004980:Ethane / Q000378:metabolism*; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D003300:Copper; D002784:Cholesterol; D007501:Iron; D002570:Ceruloplasmin; D004980:Ethane