title: The effect of porta-systemic shunting on liver, brain and kidney zinc concentrations in the rat.
abstract: Patients with alcoholic cirrhosis have subnormal liver zinc concentrations, and excessive urinary zinc excretion. It has been suggested that diversion of dietary zinc into the systemic circulation through porta-systemic shunts may be a major factor influencing the organ distribution of zinc in these patients. To test this hypothesis, we randomized Sprague-Dawley rats into a sham-operated group, and a group subjected to partial portal-vein occlusion (PPVO), which induces the formation of extensive porta-systemic collaterals. Three months after the operation, liver, brain and kidney zinc concentrations were measured in 8 sham-operated and 8 PPVO rats. Mean liver zinc concentrations were significantly higher in the PPVO group when compared to sham-operated controls (P less than 0.05). Brain and kidney zinc concentrations were similar in the 2 groups. This short-term study indicates that liver zinc concentrations are maintained and even increased in rats with porta-systemic shunting, and that diversion of portal blood into the systemic circulation is not a major cause of the low liver zinc concentration observed in alcoholic cirrhosis.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011170:Portasystemic Shunt, Surgical; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015032:Zinc