title: Iron, zinc, and copper levels in different tissues of clinically vitamin A-deficient rats.
abstract: To clarify the effect of vitamin A deficiency on iron, zinc, and copper status in different tissues, three groups of rats were fed two types of synthetic diets for 52 d. Group one, which was fed a vitamin A-deficient diet, showed severe signs of vitamin A deficiency. Groups two (fed restricted amount, pair-fed with group one), and three (fed diet ad libitum) were fed a control diet. After said period of feeding, iron, zinc, and copper were measured in different tissues. Significant changes observed when the groups were compared are summarized below: 1. Iron and copper in testes were increased significantly, whereas zinc was strikingly decreased in group one when compared with the other groups; 2. Copper (in lung and kidney) and iron (in the spleen) were increased significantly in group one compared with the other groups; 3. In the liver, iron, zinc, and copper were significantly different between group one and group two; 4. In muscle, iron was significantly higher in group one than group two; 5. In tibia and blood, iron levels (but not zinc and copper) in groups one and two were significantly higher than group three. These results suggest that vitamin A deficiency affects iron, zinc, and copper status in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yokoi
authors.lastname: Tanvir-E-Naher
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Itokawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism*; D004032:Diet; D004435:Eating; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003300:Copper; D007501:Iron; D015032:Zinc