title: Zinc deficiency causes oxidative damage to proteins, lipids and DNA in rat testes.
abstract: To investigate the effects of zinc deficiency on oxidative damage to testes proteins, lipids and DNA, weanling male rats were allowed free access to low (0.5 microgram Zn/g) or adequate (25 micrograms Zn/g) zinc diets for 14 d. A third group was restricted intake of the adequate Zn diet to the amount consumed by the low Zn diet-fed group. Compared with ad libitum-fed controls, testes from rats fed the low zinc diet had lower glutamine synthetase activity, lower Fe(2+)-stimulated 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) production, higher protein carbonyl concentrations (P < 0.05), and higher 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine levels (P = 0.06). Glutamine synthetase activity in testes of the food-restricted controls was between the values for the ad libitum controls and zinc-deficient animals. Protein carbonyls were higher in the restricted controls compared with the ad libitum controls, whereas stimulated TBARS production was lower (P < 0.05). Levels of 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine were lower in testes DNA of the restricted controls than in the zinc-deficient group (P < 0.05). Testes iron concentrations were higher in the zinc-deficient and restricted control rats than in ad libitum controls (P < 0.05). The oxidative damage observed may have occurred as a consequence of increased reactive oxygen species generation secondary to tissue iron accumulation and/or reductions in zinc-dependent antioxidant processes.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas (UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: P I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Oteiza
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Olin
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Fraga
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Keen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005974:Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase / Q000378:metabolism; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013737:Testis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D011506:Proteins; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D004247:DNA; D007501:Iron; D005974:Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase; D015032:Zinc