title: Effect of the severity of maternal zinc deficiency on pregnancy outcome and infant zinc status in rhesus monkeys.
abstract: To investigate the effects of the severity of maternal zinc deficiency on early development, rhesus monkeys were fed diets that were either moderately zinc-deficient (MZD) (2 micrograms Zn/g) or marginal in zinc (M) (4 micrograms Zn/g) throughout pregnancy and lactation. Dams in the MZD group developed overt signs of zinc deficiency. Compared with control dams fed diets adequate in zinc (C) (50 or 100 micrograms Zn/g), both M and MZD dams showed low mitogen response. Pregnancy outcome was similar in all groups, and infants were considered healthy at delivery. From birth until d 30, infants were closely monitored for signs of zinc deficiency. On d 30, infants were killed and tissues were analyzed for several parameters reported to be affected by zinc status. MZD infants tended to have lower plasma zinc concentrations than C infants, although the difference was only significant at d 14. M infants tended to have lower plasma zinc concentrations than C infants. Mitogen response was lower in MZD and M infants than in C infants. However, mitogen responses were similar in MZD and M infants. Liver zinc concentrations were similar among the three groups of infants; however, zinc and metallothionein concentrations in (10,000 x g) liver supernatant fractions were lower in the MZD and M groups than in the C group. 65Zn absorption/retention was higher in MZD and M mothers and infants than in C mothers and infants; there were no marked differences between MZD and M mothers or infants. In contrast to whole-body absorption, 65Zn uptake/retention by isolated hepatocytes was similar among the three infant groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis 95616.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Keen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lonnerdal
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Golub
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Olin
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Uriu-Hare
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Hendrickx
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gershwin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000097:blood; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D008668:Metallothionein; D015032:Zinc