Carbohydrate metabolism in erythrocytes of copper deficient rats.
Dietary copper deficiency is known to adversely affect the circulatory system of fructose-fed rats. Part of the problem may lie in the effect of copper deficiency on intermediary metabolism. To test this, weanling male Long-Evans rats were fed for 4 or 8 weeks on sucrose-based diets containing low or adequate copper content. Copper deficient rats had significantly lower plasma and tissue copper as well as lower plasma copper, zinc-superoxide dismutase activity. Copper deficient rats also had a significantly higher heart:body weight ratio when compared to pair-fed controls. Direct measurement of glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathway flux in erythrocytes using (13)C NMR showed no differences in carbon flux from glucose or fructose to pyruvate but a significantly higher flux through the lactate dehydrogenase locus in copper deficient rats (approximately 1.3 times, average of glucose and glucose + fructose measurements). Copper-deficient animals had significantly higher erythrocyte concentrations of glucose, fructose, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate and NAD(+). Liver metabolite levels were also affected by copper deficiency being elevated in glycogen and fructose 1-phosphate content. The results show small changes in carbohydrate metabolism of copper deficient rats.
Brooks
S P J
SP
Nutrition Research Division, Food Directorate, Health Canada, PL2203C Banting Research Centre, 1 Ross Ave., Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0L2, Canada. steve_brooks@hc-sc.gc.ca
Cockell
K A
KA
Dawson
B A
BA
Ratnayake
W M N
WM
Lampi
B J
BJ
Belonje
B
B
Black
D B
DB
Plouffe
L J
LJ
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D003300:Copper / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000172:deficiency*; D004032:Diet; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005632:Fructose / Q000097:blood; D005986:Glyceraldehyde 3-Phosphate / Q000097:blood; D006019:Glycolysis; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D009243:NAD / Q000097:blood; D009929:Organ Size; D010427:Pentose Phosphate Pathway; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D014886:Weaning
D001786:Blood Glucose; D002241:Carbohydrates; D009243:NAD; D005986:Glyceraldehyde 3-Phosphate; D005632:Fructose; D003300:Copper; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase