title: Zinc deficiency decreases plasma erythropoietin concentration in rats.
abstract: In 1985, Paterson and Bettger found hypoplastic hematopoiesis in severely zinc-deficient rats. Therefore, we investigated plasma erythropoietin concentration in zinc-deficient rats. Forty 4-wk-old male Sprague- Dawley rats were assigned into 4 dietary treatment groups of 10 for the 4-wk study: zinc-deficient group (4.5 mg zinc and 35 mg iron/kg; -Zn), iron-deficient group (30 mg zinc/kg, no supplemental iron; -Fe), zinc/ iron-deficient group (4.5 mg zinc/kg, no supplemental iron; -Zn-Fe), and control group (AIN-93G; Cont). Water intake determined at d 19 was similar among all treatment groups. At d 27-28, bioimpedance was measured. The intracellular water/extracellular water ratio was significantly increased in the -Zn group (p < 0.05). Compared to the Cont, group, the plasma erythropoietin concentration was increased by iron deficiency and decreased by zinc deficiency (p < 0.01). Hematocrit was significantly decreased in both the -Fe and -Zn-Fe groups and was significantly increased in the -Zn group (p < 0.01). Transferrin saturation in the -Fe and -Zn-Fe groups was significantly lower than the Cont group (p < 0.01), and that of the -Zn group was highest among all groups. The low plasma erythropoietin concentration might account for depressed hematopoiesis associated with zinc deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, Seitoku University Graduate School Matsudo, Chiba 271-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Aki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Konomi
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yokoi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000737:chemistry; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013997:Time Factors; D014131:Trace Elements; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000172:deficiency*
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D019266:Iron, Dietary; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014131:Trace Elements; D014867:Water; D004921:Erythropoietin; D007501:Iron; D015032:Zinc