Macro- and microelements in the rat liver, kidneys, and brain tissues; sex differences and effect of blood removal by perfusion in vivo.
Concentrations of macro- and microelements in animal organs indicate the animal health status and represent reference data for animal experiments. Their levels in blood and tissues could be different between sexes, and could be different with and without blood in tissues. To test these hypotheses, in adult female and male rats the concentrations of various elements were measured in whole blood, blood plasma, and tissues from blood-containing (nonperfused) and blood-free liver, kidneys, and brain (perfused in vivo with an elements-free buffer). In these samples, 6 macroelements (Na, Mg, P, S, K, Ca) and 14 microelements (Fe, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Se, I, As, Cd, Hg, Pb, Li, B, Sr) were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry following nitric acid digestion. In blood and plasma, female- or male-dominant sex differences were observed for 6 and 5 elements, respectively. In nonperfused organs, sex differences were observed for 3 (liver, brain) or 9 (kidneys) elements, whereas in perfused organs, similar differences were detected for 9 elements in the liver, 5 in the kidneys, and none in the brain. In females, perfused organs had significantly lower concentrations of 4, 5, and 2, and higher concentrations of 10, 4, and 7 elements, respectively, in the liver, kidneys, and brain. In males, perfusion caused lower concentrations of 4, 7, and 2, and higher concentrations of 1, 1, and 7 elements, respectively, in the liver, kidneys, and brain. Therefore, the residual blood in organs can significantly influence tissue concentrations of various elements and their sex-dependency.
Analytical Toxicology and Mineral Metabolism Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10001 Zagreb, Croatia.
Tatjana
T
Orct
Analytical Toxicology and Mineral Metabolism Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10001 Zagreb, Croatia.
Jasna
J
Jurasović
Molecular Toxicology Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10001 Zagreb, Croatia.
Vedran
V
Micek
Molecular Toxicology Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10001 Zagreb, Croatia.
Dean
D
Karaica
Molecular Toxicology Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10001 Zagreb, Croatia. Electronic address: sabolic@imi.hr.
Ivan
I
Sabolić
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry*; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D010477:Perfusion; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood*
D014131:Trace Elements
Gender differences; ICP-MS; Macronutrients; Micronutrients; Rat organs; Trace elements