Journal article

Publication year: 1996

Pages: 1-6

Journal: Trace Elements and Electrolytes

Volume number: 13

Issue number: 1

ISSN: 0174-7371

Publisher: Dustri-Verlag

Abstract: 
The present study has been performed to investigate comparatively the effect of iron-, copper-, manganese-, selenium-, and zinc deficiency on fatty acid metabolism in rats. The experiment included 7 groups of 12 rats each (control group, iron-deficient group, copper-deficient group, manganese-deficient group, selenium-deficient group, zinc-deficient group, and a control group pair-fed to zinc-deficient group). In order to asses the fatty acid metabolism, fatty acid composition of liver total lipids was determined. The most pronounced changes of fatty acid composition compared with control rats occurred in iron- and copper-deficient rats. The changes in iron-deficient rats indicate impaired desaturation of saturated fatty acids and linoleic acid by Delta 9, Delta 6 and Delta 5 desaturase. The changes in copper-deficient rats indicate impaired Delta 9 desaturation of saturated fatty acids. Manganese-deficient rats had slightly decreased levels of mono-unsaturated fatty acids indicating also decreased Delta 9 desaturation. Selenium deficiency did not influence the fatty acid composition of liver total lipids. The fatty acid composition of both zinc-deficient rats and pair-fed control rats was quite different from ad libitum control rats demonstrating the effect of low food intake. In comparison with pair-fed control rats, zinc-deficient rats had increased levels of (n - 3) poly-unsaturated fatty acids whereas neither Delta 5 and Delta 6 desaturation nor Delta 9 desaturation was influenced by zinc deficiency. In conclusion, the data of the study show that several trace elements influence fatty acid metabolism.

Harvard Citation style: Eder, K., Kirchgeßner, M. and Kralik, A. (1996) The effect of trace element deficiency (iron, copper, zinc, manganese, and selenium) on hepatic fatty acid composition in the rat, Trace Elements and Electrolytes, 13(1), pp. 1-6

APA Citation style: Eder, K., Kirchgeßner, M., & Kralik, A. (1996). The effect of trace element deficiency (iron, copper, zinc, manganese, and selenium) on hepatic fatty acid composition in the rat. Trace Elements and Electrolytes. 13(1), 1-6.