IRON, ZINC, AND COPPER LEVELS IN DIFFERENT TISSUES OF CLINICALLY VITAMIN-A-DEFICIENT RATS

To clarify the effect of vitamin A deficiency on iron, zinc, and coppe r status in different tissues, three groups of rats were fed two types of synthetic diets for 52 d. Group one, which was fed a vitamin A-def icient diet, showed severe signs of vitamin A deficiency. Groups two ( fed restricted amount, pair-fed with group one), and three (fed diet a d libitum) were fed a control diet. After said period of feeding, iron , zinc, and copper were measured in different tissues. Significant cha nges observed when the groups were compared are summarized below: 1. I ron and copper in testes were increased significantly, whereas zinc wa s strikingly decreased in group one when compared with the other group s; 2. Copper (in lung and kidney) and iron (in the spleen) were increa sed significantly in group one compared with the other groups; 3. In t he liver, iron, zinc, and copper were significantly different between group one and group two; 4. In muscle, iron was significantly higher i n group one than group two; 5. In tibia and blood, iron levels (but no t zinc and copper) in groups one and two were significantly higher tha n group three. These results suggest that vitamin A deficiency affects iron, zinc, and copper status in rats.