Copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) were measured in urine, serum and tissues fr
om rats with nephrotic syndrome (NS) induced with a single subcutaneou
s dose of puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN; 15 mg/100 g BW). Control ani
mals were pair-fed. Urine was collected daily, and the rats were sacri
ficed on day 10. PAN-nephrotic rats had proteinuria (days 3-10), high
urinary Cu (days 1, 2, 4-10) and Zn (days 3-10) excretion. On day 10,
nephrotic rats had: (a) albuminuria, hypoalbuminemia, hypoproteinemia,
high urine and low serum levels of ceruloplasmin; (b) low Cu and Zn s
erum levels; (c) high clearance and fractional excretion of Cu and Zn,
and (d) low kidney and liver Cu content and essentially normal tissue
Zn levels. The alterations in Cu metabolism were more intense than th
ose in Zn metabolism. Urine Cu and Zn showed a positive correlation Ce
ruloplasmin with urine total protein on days 3-10 which suggests that
high urinary excretion of Cu and Zn may be due to the excretion of its
carrier proteins. In conclusion, these rats did not show a typical Zn
deficiency but a clear decrease in Cu in the liver and kidney.