Tissue contents and subcellular distribution of chromium and other trace metals in experimental diabetic rats after intravenous injection of Cr 50-enriched stable isotopic tracer solution

In order to study the metabolism of essential trace elements in diabetics, we studied alloxan-diabetic rats for the distribution patterns of chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn) in the liver, ki dney, pancreas, and testes, as well as in the organ subcellular fractions. Normal rats were used as controls. Cr 50-enriched stable isotopic tracer so lution was given by intravenous injection to avoid the difficulties of esti mation of Cr status. Our data show that the concentrations of Zn in liver a nd kidney, of Co, Fe, and Zn in pancreas, and of Fe and Zn in testes of the diabetic rats were significantly higher than in the control rats. Neverthe less, the concentrations of Cr in pancreas, Fe in kidney, and Cr and Se in testes of the diabetic rats were significantly lower than in the controls. Furthermore, we observed significant alterations of element concentrations in subcellular fractions of various organs in the diabetic rats. These resu lts suggest that changing hormone levels may interfere with the accumulatio n of some trace elements both in the organs and in the subcellular fraction s of rats. Copyright (C) 2001 by WB. Saunders Company.