Effect of Zinc Deficiency on Protein Synthesis in Brain and Liver of Suckling Rats

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Abstract
The effects of zinc deficiency on the postnatal development of the brain and liver of suckling rats were investigated. One of the manifestations of zinc deprivation was anorexia in the dams which resulted in inanition of their pups. Pair feeding of young lactating dams resulted in growth failure of their pups almost to the extent of that which occurred in the pups of lactating zinc deficient dams. The effects of inanition on organ size, DNA content and rates of protein biosynthesis were as severe as those of zinc deficiency in some tissues (liver), but other tissues were relatively protected (cerebrum). After 10 days, the rate of biosynthesis of all cytoplasmic, nucleoplasmic and chromosomal nonhistone proteins from the liver, cerebrum and cerebellum of the zinc deficient rats was 30% to 50% lower than the ad libitum controls. The effects of zinc deficiency appeared to be even more pronounced on the rate of histone biosynthesis in these organs. In contrast to the liver, the rates of histone biosynthesis in cerebrum of pair-fed rats were significantly higher than those of the zinc deficient rats and were similar to those of ad libitum controls. Zinc deprivation and to a lesser extent inanition had adverse effects on cellular replication and protein biosynthesis in brain during postnatal development.