Adolescent growth and maturation in zinc-deprived rhesus monkeys

Growth retardation has been associated with zinc deficiency in adolescent human populations, but animal models were not available previously to explore this syndrome. Moderate dietary zinc deprivation (2 μg Zn/g diet) was introduced in female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta; n = 10) from the beginning of puberty through menarche. Subgroups of animals (n = 4) continued to be fed the zinc deficient diet through 45 mo of age (sexual maturity). Reduced weight gain and linear growth and lower plasma zinc concentrations (11.8 ± 0.6 and 9.2 ± 0.8 μmol/L in control and zincdeficient monkeys, respectively) were evident during the premenarcheal growth spurt. Slower skeletal growth, maturation, and mineralization were recorded in the postmenarcheal period and some indicators of sexual maturation were delayed. Food intake was slightly higher in the zinc-deficient group than in controls. These data confirm that adolescent growth and maturation are vulnerable to disruption by moderate dietary zinc deprivation in nonhuman primates.