Abstract
It has previously been reported that feeding mice a marginal zinc (Zn) diet (5 μg Zn/g) during the last two-thirds of pregnancy results in long term deleterious effects on the offsprings' growth and immune function compared to control (100 μg Zn/g) offspring. However, recent results in our laboratory using a similar protocol have not been as dramatic as those previously reported Since that study there has been modification of the diet employed. More importantly, virtually all commercial vendors now breed mouse colonies behind a pathogen free barrier. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that differences in results were due to recent modifications in the diet, or due to a need for a more severe Zn deficiency to produce the previously reported effects. We compared the effect of feeding the original Luecke based diet which was low in several micronutrients along with low Zn (5 μg Zn/g), to those obtained by feeding our current diet in which only Zn is limiting. Effects of Zn deprivation on growth or immunoglobulins were not noted with either diet. We also tested lower levels of dietary Zn. Pup mortality was greater than 90% when diets contained 3.2 μg Zn/g or less, and 50% when diet contained 3.5 μg Zn/g, however, even with the 3.5 μg Zn/g, there were no persistent immune effects. Our data suggests that factor(s), possibly virus(es) and/or bacteria, specifically affecting immune cells during development, acting synergistically with Zn deficiency, resulted in the immune defects reported earlier.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 25-41 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | Journal of Nutritional Immunology |
| Volume | 2 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| State | Published - 1993 |
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Keywords
- Development
- Zinc
- Zinc and development
- Zinc and immunity
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology
- Nutrition and Dietetics
Cite this
Effects of gestational zinc deficiency in mice on growth and immune function. / Vruwink, K. G.; Gershwin, M. Eric; Keen, Carl L.
In: Journal of Nutritional Immunology, Vol. 2, No. 2, 1993, p. 25-41.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of gestational zinc deficiency in mice on growth and immune function
AU - Vruwink, K. G.
AU - Gershwin, M. Eric
AU - Keen, Carl L
PY - 1993
Y1 - 1993
N2 - It has previously been reported that feeding mice a marginal zinc (Zn) diet (5 μg Zn/g) during the last two-thirds of pregnancy results in long term deleterious effects on the offsprings' growth and immune function compared to control (100 μg Zn/g) offspring. However, recent results in our laboratory using a similar protocol have not been as dramatic as those previously reported Since that study there has been modification of the diet employed. More importantly, virtually all commercial vendors now breed mouse colonies behind a pathogen free barrier. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that differences in results were due to recent modifications in the diet, or due to a need for a more severe Zn deficiency to produce the previously reported effects. We compared the effect of feeding the original Luecke based diet which was low in several micronutrients along with low Zn (5 μg Zn/g), to those obtained by feeding our current diet in which only Zn is limiting. Effects of Zn deprivation on growth or immunoglobulins were not noted with either diet. We also tested lower levels of dietary Zn. Pup mortality was greater than 90% when diets contained 3.2 μg Zn/g or less, and 50% when diet contained 3.5 μg Zn/g, however, even with the 3.5 μg Zn/g, there were no persistent immune effects. Our data suggests that factor(s), possibly virus(es) and/or bacteria, specifically affecting immune cells during development, acting synergistically with Zn deficiency, resulted in the immune defects reported earlier.
AB - It has previously been reported that feeding mice a marginal zinc (Zn) diet (5 μg Zn/g) during the last two-thirds of pregnancy results in long term deleterious effects on the offsprings' growth and immune function compared to control (100 μg Zn/g) offspring. However, recent results in our laboratory using a similar protocol have not been as dramatic as those previously reported Since that study there has been modification of the diet employed. More importantly, virtually all commercial vendors now breed mouse colonies behind a pathogen free barrier. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that differences in results were due to recent modifications in the diet, or due to a need for a more severe Zn deficiency to produce the previously reported effects. We compared the effect of feeding the original Luecke based diet which was low in several micronutrients along with low Zn (5 μg Zn/g), to those obtained by feeding our current diet in which only Zn is limiting. Effects of Zn deprivation on growth or immunoglobulins were not noted with either diet. We also tested lower levels of dietary Zn. Pup mortality was greater than 90% when diets contained 3.2 μg Zn/g or less, and 50% when diet contained 3.5 μg Zn/g, however, even with the 3.5 μg Zn/g, there were no persistent immune effects. Our data suggests that factor(s), possibly virus(es) and/or bacteria, specifically affecting immune cells during development, acting synergistically with Zn deficiency, resulted in the immune defects reported earlier.
KW - Development
KW - Zinc
KW - Zinc and development
KW - Zinc and immunity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0027738745&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0027738745&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0027738745
VL - 2
SP - 25
EP - 41
JO - Journal of Nutritional Immunology
JF - Journal of Nutritional Immunology
SN - 1049-5150
IS - 2
ER -