Abstract
ABSTRACT: To investigate the effects of marginal zinc deficiency on early development, rhesus monkeys were fed a diet marginally deficient in zinc (M; 4 μg/g) throughout pregnancy and during the first month of lactation. Despite the low concentration of zinc in the diet, M dams did not develop overt signs of zinc deficiency. However, compared to control dams fed diets adequate in zinc (C; 100 μg Zn/g), M dams showed a low response to the mitogens concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin. Pregnancy outcome was similar in the two groups and all of the neonates were judged to be healthy at delivery. From birth until d 30 of age, the infants were closely monitored for signs of zinc deficiency, and at d 30, they were killed and tissues were removed and analyzed for a number of parameters reported to be affected by zinc status. At birth, M infants had low plasma zinc concentrations compared to controls; however, this difference was not observed at d 30. D 30 M infants showed a normal response to the mitogens concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin, but showed a low response to pokeweed mitogen. Tissue (liver, brain, spleen, kidney, and heart) trace element concentrations were similar in the two groups of infants, as were liver metallothionein concentrations and 65Zn uptake/retention by isolated hepatocytes. Infant wt gain was inversely correlated with plasma zinc, liver zinc, and liver metallothionein concentrations in both the M and C groups. These results demonstrate that feeding a diet containing 4 μg zinc/g to rhesus monkeys during pregnancy and lactation does not result in marked signs of zinc deficiency, although subtle signs occur in both the mother and infant. The data also support the concept that infant growth is associated with a depletion of tissue zinc stores.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Keen, C., Lönnerdal, B., Golub, M. et al. Influence of Marginal Maternal Zinc Deficiency on Pregnancy Outcome and Infant Zinc Status in Rhesus Monkeys. Pediatr Res 26, 470–477 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198911000-00022
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198911000-00022
This article is cited by
-
Effects of maternal marginal zinc deficiency on myelin protein profiles in the suckling rat and infant rhesus monkey
Biological Trace Element Research (1992)