Protein synthesis in zinc deficient rats during tularemia

The effect of zinc deficiency on protein synthesis in rats during tularemia was studied. Five weeks prior to infection with the live vaccine strain of Francisella tularensis, rats had been assigned to one of three dietary groups: zinc deficient (-Zn), pair-fed (PF) or ad libitum (AL). Within 4 weeks, zinc deficiency manifested itself by diminished growth rate, decreased serum and liver zinc concentrations and alopecia. By 18 hour post infection, rats of all groups were febrile and exhibited an increased hepatic uptake of zinc. Despite initially lower concentrations of seromucoid in the PF and -Zn groups, infection elicited an increase in seromucoid concentration as well as enhanced incorporation of 3H-leucine into this fraction of comparable degree in all dietary groups. The same held true for ceruloplasmin. Alpha 2-macrofetoprotein also increased to the same extent in all dietary groups. Infection was associated with a decrease in extractable albumin in ad libitum and pair fed control groups. Only the -Zn group showed a significant decrease in specific activity suggestive of diminished albumin synthesis. Zinc deficiency of itself did not cause a decrement in radiolabel in muscle protein. Thus, despite documented zinc deficiency, rats subjected to the stress of infection respond by synthesizing increased amounts of acute phase globulins apparently at the expense of serum albumin and muscle protein synthesis.