Effect of zinc deficiency on bone collagenase and collagen turnover

The effect of zinc deficiency on bone collagenase activity and collagen turnover was studied in the chick. Zinc deficiency symptoms, evident after 8 days on the low zinc diet, included tibia deformities and decreased alkaline phosphatase. Bone collagen metabolism was markedly altered, with a significant reduction in collagen synthesis and turnover. Half-turnover time for tibia collagen was 13 days in the control and 35 days in the zinc-deficient chicks. Tibia collagenase activity was reduced by 40-80% in the zinc-deficient as compared to the control chicks. Heparin markedly increased collagenase activity in the zinc-deficient tibias elevating activity to control levels. But commercially available heparin was found high in zinc content which may explain this effect entirely. These data show that zinc deficiency decreases bone collagen turnover and probably accounts for the leg deformities seen in zinc-deficient chicks.