[Changes in metal distribution in organs of cadmium-administered and copper-deficient rats]

To investigate the effect of Cu deficiency on the distribution of metals in organs when Cd was administered, 8-week-old female rats of the SD strain were fed a Cu-deficient diet (0.5 ppm Cu) or a basal diet (3.5 ppm Cu) and given 50 oral doses of 200 micrograms/rat of Cd. Then, the concentrations of Cd, Zn, Cu, Fe, Ca, Mn and Mg in each tissue were determined. In the Cu-deficient state, the serum Cu concentration was decreased and it was further decreased by Cd administration to about 1/4 of the normal value. The accumulation of Cd in the liver and kidney was increased by Cu deficiency. Cu deficiency caused decreases in the Cu concentration of the liver, kidney, brain, lung and pancreas. The administration of Cd caused additional remarkable decreases in the Cu concentration in the blood as well as in the hematopoietic organs, such as liver and spleen. Fe was increased by the Cu deficiency in the brain, heart, pancreas and muscle, though this increase was inhibited by Cd administration. The changes in tissue Fe were more greatly affected by Cd administration than by Cu deficiency. The Zn concentration was increased in the liver and kidney by Cd administration but was not affected by Cu deficiency. Mn, Ca and Mg concentrations showed no changes caused by Cu deficiency or Cd administration.