[Investigation of the profile of selected trace metals in genetically obese (ob/ob) and lean (+/?) mice].

Trace metals are known to have important effects on the activity of metalloenzymes and insulin secretion and to be involved in the etiology of various diseases. This study was designed to investigate the distribution and concentration of selected trace metals in the tissues of genetically obese mice, which were known to have hyperinsulinemia. Different phenotypes (ob/ob; +/?) and sexes of 4, 8, 12 week-old mice were killed by decapitation. Metal levels (Zn, Cu, Cd, Cr) in the brain, liver, serum, hair and carcass were determined by an atomic absorption spectrometer. The results showed that obese mice had lower concentrations of zinc in the serum, hair, liver and carcass than lean controls (p less than 0.05), but there was no difference in the brain. Obese mice also had a low carcass cadmium concentration (p less than 0.01), which depended on the sex-age interaction. When expressed in terms of total content, obese mice had higher total liver zinc and carcass chromium contents (p less than 0.05). Obese mice had a higher total carcass copper content at 8 weeks of age. Serum and carcass zinc were showed to be inversely related to body fat in obese mice. The results indicate that zinc may play a special role in thermoregulation and fat metabolism in the liver of obese mice. The tissue distribution and absorption of zinc may have an important correlation in the development of obesity. The roles of copper, cadmium and chromium are still obscure, the related regulations are still open for further questions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)