Influence of chronic diabetes on tissue and blood cells status of zinc, copper, and chromium in the rat.

The influence of chronic diabetes on zinc, copper and chromium status in the urine, plasma, liver, kidney, bone, muscle, lymphocytes and erythrocytes was investigated in rats 180 days after streptozotocin injection, in comparison to age matched normal rats. The concentration and tissue content of zinc and copper were increased significantly in the liver, femur, erythrocyte and lymphocyte of the diabetic rats in addition to an increase in their urinary loss. In contrast, the concentration of zinc, copper and chromium in the kidney of the diabetic rats and the concentration of copper in the muscle and of chromium in the liver of the diabetic rats were similar to those of the normal rats. There was also a marked deficiency of zinc in the muscle and of chromium in the bone of the diabetic rats. The potential significance of altered trace metal metabolism during long term changes in endocrine status, and the possible explanation and significance of the variable concentrations of essential metals in different organs of streptozotocin induced chronic diabetic rats is discussed. The importance of erythrocyte and leukocyte zinc concentration as a mirror to their relative concentration in other tissue of animals and humans with type I diabetes is raised.