The effect of porta-systemic shunting on liver, brain and kidney zinc concentrations in the rat.

Patients with alcoholic cirrhosis have subnormal liver zinc concentrations, and excessive urinary zinc excretion. It has been suggested that diversion of dietary zinc into the systemic circulation through porta-systemic shunts may be a major factor influencing the organ distribution of zinc in these patients. To test this hypothesis, we randomized Sprague-Dawley rats into a sham-operated group, and a group subjected to partial portal-vein occlusion (PPVO), which induces the formation of extensive porta-systemic collaterals. Three months after the operation, liver, brain and kidney zinc concentrations were measured in 8 sham-operated and 8 PPVO rats. Mean liver zinc concentrations were significantly higher in the PPVO group when compared to sham-operated controls (P less than 0.05). Brain and kidney zinc concentrations were similar in the 2 groups. This short-term study indicates that liver zinc concentrations are maintained and even increased in rats with porta-systemic shunting, and that diversion of portal blood into the systemic circulation is not a major cause of the low liver zinc concentration observed in alcoholic cirrhosis.