5′-Nucleotidase activity in lymphocytes of zinc and protein deficient rats

• Published in: Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 7; no. 12; pp. 1291 - 1297
• Main Authors: Bises, G., Mengheri, E., Gaetani, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.12.1987; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: 5′-nucleotidase; Biological and medical sciences; lymphocyte; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Other nutritional diseases (malnutrition, nutritional and vitamin deficiencies...); protein malnutrition; zinc deficiency; 5′-nucleotidase; protein malnutrition; zinc deficiency; lymphocyte; Proteins; Vertebrata; Mammalia; 5'-Nucleotidase; Rat; Deficiency; Rodentia; Metabolic diseases; Malnutrition; Inorganic element; Lymphocyte; Zinc
• ISSN: 0271-5317; 1879-0739
• DOI: 10.1016/S0271-5317(87)80089-1

It has been reported that 5′-nucleotidase activity is lost in a lymphoblastoid line cultured in vitro in the absence of zinc, and it has been suggested that its activity in lymphocytes could be used as an early indicator of zinc deficiency (1). To investigate this hypothesis we have studied the activity of 5′-nucleotidase in lymphocytes of zinc deficient rats and we have extended the study to lymphocytes of rats with different degrees of protein deficiency. The results (nmoles of inosine formed nucleotidase increased significantly in lymphocytes of zinc deficient rats while decreased slightly in moderate protein deficiency and more drastically in severe protein deficiency. The enzyme activity referred to protein was similar in lymphocytes of protein deficient and of control rats and significantly higher in lymphocytes of zinc deficient rats. These results show that 5′-nucleotidase activity is not a good index of zinc deficiency but can be used to differentiate zinc deficiency from protein malnutrition.