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Marginal Zinc Deficiency in Pregnant Rats Impairs Bone Matrix Formation and Bone Mineralization in Their Neonates

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Abstract

Zinc (Zn) deficiency during pregnancy may result in a variety of defects in the offspring. We evaluated the influence of marginal Zn deficiency during pregnancy on neonatal bone status. Nine-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups and fed AIN-93G-based experimental diets containing 35 mg Zn/kg (Zn adequately supplied, N) or 7 mg Zn/kg (low level of Zn, L) from 14-day preconception to 20 days of gestation, that is, 1 day before normal delivery. Neonates were delivered by cesarean section. Litter size and neonate weight were not different between the two groups. However, in the L-diet-fed dam group, bone matrix formation in isolated neonatal calvaria culture was clearly impaired and was not recovered by the addition of Zn into the culture media. Additionally, serum concentration of osteocalcin, as a bone formation parameter, was lower in neonates from the L-diet-fed dam group. Impaired bone mineralization was observed with a significantly lower content of phosphorus in neonate femurs from L-diet-fed dams compared with those from N-diet-fed dams. Moreover, Zn content in the femur and calvaria of neonates from the L-diet group was lower than that of the N-diet-fed group. In the marginally Zn-deficient dams, femoral Zn content, serum concentrations of Zn, and osteocalcin were reduced when compared with control dams. We conclude that maternal Zn deficiency causes impairment of bone matrix formation and bone mineralization in neonates, implying the importance of Zn intake during pregnancy for proper bone development of offspring.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. K. Nakayama (Kyoto Institute of Nutrition and Pathology Inc.) for helping with the histological technique and M. Yamada (Meiji Dairies Corp.) for giving technical assistance. This research was supported by Meiji Dairies Corporation. M. Nagata, M. Kayanoma, T. Takahashi, T. Kaneko, and H. Hara have no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nutrition Research Department, Food Science Institute, Meiji Dairies Corporation, 540 Naruda, Odawara, Kanagawa, 250-0862, Japan

    Masashi Nagata, Megumu Kayanoma, Takeshi Takahashi & Tetsuo Kaneko

  2. Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8589, Japan

    Masashi Nagata & Hiroshi Hara

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  1. Masashi Nagata
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  2. Megumu Kayanoma
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  3. Takeshi Takahashi
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  4. Tetsuo Kaneko
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  5. Hiroshi Hara
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Correspondence to Masashi Nagata.

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Nagata, M., Kayanoma, M., Takahashi, T. et al. Marginal Zinc Deficiency in Pregnant Rats Impairs Bone Matrix Formation and Bone Mineralization in Their Neonates. Biol Trace Elem Res 142, 190–199 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-010-8760-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-010-8760-8

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