Effects of zinc nutriture on stress-response and metallothionein in rats

  Objective   To obser ve the changes of metallothionein and cortisol of rats in different zincnutriture under psychological condition.

  Methods   Sixty rats were divided into six groups:zinc deficient(ZD),pair-fed(PF),control(CT)and the corresponding 3 stress groups(SZ,SP,SC).The psychological stress was induced by light-electric stimuli.

  Results   The stressor induced more MT synthesis in brain and liver tissues while the zinc concentrations decreased to some extent in the stress animals.The zinc concentrations in sera,the MT contents in both liver and brain were decreased while the cortisol levels were increased in ZD groups.

  Conclusion   It was indicated that maintaining adequate zinc nutriture was beneficial to induce the synthesis of MT in brain and liver of the rats,and to enhance their adapting ability to psychological stress.