Alterations in lipid membrane fluidity and the physical state of cell-surface sialic acid in zinc-deficient rat erythrocyte ghosts

Michael Jay, S. Mary Stuart, Craig J. McClain, Donna A. Palmieri, D. Allan Butterfield

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22 Scopus citations

Abstract

Erythrocyte ghosts, prepared from the blood of rats fed zinc-deficient diets, were evaluated for membrane fluidity and surface sialic acid properties using spin-labeled probes and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. These physical parameters of the erythrocyte ghosts from the zinc-deficient group were compared to those for erythrocyte ghosts obtained from ad libitum and pair fed controls consuming zinc-adequate diets. As the animals became progressively zinc deficient, the erythrocyte ghost membranes became more fluid than those from the control groups. In addition, the apparent rotational correlation time of Tempamine spin probes on surface sialic acid residues was smaller for the zinc deficient group, indicative of an increased rotational mobility of the spin label. These results suggest that zinc deficiency can have pronounced effects on the physical state of membrane bilayer lipids and cell surface carbohydrates and supports the view that many of the pathological signs of zinc deficiency are due to a general membrane defect.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)507-511
Number of pages5
JournalBBA - Biomembranes
Volume897
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 12 1987

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported in part by grants from NIH (AG-00084; D.A.B,), the Dreyfus Medical foundation (D.A.B.), DOD (DAAA15-85-K-0006; D.A.B.), NSF (D.A.B. and M.J.), the Tobacco and Health Research Institute (D.A.B. and M.J.), and by the Veterans Administration. The authors wish to thank Susan Lower for her technical assistance.

Funding

This work was supported in part by grants from NIH (AG-00084; D.A.B,), the Dreyfus Medical foundation (D.A.B.), DOD (DAAA15-85-K-0006; D.A.B.), NSF (D.A.B. and M.J.), the Tobacco and Health Research Institute (D.A.B. and M.J.), and by the Veterans Administration. The authors wish to thank Susan Lower for her technical assistance.

FundersFunder number
Dreyfus Medical foundation
Tobacco and Health Research Institute
Veterans Administration
National Science Foundation (NSF)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)AG-00084
U.S. Department of DefenseDAAA15-85-K-0006

    Keywords

    • (Rat erythrocyte ghost)
    • ESR
    • Membrane
    • Membrane fluidity
    • Zinc deficiency

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Biophysics
    • Biochemistry
    • Cell Biology

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