Copper deficiency in rats: the effect of type of dietary protein.

The present investigation was conducted to determine whether type of dietary protein can exacerbate the pathology induced by the combination of fructose feeding and copper (Cu) deficiency. Weanling male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to three different groups differing in the nature of dietary protein. The proteins used were egg-white, casein or lactalbumin. All diets contained 62.5% carbohydrate as fructose and were low in Cu (0.6-0.72 microgram Cu/g diet). Although the lowest concentration of Cu was found in the livers of rats fed egg-white, the pathology associated with Cu deficiency was more severe in rats fed lactalbumin. The highest concentration of hepatic Cu was found in rats fed casein. The data show that the type of dietary protein can exacerbate signs associated with Cu deficiency. The concentrations of hepatic Cu do not reflect accurately the pathology associated with Cu deficiency.