The effect of cadmium on the composition and metabolism of hepatic fatty acids in zinc-adequate and zinc-deficient rats.

Exposure to cadmium (Cd) caused changes in the fatty acid composition of phospholipids, such as increases in levels of saturated and (n-6) fatty acids and decreases in levels of (n-9) fatty acids, in the liver phospholipids of rats fed a fat-free diet. These changes were similar to those caused by dietary zinc deficiency. The changes in fatty acid composition after administration of Cd were greater in zinc-deficient (ZD) rats than zinc-adequate (ZA) rats. When [14C]18:0 was injected intravenously in order to examine the metabolism of (n-9) fatty acids, a decrease in the rate of conversion of [14C]18:0 to [14C]18:1 was observed in liver phospholipids after treatment of ZD rats with Cd. These results suggested that Cd can affect the metabolism of fatty acids in relation to zinc status and, in particular, causes a reduction in the activity of delta 9-desaturase which converts 18:0 to 18:1.