Development of laboratory rats receiving silver-enriched ration for a long time.

We studied the effect of silver ions on the status and metabolism of copper in rats receiving Ag-diet from the first day of life and for 6 months. The effect of silver ions on copper metabolism was assessed by body weight, relative weight of organs (body weight/organ weight), oxidase activity, content of immunoreactive ceruloplasmin and copper concentration in blood serum, by the expression of copper-transporting protein genes in the liver, and copper and silver distribution in liver and brain cells. Brain functions were evaluated by open-field behavior and passive avoidance conditioning. No acute deficiency of ceruloplasmin-associated copper was observed in rats receiving silver-enriched diet starting from the early postnatal period; copper metabolism in the liver did not change, psychoemotional state and memory corresponded to the control. However, Ag-diet almost 2-fold decelerated the growth of experimental rats. We hypothesize the existence of an unknown mechanism of copper delivery to organs in rats that is activated during the early ontogeny under conditions of ceruloplasmin-associated copper deficiency.