Impaired endocrine and exocrine pancreatic functions in copper-deficient rats: the effect of gender.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of gender on endocrine and exocrine pancreatic function in female and male rats fed from weaning a copper-deficient diet. METHODS: Weanling male and female rats were fed a copper-deficient or adequate diet for 4 weeks. Rats were sacrificed after an overnight fast. Livers and pancreata were removed, weighed and the concentrations of copper and iron were determined. In addition, insulin was measured in pancreatic tissue and plasma. Lipase and amylase activities were measured in pancreas. Lipid peroxidation was assessed in liver. RESULTS: Copper deficiency in the male resulted in a profound reduced glandular mass of the pancreas. The pancreas continued low activities of lipase and amylase but excessive levels of insulin. Iron retention in the pancreas of the copper-deficient male rat was greater than in the female counterpart. Effects of copper deficiency in female rats on pancreas mass and endocrine pancreas were of lesser magnitude compared with males. Plasma insulin in the female rat was much higher than in the male rat. Hepatic lipid peroxidation was increased by copper deficiency in the male rat but was unaffected in the female. CONCLUSIONS: Data show that pancreatic atrophy is more pronounced in males compared with females, and the endocrine pancreas of the male is more susceptible to dietary copper deprivation than the female rat. The greater degree of pancreatic atrophy and associated abnormalities in males compared with females may be related to the greater retention of pancreatic iron and subsequent peroxidative damage.