TISSUE ALUMINUM ACCUMULATION AND TOXIC CONSEQUENCES IN RATS CHRONICALLY FED ALUMINUM WITH AND WITHOUT CITRATE

Tissue aluminum accumulation and the potential toxic sequelae in rats fed moderate amounts of aluminum (approximate to 40 mu mol of Al/g of diet) without citrate (Al diet) and with supplemental citrate (208 mu mol of citrate/g of diet) (Al-Cit diet) for 6-7 months were examined. Rats fed the Al diet accumulated more aluminum in tibias and kidneys and rats fed the Al-Cit diet accumulated more aluminum in tibias, sera, and muscles than rats fed the basal diet. Rats fed the Al-Cit diet had 1.5-fold greater calculated body load of aluminum and excreted 1.5-fold more aluminum in urine after administration of desferrioxamine (DFO) than rats fed the Al diet. This suggests that DFO tests have some utility as indicators of body aluminum loads. Rats fed the Al-Cit diet exhibited increased renal stress and transitory increases in urinary excretion of hydroxyproline but no changes in bone calcium or tissue iron concentrations.