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An In Vitro Study of the Effect of Picolinic Acid on Metal Translocation across Lipid Bilayers^1,2,3,

Department of Child Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB9 2ZD, Scotland, UK

The effect of picolinic acid (pyridine-2-carboxylic acid) on the efflux of divalent metal ions from multilamellar liposomes was examined to determine the possible specificity and mechanism for its reported beneficial effects on the intestinal absorption and systemic metabolism of zinc. Extraliposomal picolinic acid increased the efflux of Zn, Cu, Co, Mn, Ni, Cd, Pb, Fe(II) and Ca from the vesicles. However, when picolinic acid was trapped with Co, Cu and Zn within the liposomes, the loss of metals was reduced. In a partition study, picolinic acid increased the aqueous solubility of Zn, Cu, Co and Cd at alkaline pH, but did not transfer the metal to an organic bulk phase of chloroform. It is proposed that picolinic acid does not act as an ionophore and that any effect it may have on zinc metabolism is dependent upon its unselective chelating properties, which may also lead to altered dietary and systemic compartmentation of other divalent cations.

KEY WORDS: • trace metals • metabolism • zinc • artificial liposomes • picolinic acid • partition study

¹ Supported by the Rank Prize Funds (P. J. Aggett), Nestle Nutrition SA (P. K. Fenwick) and the University of Aberdeen Medical Endowment Research Funds (H. Kirk).

² Presented in part at the 369th Meeting of the Nutrition Society, March 26, 1982, Edinburgh [Proc. Nutr. Soc. 41: 68A (abs.), 1982].

³ This article is dedicated to the memory of Professor Lucille S. Hurley.

Manuscript received 25 January 1989. Revision accepted 30 May 1989.