Zinc-altered immune function and cytokine production

Immunometabolic Status during the Peripartum Period Is Enhanced with Supplemental Zn, Mn, and Cu from Amino Acid Complexes and Co from Co Glucoheptonate

The peripartum (or transition) period is the most-critical phase in the productive life of lactating dairy cows and optimal supply of trace minerals through more bioavailable forms could minimize the negative effects associated with this phase. Twenty Holstein cows received a common prepartal diet and postpartal diet. Both diets were partially supplemented with an inorganic (INO) mix of Zn, Mn, and Cu to supply 35, 45, and 6 ppm, respectively, of the diet dry matter (DM). Cows were assigned to treatments in a randomized completed block design, receiving an daily oral bolus with INO or organic trace minerals (AAC) Zn, Mn, Cu, and Co to achieve 75, 65, 11, and 1 ppm supplemental, respectively, in the diet DM. Liver tissue and blood samples were collected throughout the experiment. The lower glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase concentration after 15 days in milk in AAC cows indicate lower hepatic cell damage. The concentration of cholesterol and albumin increased, while IL-6 decreased over time in AAC cows compared with INO indicating a lower degree of inflammation and better liver function. Although the acute-phase protein ceruloplasmin tended to be lower in AAC cows and corresponded with the reduction in the inflammatory status, the tendency for greater serum amyloid A concentration in AAC indicated an inconsistent response on acute-phase proteins. Oxygen radical absorbance capacity increased over time in AAC cows. Furthermore, the concentrations of nitric oxide, nitrite, nitrate, and the ferric reducing ability of plasma decreased with AAC indicating a lower oxidative stress status. The expression of IL10 and ALB in liver tissue was greater overall in AAC cows reinforcing the anti-inflammatory response detected in plasma. The greater overall expression of PCK1 in AAC cows indicated a greater gluconeogenic capacity, and partly explained the greater milk production response over time. Overall, feeding organic trace minerals as complexed with amino acids during the transition period improved liver function and decreased inflammation and oxidative stress.

Effect of Zinc Source on Hematological, Metabolic Parameters and Mineral Balance in Lambs

This experiment was conducted to study the effects of different sources of zinc (Zn) on blood metabolites and balances of some minerals in lambs. In the first part, 20 6-7-month-old lambs were randomly allotted to four treatments including (1) basal diet containing 22.47 mg Zn/kg DM without supplementary Zn (control), (2) basal diet + 40 mg Zn/kg DM as ZnSO4 (ZnSO4 40), (3) basal diet + 20 mg Zn/kg DM as Zn-proteinate (Zn-Pro 20), and (4) basal diet + 40 mg Zn/kg DM as Zn-proteinate (Zn-Pro 40). Blood samples were taken on days 0, 28, and 65 before morning feeding. In the second part, four lambs from each treatment were randomly transferred to metabolic cages to evaluate the effects of different sources of Zn on N, Zn, Fe, and Cu retentions. This trial consisted of 18 days, with the first 12 days as the adaptation period followed by 6 days of sample collection. The results of this study showed that the source of Zinc had no significant effect on the analyzed parameters. Average daily gain and feed efficiency were improved by Zn supplementation (P < 0.05). Daily feed intake, plasma glucose, Fe and Cu concentrations, serum total antioxidant capacity, red blood cell count, packed cell volume, and hemoglobin concentration did not differ significantly between treatments (P > 0.05). Plasma Zn concentration, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP) activity, and white blood cell and lymphocyte count differed significantly between control and Zn-supplemented groups (P < 0.05) as Zn supplementation improved these parameters. Nitrogen, Fe, and Cu retentions did not differ between treatments (P > 0.05). Zinc retention showed a significant difference between control and Zn-supplemented groups (P < 0.05), but there were no significant differences among the Zn-supplemented groups. The results of this study show that Zn supplementation improved performance and zinc retention in lambs. However, there were no significant differences between zinc sources used in this study.

In vitro effects of zinc on the cytokine production from peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with zinc allergy

Metals, such as nickel, cobalt, chromium and zinc, are ubiquitous in the environment. Systemic reactions, including hand dermatitis and generalized eczematous reactions, can be caused by the dietary ingestion of metals. In this study, we aimed to determine whether the cytokine production from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from zinc allergy patients can be used as a sensitive marker to investigate zinc-allergic contact dermatitis. The diagnosis of sensitivity to metal was made based on the results of a metal patch test. The PBMCs were stimulated with various concentrations (5–100 μM) of zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄) for 24 h. The culture supernatants were collected and analyzed using ELISA for measurement of the cytokine production. The levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-5, IL-13 and MIF were significantly higher in the zinc-allergic patients (n = 5) than in the healthy controls (n = 5) at 100 μM of ZnSO₄ stimulation. Although, patch testing is considered as standard test to diagnose metal allergy but false-positive and -negative reactions may limit its use in conditions of existing dermatitis. Therefore, this study suggest that in support of patch testing the determination of cytokine production using PBMCs cultures would be helpful for making an early diagnosis of such conditions.

Maternal zinc supplementation improves hepatitis B antibody responses in infants but decreases plasma zinc level

PURPOSE

The World Health Report identifies zinc deficiency as one of the major causes of disease in developing countries, and infants are at particular risk. We aimed to investigate the effect of maternal zinc supplementation on the infant's immune function in a population at risk of deficiency.

METHODS

In a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial, mothers were supplemented either with 20 mg/day of elemental zinc (n = 20) or placebo (n = 19) at the beginning of second trimester, which continued until 6 months postpartum. Indicators of the infants' immune function measured included interleukin (IL)-7, thymic size and response to hepatitis B vaccination.

RESULTS

Infants born from mothers receiving zinc supplements during pregnancy and postpartum had significantly lower plasma zinc (p < 0.05) but marginally higher IL-7 and antibody responses to hepatitis B vaccination (p < 0.10) than infants born from mothers not receiving zinc. Maternal zinc supplementation showed no negative impact on copper status of mothers or their infants. Maternal zinc supplementation did not influence infant thymic size, but cord blood IL-7 was found positively associated with thymus size at 1 month of age (r = 0.392) and with hepatitis B vaccine response at 6 months of age (r = 0.386).

CONCLUSION

Prenatal and postnatal zinc supplementation marginally improved T cell-dependent antibody responses in infants along with IL-7, a cytokine involved in human T cell development and maintaining homeostasis.

Jasada bhasma, a Zinc-Based Ayurvedic Preparation: Contemporary Evidence of Antidiabetic Activity Inspires Development of a Nanomedicine

The roles of metals in human physiology are well established. It is also known that many metals are required in trace amounts for normal metabolism and their deficiency leads to diseases. In Ayurveda, metal-based preparations, that is, bhasmas, are indicated for the treatment of several diseases. Standard textbooks of Ayurveda recommend Jasada bhasma (zinc based bhasma) as the treatment of choice for diabetes. Modern medicine also recognizes the important role of zinc in glucose homeostasis. Yet, studies that validate the use of Jasada bhasma are few and uncomprehensive. There is an imminent need for a systematic study on physicochemical characterization, pharmacological efficacy, and toxicity assessment of several bhasma preparations to generate scientific evidence of their utility and safety. Interestingly, recent studies suggest that bhasmas comprise submicronic particles or nanoparticles. Thus a bhasma-inspired new drug discovery approach could emerge in which several metal based nanomedicines could be developed. This would help in utilizing the age old, time-tested wisdom of Ayurveda in modern medicine. One such study on antidiabetic activity of Jasada bhasma and the corresponding new drug, namely, zinc oxide nanoparticles, is briefly discussed, as an example.

Accumulation of metals in cancerous and healthy tissues of patients with lung cancer in Southern Poland

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the concentrations of metals differ among patients with and without lung cancer with different smoking status and living in industrialized environments. We also evaluated the relationships between metals and blood parameters including hematocrit level (Hct), hemoglobin concentration (Hb), red (RBC) and white (WBC) blood cells numbers. Concentrations of metals were measured with AAS (copper - Cu, iron - Fe, magnesium - Mg, zinc - Zn) and CV-AAS (mercury - Hg). Neither smoking status nor industrialization could be considered as a significant factor for metals accumulation in blood, lungs and tumor tissues, with the exception of mercury which differed in the aspect of industrialization. According to the type of the disease, Fe, Hg and Mg concentrations differed significantly in lungs. Correlations between metals and blood parameters were observed. Additionally, concentrations of Mg, Cu and Zn were correlated between lungs and tumor tissue of patients with cancer as well as they all were related to each other in lungs, tumor and blood tissues.

Paraquat reduces natural killer cell activity via metallothionein induction

Paraquat (PQ), one of the most widely used herbicides, has been used for several decades in agriculture. Some studies suggest that PQ has effects on the immune system. Moreover, previous studies have shown that PQ imparted some immunosuppressive effects. In the present study, cytotoxicity assays using splenic NK cells from mice treated for 28 days with PQ (at 0.2, 1, and 5 mg/kg) were performed to determine whether PQ altered the function of NK cells. Given that PQ was expected to induce an immunosuppressive effect, it was hypothesized that a gene involved in cellular metal ion homeostasis, metallothionein-1 (MT-1), could play an important role in this outcome. This belief was based on the fact that MT1 encodes a protein responsible for zinc ion homeostasis, and that a reduction in free zinc ion levels impairs NK cell function. The results showed that PQ treatments led to increased MT expression in several organs (liver, kidneys, testes) and in splenocytes, caused a reduction of both free zinc ions in sera and in free intracellular zinc, and reduced the expression of GATA-3, a zinc-finger transcription factor important for maturation and activity of T-cells and NK cells. These results provide a basis for a new molecular mechanism to describe potential immunosuppressive effects of PQ in vivo.

A MIV-150/zinc acetate gel inhibits SHIV-RT infection in macaque vaginal explants

To extend our observations that single or repeated application of a gel containing the NNRTI MIV-150 (M) and zinc acetate dihydrate (ZA) in carrageenan (CG) (MZC) inhibits vaginal transmission of simian/human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV)-RT in macaques, we evaluated safety and anti-SHIV-RT activity of MZC and related gel formulations ex vivo in macaque mucosal explants. In addition, safety was further evaluated in human ectocervical explants. The gels did not induce mucosal toxicity. A single ex vivo exposure to diluted MZC (1∶30, 1∶100) and MC (1∶30, the only dilution tested), but not to ZC gel, up to 4 days prior to viral challenge, significantly inhibited SHIV-RT infection in macaque vaginal mucosa. MZC's activity was not affected by seminal plasma. The antiviral activity of unformulated MIV-150 was not enhanced in the presence of ZA, suggesting that the antiviral activity of MZC was mediated predominantly by MIV-150. In vivo administration of MZC and CG significantly inhibited ex vivo SHIV-RT infection (51-62% inhibition relative to baselines) of vaginal (but not cervical) mucosa collected 24 h post last gel exposure, indicating barrier effect of CG. Although the inhibitory effect of MZC (65-74%) did not significantly differ from CG (32-45%), it was within the range of protection (∼75%) against vaginal SHIV-RT challenge 24 h after gel dosing. Overall, the data suggest that evaluation of candidate microbicides in macaque explants can inform macaque efficacy and clinical studies design. The data support advancing MZC gel for clinical evaluation.

[What the study of seminal fluid proteins in Drosophila tells us about the evolution of reproduction]

Decrease in male fertility observed in the past decades have involved sperm quantity and quality disorders. However, decrease in quality or quantity of seminal fluid may also trigger drastic reduction of female and also male fertility. The present paper documents on the composition of seminal fluid, the consequences on sperm cells and on the physiological and behavioral effects towards females. The work evidences the crucial role of seminal fluid in the postcopulatory interactions between the sexes and illustrates the selective effects in the male-female coevolution.

Immunotoxicity of aluminum

Aluminum (Al) is present in the daily life of all humans. With the incidence of Al contamination increased in recent years, the toxicity of Al on the immune function has attracted more attention. Even with this increased attention, the mechanism of Al immunotoxicity still remains unclear. The mechanism of Al immunotoxicity reviewed herein focused on the effects of Al on the splenic trace elements, the status of α-naphthyl acetate esterase (ANAE) cells, cytokines, complement and immunoglobulins, as well as macrophages. The studies in the literature showed that Al decreased splenic iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) levels, but the effects of Al on splenic copper (Cu) level was ambiguous and controversial. Al exposure inhibited levels of ANAE(+) cells, the production of interleukin (IL)-2 and the functions of macrophages. With respect to other key cytokines, studies showed that Al suppressed the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in vitro; effects of Al on TNF-α formation in vivo were less overt. Al exposure reduced complement 3 (C3) level, but effects of Al exposure on complement 4 (C4) level were not as clear-cut. Lastly, the effects of Al exposure on the IgG, IgM and IgA levels were conflicting. Taken in totality, the results of several studies in the literature demonstrated that Al could impart adverse effects on immune function.

A potent combination microbicide that targets SHIV-RT, HSV-2 and HPV

Prevalent infection with human herpes simplex 2 (HSV-2) or human papillomavirus (HPV) is associated with increased human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) acquisition. Microbicides that target HIV as well as these sexually transmitted infections (STIs) may more effectively limit HIV incidence. Previously, we showed that a microbicide gel (MZC) containing MIV-150, zinc acetate (ZA) and carrageenan (CG) protected macaques against simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV-RT) infection and that a ZC gel protected mice against HSV-2 infection. Here we evaluated a modified MZC gel (containing different buffers, co-solvents, and preservatives suitable for clinical testing) against both vaginal and rectal challenge of animals with SHIV-RT, HSV-2 or HPV. MZC was stable and safe in vitro (cell viability and monolayer integrity) and in vivo (histology). MZC protected macaques against vaginal (p<0.0001) SHIV-RT infection when applied up to 8 hours (h) prior to challenge. When used close to the time of challenge, MZC prevented rectal SHIV-RT infection of macaques similar to the CG control. MZC significantly reduced vaginal (p<0.0001) and anorectal (p = 0.0187) infection of mice when 10(6) pfu HSV-2 were applied immediately after vaginal challenge and also when 5×10(3) pfu were applied between 8 h before and 4 h after vaginal challenge (p<0.0248). Protection of mice against 8×10(6) HPV16 pseudovirus particles (HPV16 PsV) was significant for MZC applied up to 24 h before and 2 h after vaginal challenge (p<0.0001) and also if applied 2 h before or after anorectal challenge (p<0.0006). MZC provides a durable window of protection against vaginal infection with these three viruses and, against HSV-2 and HPV making it an excellent candidate microbicide for clinical use.

Micronutrient-gene interactions related to inflammatory/immune response and antioxidant activity in ageing and inflammation. A systematic review

Recent longitudinal studies in dietary daily intake in human centenarians have shown that a satisfactory content of some micronutrients within the cells maintain several immune functions, a low grade of inflammation and preserve antioxidant activity. Micronutrients (zinc, copper, selenium) play a pivotal role in maintaining and reinforcing the performances of the immune and antioxidant systems as well as in affecting the complex network of the genes (nutrigenomic) with anti- and pro-inflammatory tasks. Genes of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and some key regulators of trace elements homeostasis, such as Metallothioneins (MT), are involved in the susceptibility to major geriatric disease/disorders. Moreover, the genetic inter-individual variability may affect the nutrients' absorption (nutrigenetic) with altered effects on inflammatory/immune response and antioxidant activity. The interaction between genetic factors and micronutrients (nutrigenomic and nutrigenetic approaches) may influence ageing and longevity because the micronutrients may become also toxic. This review reports the micronutrient-gene interactions in ageing and their impact on the healthy state with a focus on the method of protein-metal speciation analysis. The association between micronutrient-gene interactions and the protein-metal speciation analysis can give a complete picture for a personalized nutrient supplementation or chelation in order to reach healthy ageing and longevity.

Internal parasite management in grazing livestock

It is a challenging task to control internal parasites in grazing livestock even by applying multi label and multi directional approach. It is impossible to draw general recommendations to control parasitic diseases due to varied geo-climatic conditions and methods adopted for rearing the livestock in the country like India. In view of increasing incidence of anti-parasitic drug resistance in animals, there is an urgent need to design sustainable parasite control strategy which must include on the host as well as off the host control measures to harvest the maximum productivity from the animal for an indefinite period.

Performance, organ zinc concentration, jejunal brush border membrane enzyme activities and mRNA expression in piglets fed with different levels of dietary zinc

This study aimed at investigating the effect of dietary zinc on performance, jejunal brush border membrane enzyme activities and mRNA levels of enzymes and two zinc transporters in piglets. A total of 126 piglets were weaned at 26 ±1 days of age and randomly allocated into three groups fed with diets 50, 150 and 2500 mg zinc/kg. Performance was recorded and at weekly intervals, eight piglets per group were killed. The activities of isolated brush border membrane enzymes including lactase, maltase, sucrase, aminopeptidase-N and intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP), and the relative transcript abundance of aminopeptidase-N (APN), sucrase-isomaltase (SUC), IAP and the two zinc transporters SLC39A4 (ZIP4) and SLC30A1 (ZnT1) were investigated in the jejunum. Feeding pharmacological zinc levels increased weight gain (p < 0.001) during the first week, but performance was lower (p < 0.05) in the third week. Organ zinc concentrations were increased by high dietary zinc level. The activity of IAP was higher (p < 0.05) with the highest dietary zinc level, no effects were determined for other enzymes. Dietary zinc level had no effect on transcript abundance of digestive enzymes. The mRNA levels decreased (p < 0.001) for ZIP4, and increased for ZnT1 (p < 0.05) with pharmacological zinc levels. In conclusion, pharmacological zinc levels improved performance in the short-term. Intestinal mRNA level of zinc transporters changed with high zinc supply, but this did not prevent zinc accumulation in tissues, suggesting hampered homoeostatic regulation. This might cause impaired performance during longer supply.

Is there a link between premature ovarian failure and serum concentrations of vitamin D, zinc, and copper?

OBJECTIVE

The risk of primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) increases in association with autoimmune conditions. Adequate intake of vitamin D (vit D) and trace elements is required for the immune system to function efficiently. The aim of this study was to evaluate vit D, zinc, and copper blood levels in women with POI who had given birth to at least one child and in women with normal menstrual cycles.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional, case-control study involving 63 participants divided into two groups: the study group, which is composed of 35 women with POI, and the control group, which is composed of 28 women with normal menstrual cycles. Serum concentrations of zinc, vit D, and copper were determined for each participant.

RESULTS

Women with POI had significantly higher serum copper levels and copper-to-zinc ratio but significantly lower serum vit D and zinc levels when compared with the healthy control group. Serum follicle-stimulating hormone levels were inversely correlated with zinc and vit D levels and positively correlated with the copper-to-zinc ratio and copper levels. Vit D levels were inversely correlated with follicle-stimulating hormone levels, copper-to-zinc ratio, and copper levels and positively correlated with zinc levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Most women with POI are deficient in vit D. Zinc, copper, and vit D seem to correlate with hormonal status in the participants. The present study may generate hypotheses for future studies that will investigate the possible mechanisms behind alterations in trace elements and vit D deficiency in women with POI and whether these changes could be used to screen for the risk of developing POI.

Feeding the immune system

A well-functioning immune system is key to providing good defence against pathogenic organisms and to providing tolerance to non-threatening organisms, to food components and to self. The immune system works by providing an exclusion barrier, by identifying and eliminating pathogens and by identifying and tolerating non-threatening sources of antigens, and by maintaining a memory of immunological encounters. The immune system is complex involving many different cell types distributed throughout the body and many different chemical mediators some of which are involved directly in defence while others have a regulatory role. Babies are born with an immature immune system that fully develops in the first few years of life. Immune competence can decline with ageing. The sub-optimal immune competence that occurs early and late in life increases susceptibility to infection. Undernutrition decreases immune defences, making an individual more susceptible to infection. However, the immune response to an infection can itself impair nutritional status and alter body composition. Practically all forms of immunity are affected by protein-energy malnutrition, but non-specific defences and cell-mediated immunity are most severely affected. Micronutrient deficiencies impair immune function. Here, vitamins A, D and E, and Zn, Fe and Se are discussed. The gut-associated lymphoid tissue is especially important in health and well-being because of its close proximity to a large and diverse population of organisms in the gastrointestinal tract and its exposure to food constituents. Certain probiotic bacteria which modify the gut microbiota enhance immune function in laboratory animals and may do so in human subjects.

Essential role of the zinc transporter ZIP9/SLC39A9 in regulating the activations of Akt and Erk in B-cell receptor signaling pathway in DT40 cells

The essential trace element zinc is important for all living organisms. Zinc functions not only as a nutritional factor, but also as a second messenger. However, the effects of intracellular zinc on the B cell-receptor (BCR) signaling pathway remain poorly understood. Here, we present data indicating that the increase in intracellular zinc level induced by ZIP9/SLC39A9 (a ZIP Zrt-/Irt-like protein) plays an important role in the activation of Akt and Erk in response to BCR activation. In DT40 cells, the enhancement of Akt and Erk phosphorylation following BCR activation requires intracellular zinc. To clarify this event, we used chicken ZnT5/6/7-gene-triple-knockout DT40 (TKO) cells and chicken Zip9-knockout DT40 (cZip9KO) cells. The levels of Akt and ERK phosphorylation significantly decreased in cZip9KO cells. In addition, the enzymatic activity of protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) increased in cZip9KO cells. These biochemical events were restored by overexpressing the human Zip9 (hZip9) gene. Moreover, we found that the increase in intracellular zinc level depends on the expression of ZIP9. This observation is in agreement with the increased levels of Akt and Erk phosphorylation and the inhibition of total PTPase activity. We concluded that ZIP9 regulates cytosolic zinc level, resulting in the enhancement of Akt and Erk phosphorylation. Our observations provide new mechanistic insights into the BCR signaling pathway underlying the regulation of intracellular zinc level by ZIP9 in response to the BCR activation.

A single dose of a MIV-150/Zinc acetate gel provides 24 h of protection against vaginal simian human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase infection, with more limited protection rectally 8-24 h after gel use

Previously we showed that repeated vaginal application of a MIV-150/zinc acetate carrageenan (MIV-150/ZA/CG) gel and a zinc acetate carrageenan (ZA/CG) gel significantly protected macaques from vaginal simian human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase (SHIV-RT) infection. Gels were applied either daily for 2 weeks or every other day for 4 weeks, and the animals were challenged 4-24 h later. Herein, we examined the effects of a single vaginal dose administered either before or after virus challenge. Encouraged by the vaginal protection seen with MIV-150/ZA/CG, we also tested it rectally. Vaginal applications of MIV-150/ZA/CG, ZA/CG, and CG gel were performed once 8-24 h before, 1 h after, or 24 h before and 1 h after vaginal challenge. Rectal applications of MIV-150/ZA/CG and CG gel were performed once 8 or 24 h before rectal challenge. While vaginal pre-challenge and pre/post-challenge application of MIV-150/ZA/CG gel offered significant protection (88%, p<0.002), post-challenge application alone did not significantly protect. ZA/CG gel reduced infection prechallenge, but not significantly, and the effect was completely lost post-challenge. Rectal application of MIV-150/ZA/CG gel afforded limited protection against rectal challenge when applied 8-24 h before challenge. Thus, MIV-150/ZA/CG gel is a highly effective vaginal microbicide that demonstrates 24 h of protection from vaginal infection and may demonstrate efficacy against rectal infection when given close to the time of HIV exposure.

Micronutrient (Zn, Cu, Fe)-gene interactions in ageing and inflammatory age-related diseases: implications for treatments

In ageing, alterations in inflammatory/immune response and antioxidant capacity lead to increased susceptibility to diseases and loss of mobility and agility. Various essential micronutrients in the diet are involved in age-altered biological functions. Micronutrients (zinc, copper, iron) play a pivotal role either in maintaining and reinforcing the immune and antioxidant performances or in affecting the complex network of genes (nutrigenomic approach) involved in encoding proteins for a correct inflammatory/immune response. By the other side, the genetic inter-individual variability may affect the absorption and uptake of the micronutrients (nutrigenetic approach) with subsequent altered effects on inflammatory/immune response and antioxidant activity. Therefore, the individual micronutrient-gene interactions are fundamental to achieve healthy ageing. In this review, we report and discuss the role of micronutrients (Zn, Cu, Fe)-gene interactions in relation to the inflammatory status and the possibility of a supplement in the event of a micronutrient deficiency or chelation in presence of micronutrient overload in relation to specific polymorphisms of inflammatory proteins or proteins related of the delivery of the micronutriemts to various organs and tissues. In this last context, we report the protein-metal speciation analysis in order to have, coupled with micronutrient-gene interactions, a more complete picture of the individual need in micronutrient supplementation or chelation to achieve healthy ageing and longevity.

Disturbed zinc homeostasis in diabetic patients by in vitro and in vivo analysis of insulinomimetic activity of zinc

Disturbances of zinc homeostasis have been observed in several diseases, including diabetes mellitus. To further characterize the association between zinc and diabetes, we recruited 75 patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and 75 nondiabetic sex-/age-matched control subjects in order to analyze differences concerning human zinc transporter 8 (hZnT-8) expression, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genes of hZnT-8 as well as metallothionein 1A and serum/intracellular zinc. Furthermore, we investigated the relation between insulin and zinc homeostasis in type 2 diabetic subjects and consolidated our results by in vitro analysis of the effect of insulin on cellular zinc status and by analysis of the modulation of insulin signal transduction by intracellular zinc homeostasis. Concerning the expression of hZnT-8 and the SNPs analyzed, we did not observe any differences between diabetic and control subjects. Serum zinc was significantly lower in diabetic patients compared to controls, and intracellular zinc showed the same tendency. Interestingly, type 2 diabetes patients treated with insulin displayed lower serum zinc compared to those not injecting insulin. In vitro analyses showed that insulin leads to an increase in intracellular zinc and that insulin signaling was enhanced by elevated intracellular zinc concentrations. In conclusion, we show that type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients suffer from zinc deficiency, and our results indicate that zinc supplementation may qualify as a potential treatment adjunct in type 2 diabetes by promoting insulin signaling, especially in zinc-deficient subjects.

Mouse splenocyte blast transformation in the presence of plasma γ-globulin fraction proteins and their complexes with copper and zinc

Plasma γ-globulin fraction proteins, copper and zinc cations, and metal complexes formed by these cations and human serum γ-globulin induce blast transformation of splenocytes from BALB/c mice at a level comparable to that induced by concanavalin A. Zinc bound to γ-globulin reduces by 25% and copper in complex with this protein stimulates by 1.6 times its capacity to induce blast transformation. Combinations with concanavalin A reproduce the effects of γ-globulin-metal complex under conditions of mitogen induction. Incorporation of(3)H-thymidine in splenocytes incubated with combinations of γ-globulin-copper metalcomplex, copper cations, and control protein with concanavalin A was by 1.4, 1.3 (p<0.1), and 1.25 times higher (p<0.05), respectively, than after incubation with concanavalin A alone.

Genomic analysis, cytokine expression, and microRNA profiling reveal biomarkers of human dietary zinc depletion and homeostasis

Implementation of zinc interventions for subjects suspected of being zinc-deficient is a global need, but is limited due to the absence of reliable biomarkers. To discover molecular signatures of human zinc deficiency, a combination of transcriptome, cytokine, and microRNA analyses was applied to a dietary zinc depletion/repletion protocol with young male human subjects. Concomitant with a decrease in serum zinc concentration, changes in buccal and blood gene transcripts related to zinc homeostasis occurred with zinc depletion. Microarray analyses of whole blood RNA revealed zinc-responsive genes, particularly, those associated with cell cycle regulation and immunity. Responses of potential signature genes of dietary zinc depletion were further assessed by quantitative real-time PCR. The diagnostic properties of specific serum microRNAs for dietary zinc deficiency were identified by acute responses to zinc depletion, which were reversible by subsequent zinc repletion. Depression of immune-stimulated TNFα secretion by blood cells was observed after low zinc consumption and may serve as a functional biomarker. Our findings introduce numerous novel candidate biomarkers for dietary zinc status assessment using a variety of contemporary technologies and which identify changes that occur prior to or with greater sensitivity than the serum zinc concentration which represents the current zinc status assessment marker. In addition, the results of gene network analysis reveal potential clinical outcomes attributable to suboptimal zinc intake including immune function defects and predisposition to cancer. These demonstrate through a controlled depletion/repletion dietary protocol that the illusive zinc biomarker(s) can be identified and applied to assessment and intervention strategies.

A pilot study to investigate the treatment of cervical human papillomavirus infection with zinc-citrate compound (CIZAR®)

OBJECTIVE

In the present study the potential therapeutic effects of zinc-citrate compound (CIZAR®) in women infected with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) was investigated.

METHODS

A total of 194 women diagnosed with HR-HPV infection using the Hybrid capture (HC) II assay with no evidence of high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) or worse by Pap smear and colposcopy were enrolled. Among them, 76 women were treated by twice weekly self administered intra-vaginal infusion of 0.5 mM zinc citrate solution containing CIZAR® for 12 weeks and were evaluated for clearance of the HR-HPV infection compared to 118 women without treatment (Control group).

RESULTS

The 12 weeks zinc citrate solution treatment resulted in the elimination of HR-HPV in 49/76 (64.47%) patients compared to the spontaneous clearance of 15.25% (18/118) in the control group (p=0.000). By logistic regression analysis, the 12 week zinc citrate solution treatment reduced the risk of persistent HR-HPV infection significantly (OR 0.079; 95% CI 0.039-0.165; p=0.000).

CONCLUSION

The results of this study showed for the first time that treatment with intra-vaginal infusion of a zinc-citrate compound (CIZAR®) can result in elimination of HR-HPV infection from the uterine cervix.

Differential gene expression in liver and small intestine from lactating rats compared to age-matched virgin controls detects increased mRNA of cholesterol biosynthetic genes

Background

Lactation increases energy demands four- to five-fold, leading to a two- to three-fold increase in food consumption, requiring a proportional adjustment in the ability of the lactating dam to absorb nutrients and to synthesize critical biomolecules, such as cholesterol, to meet the dietary needs of both the offspring and the dam. The size and hydrophobicity of the bile acid pool increases during lactation, implying an increased absorption and disposition of lipids, sterols, nutrients, and xenobiotics. In order to investigate changes at the transcriptomics level, we utilized an exon array and calculated expression levels to investigate changes in gene expression in the liver, duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of lactating dams when compared against age-matched virgin controls.

Results

A two-way mixed models ANOVA was applied to detect differentially expressed genes. Significance calls were defined as a p < 0.05 for the overall physiologic state effect (lactation vs. control), and a within tissue pairwise comparison of p < 0.01. The proportion of false positives, an estimate of the ratio of false positives in the list of differentially expressed genes, was calculated for each tissue. The number of differentially expressed genes was 420 in the liver, 337 in the duodenum, 402 in the jejunum, and 523 in the ileum. The list of differentially expressed genes was in turn analyzed by Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (IPA) to detect biological pathways that were overrepresented. In all tissues, sterol regulatory element binding protein (Srebp)-regulated genes involved in cholesterol synthesis showed increased mRNA expression, with the fewest changes detected in the jejunum. We detected increased Scap mRNA in the liver only, suggesting an explanation for the difference in response to lactation between the liver and small intestine. Expression of Cyp7a1, which catalyzes the rate limiting step in the bile acid biosynthetic pathway, was also significantly increased in liver. In addition, decreased levels of mRNA associated with T-cell signaling were found in the jejunum and ileum. Several members of the Solute Carrier (SLC) and Adenosine Triphosphate Binding Cassette (ABC) superfamilies of membrane transporters were found to be differentially expressed; these genes may play a role in differences in nutrient and xenobiotic absorption and disposition. mRNA expression of SLC39a4_predicted, a zinc transporter, was increased in all tissues, suggesting that it is involved in increased zinc uptake during lactation. Microarray data are available through GEO under GSE19175.

Conclusions

We detected differential expression of mRNA from several pathways in lactating dams, including upregulation of the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway in liver and intestine, consistent with Srebp activation. Differential T-Cell signaling in the two most distal regions of the small intestine (ileum and jejunum) was also noted, as well as differential expression of transporters that likely play a key role in nutrient uptake.

X-ray fluorescence analysis of long-term changes in the levels and distributions of trace elements in the rat brain following mechanical injury

This paper describes the results of the application of X-ray fluorescence microscopy to the qualitative, topographic and quantitative elemental analysis of nervous tissue from rats with neocortical brain injury. The tissue samples were analyzed with a 15 μm beam defined by the size of the polycapillary focus. Raster scanning of the samples generated 2D cartographies, revealing the distributions of elements such as P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Fe, Cu, and Zn. Special emphasis was placed on the analysis of the areas neighboring the lesion site and the hippocampal formation tissue. The results obtained for rats with mechanical brain injuries were compared with those recorded for controls and animals with pilocarpine-induced seizures. There were no significant differences in the elemental compositions of gray and white matter between injured and uninjured brain hemispheres. A higher level of Ca was observed in the gray matter of both of the hemispheres in brains with neocortical injuries. A similar relation was noticed for Fe in the white matter. A comparative study of hippocampal formation tissue showed a statistically significant decrease in the mass per unit area of P in the dentate gyrus (DG) and the hilus (H) of DG for animals with brain lesions in comparison with the control group. Analogous relations were found for Cu in the DG and Zn in sector 3 of Ammon’s horn (CA3) and the DG. It is important to note that identical changes in the same areas were observed for animals with pilocarpine-induced seizures in our previous study.

Maternal micronutrient supplementation with zinc and β-carotene affects morbidity and immune function of infants during the first 6 months of life

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Micronutrient deficiencies are prevalent worldwide, and a major cause of infant death. Supplementation with multiple micronutrients during pregnancy might improve micronutrient status of the newborn, thereby reducing morbidity and death. Moreover, maternal supplementation might affect the newborn's immune development. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of maternal zinc and β-carotene supplementation on the infant's morbidity and immune function during the first 6 months of life.

SUBJECTS/METHODS

Mothers were supplemented during pregnancy with β-carotene and/or zinc, in addition to iron and folic acid, in a randomized, double-blind controlled trial. Newborn infants (n=136) were followed up for 6 months.

RESULTS

Infants born from mothers receiving zinc during pregnancy had significantly fewer episodes of diarrhoea than infants born from mothers not receiving zinc (0.2 and 0.4, respectively), but more episodes of cough (1.3 and 0.9 respectively) during the first 6 months. Maternal β-carotene supplementation had no effect on infants' morbidity. Cytokine production in the newborns was affected by maternal zinc and β-carotene supplementation, with zinc supplementation giving higher interleukin-6 production (16% higher), and β-carotene supplementation leading to lower interferon-γ production (36% lower).

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that maternal supplementation with zinc and β-carotene affected the newborn's immune development in specific ways, but only maternal zinc supplementation significantly affected morbidity in the infants. Addition of zinc to routine iron and folic acid supplements for pregnant women could be an effective way to reduce diarrhoeal disease during the first 6 months of life, albeit at the expense of more episodes of cough.

Effect of zinc methionine or zinc sulfate supplementation on milk production and composition of milk in lactating dairy cows

Eighteen lactating dairy cows were used to compare the effects of organic and inorganic Zn supplements on milk production and chemical composition of milk. Animals received three diets in a randomized block design: basal diet with no supplemental Zn (control, 42 mg Zn/kg), basal diet plus 500 mg Zn/kg of dry matter (DM) as zinc sulfate monohydrate (ZnS) and basal diet plus 500 mg Zn/kg of DM as zinc methionine (ZnM). Results showed that milk and fat-corrected milk yield in dairy cows were not significantly affected by Zn source although a numerical increase was observed. The percentages of protein, lactose, fat, solid nonfat, total solid, and density of milk were not significantly different between treatments. However, dairy cows that received ZnM tended to produce more milk and fat-corrected milk with a lower somatic cell count as compared to controls. The zinc concentration in milk in the ZnM and ZnS groups was higher (P < 0.05) than in milk from the control group, but there were no significant differences between ZnS and ZnM groups.

Nutrition, intestinal defence and the microbiome

The interaction between nutrition and infection was the subject of important work by several groups in the 1960s. The explosion of knowledge in immunology, including innate immunity, has led to increased understanding of the impact of nutrition on host defence, but much more work needs to be done in this area. In the last decade an increasing volume of work has opened up the previously obscure world of human endogenous flora. This work suggests that the microbiome, the total genetic pool of the microbiota, contributes to the already complex interaction between nutrition and infectious disease. The established concept that nutritional status, host defence and infection all impact on each other now has to be expanded into a multiple interaction, with the microbiota interacting with all three other elements. There is good evidence that the microbiome programmes host defence and drives a metabolome that impacts on energy balance, and indeed on some micronutrients. In turn, host defence shapes the microbiome, and nutritional status, particularly micronutrient status, helps determine several elements of host defence. While interventions in this area are in their infancy, the understanding of interactions that already have an enormous impact on global health is now at a threshold. The present review explores the evidence for these interactions with a view to putting potential interventions into the context of a conceptual framework.

ZIP4 regulates pancreatic cancer cell growth by activating IL-6/STAT3 pathway through zinc finger transcription factor CREB

PURPOSE

Recent studies indicate a strong correlation of zinc transporter ZIP4 and pancreatic cancer progression; however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. We have recently found that ZIP4 is overexpressed in pancreatic cancer. In this study, we investigated the signaling pathway through which ZIP4 regulates pancreatic cancer growth.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

The expression of cyclin D1, interleukin 6 (IL-6), and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in pancreatic cancer xenografts and cells were examined by real-time PCR, Bio-Plex cytokine assay, and Western blot, respectively. The activity of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) is examined by a promoter activity assay.

RESULTS

Cyclin D1 was significantly increased in the ZIP4 overexpressing MIA PaCa-2 cells (MIA-ZIP4)-injected orthotopic xenografts and was downregulated in the ZIP4-silenced ASPC-1 (ASPC-shZIP4) group. The phosphorylation of STAT3, an upstream activator of cyclin D1, was increased in MIA-ZIP4 cells and decreased in ASPC-shZIP4 cells. IL-6, a known upstream activator for STAT3, was also found to be significantly increased in the MIA-ZIP4 cells and xenografts and decreased in the ASPC-shZIP4 group. Overexpression of ZIP4 led to a 75% increase of IL-6 promoter activity and caused increased phosphorylation of CREB.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggest that ZIP4 overexpression causes increased IL-6 transcription through CREB, which in turn activates STAT3 and leads to increased cyclin D1 expression, resulting in increased cell proliferation and tumor progression in pancreatic cancer. These results elucidated a novel pathway in ZIP4-mediated pancreatic cancer growth and suggest new therapeutic targets, including ZIP4, IL-6, and STAT3, in pancreatic cancer treatment.

Low zinc status: a new risk factor for pneumonia in the elderly?

Low zinc status may be a risk factor for pneumonia in the elderly. This special article reviews the magnitude of the problem of pneumonia (its prevalence, morbidity, and mortality) in the elderly, pneumonia's etiology, and the dysregulation of the immune system associated with increasing age. In addition, recent evidence from the literature is presented demonstrating that low zinc status (commonly reported in the elderly) impairs immune function, decreases resistance to pathogens, and is associated with increased incidence and duration of pneumonia, increased use and duration of antimicrobial treatment, and increased overall mortality in the elderly. Inadequate stores of zinc might, therefore, be a risk factor for pneumonia in the elderly. Randomized, double-blind, controlled studies are needed to determine the efficacy of zinc supplementation as a potential low-cost intervention to reduce morbidity and mortality due to pneumonia in this vulnerable population.

The ubiquitous role of zinc in health and disease

OBJECTIVE

To review zinc physiology and pathophysiology and the importance of zinc toxicity and deficiency in veterinary patients.

DATA SOURCES

A review of human and veterinary medical literature.

HUMAN DATA SYNTHESIS

There is a significant amount of original research in humans and animals on the role of zinc in multiple organ systems. There is also significant data available on human patients with zinc abnormalities.

VETERINARY DATA SYNTHESIS

Zinc deficiency has been studied in dogs with genetic disease and dietary deficiency leading to dermatological disease and immune deficiency. Zinc toxicity has been described after ingestion of metallic foreign bodies containing zinc.

CONCLUSIONS

Historically, the role of zinc in health and disease has been studied through patients with toxicity or severe deficiency with obvious clinical signs. As the ubiquitous contribution of zinc to structure and function in biological systems was discovered, clinically significant but subtle deficiency states have been revealed. In human medicine, mild zinc deficiencies are currently thought to cause chronic metabolic derangement leading to or exacerbating immune deficiency, gastrointestinal problems, endocrine disorders, neurologic dysfunction, cancer, accelerated aging, degenerative disease, and more. Determining the causal relationships between mild zinc deficiency and concurrent disease is complicated by the lack of sensitive or specific tests for zinc deficiency. The prevalence of zinc deficiency and its contribution to disease in veterinary patients is not well known. Continued research is warranted to develop more sensitive and specific tests to assess zinc status, to determine which patients are at risk for deficiency, and to optimize supplementation in health and disease.

Zinc: the brain's dark horse

Zinc is a life-sustaining trace element, serving structural, catalytic, and regulatory roles in cellular biology. It is required for normal mammalian brain development and physiology, such that deficiency or excess of zinc has been shown to contribute to alterations in behavior, abnormal central nervous system development, and neurological disease. In this light, it is not surprising that zinc ions have now been shown to play a role in the neuromodulation of synaptic transmission as well as in cortical plasticity. Zinc is stored in specific synaptic vesicles by a class of glutamatergic or "gluzinergic" neurons and is released in an activity-dependent manner. Because gluzinergic neurons are found almost exclusively in the cerebral cortex and limbic structures, zinc may be critical for normal cognitive and emotional functioning. Conversely, direct evidence shows that zinc might be a relatively potent neurotoxin. Neuronal injury secondary to in vivo zinc mobilization and release occurs in several neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in addition to epilepsy and ischemia. Thus, zinc homeostasis is integral to normal central nervous system functioning, and in fact its role may be underappreciated. This article provides an overview of zinc neurobiology and reviews the experimental evidence that implicates zinc signals in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric diseases. A greater understanding of zinc's role in the central nervous system may therefore allow for the development of therapeutic approaches where aberrant metal homeostasis is implicated in disease pathogenesis.

Zinc and diabetes--clinical links and molecular mechanisms

Zinc is an essential trace element crucial for the function of more than 300 enzymes and it is important for cellular processes like cell division and apoptosis. Hence, the concentration of zinc in the human body is tightly regulated and disturbances of zinc homeostasis have been associated with several diseases including diabetes mellitus, a disease characterized by high blood glucose concentrations as a consequence of decreased secretion or action of insulin. Zinc supplementation of animals and humans has been shown to ameliorate glycemic control in type 1 and 2 diabetes, the two major forms of diabetes mellitus, but the underlying molecular mechanisms have only slowly been elucidated. Zinc seems to exert insulin-like effects by supporting the signal transduction of insulin and by reducing the production of cytokines, which lead to beta-cell death during the inflammatory process in the pancreas in the course of the disease. Furthermore, zinc might play a role in the development of diabetes, since genetic polymorphisms in the gene of zinc transporter 8 and in metallothionein (MT)-encoding genes could be demonstrated to be associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The fact that antibodies against this zinc transporter have been detected in type 1 diabetic patients offers new diagnostic possibilities. This article reviews the influence of zinc on the diabetic state including the molecular mechanisms, the role of the zinc transporter 8 and MT for diabetes development and the resulting diagnostic and therapeutic options.

Glycemic control of type 2 diabetic patients after short-term zinc supplementation

This study was carried out to determine whether a short-term zinc supplementation contributes to beneficial changes in glycemic control among type 2 diabetic patients. Seventy-six diabetic subjects and 72 normal adults participated in this study. Subjects were divided into supplemented and control groups. Forty-four diabetic patients and 34 normal subjects were supplemented with 50 mg zinc daily as zinc gluconate for 4 weeks. Zinc status was assessed from fasting plasma levels and urinary excretion. The effects of zinc supplementation on fasting blood glucose, HbA_1c, insulin, and C-peptide were measured at the beginning of the study and after 4 weeks of supplementation. The changes in glycemic control indicators were compared between diabetic groups, classified by baseline HbA_1c levels, and by diabetic duration. At baseline, the incidence of marginal zinc deficiency in the diabetic group, as determined by plasma zinc level, was approximately twice as high as in the normal adult group. The changes of HbA_1c concentration, and fasting blood glucose following supplementation were not statistically significant in diabetic subjects. In normal subjects, a significant decrease of HbA_1c occurred only in the zinc supplemented group. No significant changes were observed for serum insulin and C-peptide in diabetic as well as normal subjects. However, when the changes were compared by baseline HbA_1c level, we found that diabetic subjects with HbA_1c ≥ 7.5% showed significantly improved levels of HbA_1c and fasting glucose after Zn supplementation. While such improvement in fasting blood glucose was significant among diabetics with shorter diabetic duration, significant levels of increase in serum insulin and C-peptide were observed in zinc supplemented subjects with longer diabetic duration. Fasting blood glucose was significantly decreased, whereas serum insulin and C-peptide were increased in diabetics with marginal zinc status. Therefore, we suggest that Zn supplementation for a short-term period may improve glycemic control in diabetic patients with higher HbA_1c levels and marginal zinc status.

Extracellular annexin A5: functions of phosphatidylserine-binding and two-dimensional crystallization

In normal healthy cells phosphatidylserine is located in the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane. However, on activated platelets, dying cells and under specific circumstances also on various types of viable leukocytes phosphatidylserine is actively externalized to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane. Annexin A5 has the ability to bind in a calcium-dependent manner to phosphatidylserine and to form a membrane-bound two-dimensional crystal lattice. Based on these abilities various functions for extracellular annexin A5 on the phosphatidylserine-expressing plasma membrane have been proposed. In this review we describe possible mechanisms for externalization of annexin A5 and various processes in which extracellular annexin A5 may play a role such as blood coagulation, apoptosis, phagocytosis and formation of plasma membrane-derived microparticles. We further highlight the recent discovery of internalization of extracellular annexin A5 by phosphatidylserine-expressing cells.

Inflammation, genes and zinc in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a heterogeneous and progressive neurodegenerative disease which in Western society mainly accounts for clinical dementia. AD has been linked to inflammation and metal biological pathway. Neuro-pathological hallmarks are senile plaques, resulting from the accumulation of several proteins and an inflammatory reaction around deposits of amyloid, a fibrillar protein, Abeta, product of cleavage of a much larger protein, the beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP) and neurofibrillary tangles. Amyloid deposition, due to the accumulation of Abeta peptide, is the main pathogenetic mechanism. Inflammation clearly occurs in pathologically vulnerable regions of AD and several inflammatory factors influencing AD development, i.e. environmental factors (pro-inflammatory phenotype) and/or genetic factors (pro-inflammatory genotype) have been described. At the biochemical level metals such as zinc are known to accelerate the aggregation of the amyloid peptide and play a role in the control of inflammatory responses. In particular, zinc availability may regulate mRNA cytokine expression, so influencing inflammatory network phenotypic expression.

Zinc supplementation prevents the increase of transaminase in chronic hepatitis C patients during combination therapy with pegylated interferon alpha-2b and ribavirin

We investigated the effects of zinc supplementation on clinical observations in chronic hepatitis C patients receiving pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) alpha-2b plus ribavirin combination therapy. Patients were randomly allocated to receive 150 mg polaprezinc (zinc group, n=11) or no supplement (control group, n=12) daily in addition to PEG-IFN alpha-2b plus ribavirin therapy and 300 mg vitamin E and 600 mg vitamin C supplementation daily for 48 wk. Among the patients who continued treatment, the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level at 12 wk in the zinc group was significantly lower than that in the control group. All patients in the zinc group (9/9) and 67% (8/12) of the control patients at 24 wk, and all patients in the zinc group (7/7) and 60% (6/10) of the control patients at 48 wk showed a decrease in serum ALT levels to within the normal range (7-44 U/L). HCV RNA disappeared in all patients (7/7) in the zinc group and in 8 of 10 control patients at 48 wk. Polaprezinc supplementation decreased plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and prevented the decrease of polyunsaturated fatty acids of erythrocyte membrane phospholipids. No significant differences were observed in the dosage of medicines or other clinical data during the treatment. These observations indicate that polaprezinc supplementation may have induced some antioxidative functions in the liver which resulted in reduced hepatocyte injury during PEG-IFN alpha-2b plus ribavirin therapy.

Serum zinc and pneumonia in nursing home elderly

BACKGROUND

Zinc plays an important role in immune function. The association between serum zinc and pneumonia in the elderly has not been studied.

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to determine whether serum zinc concentrations in nursing home elderly are associated with the incidence and duration of pneumonia, total and duration of antibiotic use, and pneumonia-associated and all-cause mortality.

DESIGN

This observational study was conducted in residents from 33 nursing homes in Boston, MA, who participated in a 1-y randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled vitamin E supplementation trial; all were given daily doses of 50% of the recommended dietary allowance of essential vitamins and minerals, including zinc. Participants with baseline (n = 578) or final (n = 420) serum zinc concentrations were categorized as having low (<70 microg/dL) or normal (>or=70 microg/dL) serum zinc concentrations. Outcome measures included the incidence and number of days with pneumonia, number of new antibiotic prescriptions, days of antibiotic use, death due to pneumonia, and all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

Compared with subjects with low zinc concentrations, subjects with normal final serum zinc concentrations had a lower incidence of pneumonia, fewer (by almost 50%) new antibiotic prescriptions, a shorter duration of pneumonia, and fewer days of antibiotic use (3.9 d compared with 2.6 d) (P <or= 0.004 for all). Normal baseline serum zinc concentrations were associated with a reduction in all-cause mortality (P = 0.049).

CONCLUSION

Normal serum zinc concentrations in nursing home elderly are associated with a decreased incidence and duration of pneumonia, a decreased number of new antibiotic prescriptions, and a decrease in the days of antibiotic use. Zinc supplementation to maintain normal serum zinc concentrations in the elderly may help reduce the incidence of pneumonia and associated morbidity.

Immunological biomarkers of ageing in man: changes in both innate and adaptive immunity are associated with health and longevity

Scientific and clinical advances in the last century have led to increased numbers of individuals living to older ages. Thus a major concern is how to live these years with a high quality of life. The ageing immune system is less well able to cope with infectious diseases than the youthful immune system probably as a consequence of altered immune response to pathogens. Thus, both innate and adaptive immune responses show age-related changes that could be decisive for healthy ageing and survival. Longitudinal studies in healthy elderly have allowed the definition of the ''immune risk phenotype" (IRP) a predictor of mortality in elderly individuals that is based on several parameters of the adaptive immune response. Here, we hypothesize that failures in innate immunity observed in frail elderly are related to those alterations described in adaptive immunity defined as the IRP. It will be important to include assays of NK cell markers and functions in future longitudinal studies in order to investigate this point in detail as well as to consider the trace element zinc as an essential co-factor for optimal NK cell activity.