Study of factors affecting binding of zinc with albumin at physiological zinc concentrations

Zinc unbound concentration as an anchor to drive individualize repletion

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Zinc (Zn) quantification is of particular interest in many clinical condition (e.g. inflammatory disease, critical care). Currently, Zn status is assessed by measuring plasma/serum concentration. This concentration corresponds to the sum of unbound Zn (Zn-Cu) and Zn highly bound to albumin (Zn-Cb).

METHODS

Using a pharmacokinetic approach to the interpretation of total Zn concentration (Zn-Ct), taking into account Zn-Cu and the influence of hypoalbuminemia on Zn-Cb, it is possible to improve the individualization of Zn repletion.

RESULTS

Therefore, during pregnancy and in certain inflammatory disease situations, repletion may not be necessary. However, as in critical care, it would be more appropriate to perform Zn-Cu assays to improve Zn repletion.

CONCLUSION

Coupled total and unbound Zn should be monitored in order to individualize Zn repletion.

Gastroprotection studies of Schiff base zinc (II) derivative complex against acute superficial hemorrhagic mucosal lesions in rats

Background

The study was carried out to assess the gastroprotective effect of the zinc (II) complex against ethanol-induced acute hemorrhagic lesions in rats.

Methodology/Principal Finding

The animals received their respective pre-treatments dissolved in tween 20 (5% v/v), orally. Ethanol (95% v/v) was orally administrated to induce superficial hemorrhagic mucosal lesions. Omeprazole (5.790×10⁻⁵ M/kg) was used as a reference medicine. The pre-treatment with the zinc (II) complex (2.181×10⁻⁵ and 4.362×10⁻⁵ M/kg) protected the gastric mucosa similar to the reference control. They significantly increased the activity levels of nitric oxide, catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione and prostaglandin E2, and decreased the level of malondialdehyde. The histology assessments confirmed the protection through remarkable reduction of mucosal lesions and increased the production of gastric mucosa. Immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis indicated that the complex might induced Hsp70 up-regulation and Bax down-regulation. The complex moderately increased the gastroprotectiveness in fine fettle. The acute toxicity approved the non-toxic characteristic of the complex (<87.241×10⁻⁵ M/kg).

Conclusion/Significance

The gastroprotective effect of the zinc (II) complex was mainly through its antioxidant activity, enzymatic stimulation of prostaglandins E2, and up-regulation of Hsp70. The gastric wall mucus was also a remarkable protective mechanism.

Interaction of zinc, ascorbic acid, and folic acid in glycation with albumin as protein model

Using albumin as model, we conducted series of in vitro glycation experiments to examine role of zinc in glycation using glucose at 4-100 mg/ml, incubations at 37°C or 60°C, duration of 2 or 4 weeks and in presence of zinc or ascorbic acid (AA) or folic acid (FA). Modifications of bovine serum albumin (BSA) were examined by using fluorescence of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and dityrosine, UV, and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy. Adding zinc (0 to 768.5 μmol/l) resulted in significant inhibition of albumin glycation by glucose with a linear fit, y = -0·0895x + 230·99(R² = 0·7676, p = 0·013). The glycation by fructose was greater than that of glucose with stronger inhibitory effect by zinc in fructose-glycation (t= -5.8, p=0.002). Addition of zinc significantly decreased fluorescence as seen in Zn + FA or Zn + AA sets as compared to sets of FA alone (p=0.00056) or AA alone (p=0.037). The fluorescence for dityrosine and AGE had a correlation of 0.897 (p<0.01). The data from fluorescence, UV, and FTIR spectra collectively suggested inhibitory effect of zinc in BSA glycation alone or in presence of FA and AA, showing new dimension for the protective action of zinc in hyperglycemic conditions.

Role of zinc along with ascorbic acid and folic acid during long-term in vitro albumin glycation

The present study aimed to investigate the role of Zn alone and in the presence of ascorbic acid (AA) and folic acid (FA) in albumin glycation. Glycation was performed by incubations of bovine serum albumin with glucose at 37°C along with Zn, AA or FA separately and Zn+AA or Zn+FA for 150 d. Glycation-mediated modifications were monitored as fluorescence of advanced glycation endproducts, carbonyl formation, β aggregation (thioflavin T and Congo red dyes), albumin-bound Zn, thiol groups and glycated aggregate's toxicity in HepG2 cells. Zn inhibited glycation and β aggregation, probably due to observed higher protein-bound Zn. It also protected protein thiols and increased cell survival. AA and FA enhanced glycation, which was lowered in Zn-co-incubated samples. FA increased albumin-bound Zn and showed maximum cell survival. Although these results warrant further in vivo investigation, the present data help in the understanding of the interplay of Zn with micronutrients in albumin glycation.

The role of particulate matter-associated zinc in cardiac injury in rats

BACKGROUND

Exposure to particulate matter (PM) has been associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity; however, causative components are unknown. Zinc is a major element detected at high levels in urban air.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the role of PM-associated zinc in cardiac injury.

METHODS

We repeatedly exposed 12- to 14-week-old male Wistar Kyoto rats intratracheally (1x/week for 8 or 16 weeks) to a) saline (control); b) PM having no soluble zinc (Mount St. Helens ash, MSH); or c) whole-combustion PM suspension containing 14.5 microg/mg of water-soluble zinc at high dose (PM-HD) and d ) low dose (PM-LD), e) the aqueous fraction of this suspension (14.5 microg/mg of soluble zinc) (PM-L), or f ) zinc sulfate (rats exposed for 8 weeks received double the concentration of all PM components of rats exposed for 16 weeks).

RESULTS

Pulmonary inflammation was apparent in all exposure groups when compared with saline (8 weeks > 16 weeks). PM with or without zinc, or with zinc alone caused small increases in focal subepicardial inflammation, degeneration, and fibrosis. Lesions were not detected in controls at 8 weeks but were noted at 16 weeks. We analyzed mitochondrial DNA damage using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and found that all groups except MSH caused varying degrees of damage relative to control. Total cardiac aconitase activity was inhibited in rats receiving soluble zinc. Expression array analysis of heart tissue revealed modest changes in mRNA for genes involved in signaling, ion channels function, oxidative stress, mitochondrial fatty acid metabolism, and cell cycle regulation in zinc but not in MSH-exposed rats.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that water-soluble PM-associated zinc may be one of the causal components involved in PM cardiac effects.

Changes in zinc uptake in response to ascorbic acid and folic acid in rat liver slices under normal and oxidative stress conditions

Zinc plays a dual role, as an integral part of metabolic machinery and in defense against reactive oxygen species. Hepatocytes are important sites for zinc metabolism for synthesis of zinc metalloproteins and maintaining its homeostasis. However, the factors influencing post absorptive zinc metabolism under normal and oxidative stress (OS) conditions are not well understood. Using rat liver slices, we conducted a series of four in vitro zinc uptake experiments to study influence of ascorbic acid and folic acid in normal and oxidative stress conditions with Zn concentrations representing deficient to excess states (7.7-30.7 millimole/L). Zinc uptakes under OS at these four zinc levels were lower than the normal conditions. Folic acid showed significant inhibitory effect on zinc uptake under both normal and OS conditions in a dose response manner. Nevertheless, dose response of ascorbic acid at four zinc levels indicated its marked enhancing effect under OS condition. Differences in zinc uptake trend lines between the normal and OS conditions for interaction of both the vitamins narrowed down as the zinc levels increased. Our results suggest that folic acid causes inhibitory effect, while ascorbic acid may be protective in OS with reference to zinc uptake.

Predicting Bioavailable Zinc from Lower Phytate Forms, Folic Acid and Their Interactions with Zinc in Vegetarian Meals

OBJECTIVE

To develop a statistical model for predicting zinc bioavailability from cereal-based vegetarian meals using relative proportion of nutrients, non-nutrients and their interactive effects.

METHODS

A database on in vitro zinc dialysability (by isotopic tracer, 65Zn) of vegetarian meals (266 out of 326) from Asia, Africa, Europe /US and Latin America was used to develop a model for estimating zinc bioavailability. A multiple regression analysis adjusted for energy content was carried out for net bioavailable zinc from a meal with the predictor variables as meal contents of iron, zinc, copper, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, riboflavin, thiamine, folic acid, tannic acid, fiber, phytate degradation products (IP6 to IP1), along with their interaction terms. Reproducibility of the model was tested with remaining 60 meals. Validation of the model was done with zinc absorption data of i) 12 young adults on 24 meals and ii) 5 adults with ileostomy on 7 meals.

RESULTS

Folic acid, IP3 and IP5 were significant influencing factors for bioavailable zinc. Weighted multiple regression equation was: ln (bioavailable zinc in mg) = -1.701 + 1.285 x ln [(IP5 in mg] x (Zn in mg)] -1.222 x ln(IP5 in mg) -0.0078 x folic acid in microg -0.137 x ln [(IP3 in mg) x (Zn in mg)] with adjusted R--[2] = 0.64, p = 0.0001. The correlation between predicted and observed dialysability of meals was found to be 0.96 (p < 0.01). A significant correlation between observed and predicted amount of absorbed zinc (r = 0.85, p < 0.01) was obtained for the human data of zinc absorption in 12 healthy and 5 subjects with ileostomy.

CONCLUSIONS

Bioavailable amount of zinc from vegetarian meals was influenced by IP3, IP5 and folic acid content and their interactive effect with zinc content.