An Open Access Journal published by ICRISAT SAT eJournal ⏐ ejournal.icrisat.org- 1- December 2013 ⏐ Volume 11 Zinc nutrition in health and diseases (original) (raw)
Related papers
Zinc: an essential trace element for human health and beyond
Food and Health
Zinc is an essential element that plays a crucial role in the chemistry and biochemistry of living organisms. It serves as a cofactor for numerous enzymes and transcription factors, contributing to DNA synthesis, protein synthesis and cellular metabolism. Additionally, zinc acts as a structural component of proteins and participates in cellular signaling pathways. The chemistry of zinc is determined by its electronic configuration, and it readily forms coordination complexes with various ligands. This review explores the diverse functions of zinc in the body, including its involvement in enzyme activity, immunity, neutrophil function, modulation of allergies, its relationship with COVID-19, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, mental health, pregnancy and wound healing. Zinc has a history of use in traditional medicine systems, and its benefits and applications should be evaluated in the context of current scientific research and medical guidelines. Understanding the roles of zinc in these processes highlights its importance as an essential nutrient for overall health and provides insights into potential therapeutic applications. However, further advancement in understanding the biological function of zinc requires addressing certain limitations. These include overcoming methodological challenges, investigating tissue and cell-type specificity, understanding zinc interactions and redundancy, and employing integrated approaches, advanced imaging techniques, comparative studies, and systems biology approaches to gain a deeper understanding of zinc's implications in health and disease.
The Biomedical Role of Zinc in the Functioning of the Human Organism
Polish Journal of Public Health, 2014
Zinc is one of the most important microelements that can be found in the human organism. It is a component or an activator of various enzymes and takes part in more than 300 enzymatic reactions. It is present in all types of human tissue. About 90% of the general amount of zinc can be found in bones and muscles, 11% in liver and skin. Zn 2+ ions are stable ions in biological environment and they do not participate in redox reactions that occur inside an organism. Assimilability of this element by living organisms is varied. It depends largely on the sort of food and interactions occurring between zinc and other elements. Zinc is an essential element for normal development and maintenance of human health. The data presented in this article result from an overview of studies presented in literature published in the last five years concerning zinc transport mechanisms, the role of zinc in functioning of the human body, and also pathophysiological states caused by too low or excessive concentration of zinc in an organism.
Zinc: Multidimensional Effects on Living Organisms
Zinc is a redox-inert trace element that is second only to iron in abundance in biological systems. In cells, zinc is typically buffered and bound to metalloproteins, but may also exist as a labile or chelatable (free ion) form. Zinc plays a critical role in prokaryotes and eukaryotes ranging from structural to catalytic to replication to demise. This review discusses the influential properties of zinc on various mechanisms of bacterial proliferation and synergistic action as anti-microbial element. We also touch upon the significance of zinc among eukaryotic cells and how it may modulate their survival and death through its inhibitory or modulatory effect on certain receptors, enzymes, and signaling proteins. A brief discussion on zinc chelators is also presented and chelating agents may be used with or against zinc to affect therapeutics against human diseases. Overall, the multidimensional effects of zinc in cells attest to the growing numbers of scientific research that reveal t...
Zinc and human health: an update
Archives of Toxicology, 2012
The importance of micronutrients in health and nutrition is undisputable, and among them, zinc is an essential element whose significance to health is increasingly appreciated and whose deficiency may play an important role in the appearance of diseases. Zinc is one of the most important trace elements in the organism, with three major biological roles, as catalyst, structural, and regulatory ion. Zinc-binding motifs are found in many proteins encoded by the human genome physiologically, and free zinc is mainly regulated at the single-cell level. Zinc has critical effect in homeostasis, in immune function, in oxidative stress, in apoptosis, and in aging, and significant disorders of great public health interest are associated with zinc deficiency. In many chronic diseases, including atherosclerosis, several malignancies, neurological disorders, autoimmune diseases, aging, age-related degenerative diseases, and Wilson's disease, the concurrent zinc deficiency may complicate the clinical features, affect adversely immunological status, increase oxidative stress, and lead to the generation of inflammatory cytokines. In these diseases, oxidative stress and chronic inflammation may play important causative roles. It is therefore important that status of zinc is assessed in any case and zinc deficiency is corrected, since the unique properties of zinc may have significant therapeutic benefits in these diseases. In the present paper, we review the zinc as a multipurpose trace element, its biological role in homeostasis, proliferation and apoptosis and its role in immunity and in chronic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, depression, Wilson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and other age-related diseases.
Recent aspects of the effects of zinc on human health
Archives of Toxicology, 2020
Zinc (Zn) is one of the most important essential nutrients of great public health significance. It is involved in numerous biological functions and it is considered as a multipurpose trace element, due to its capacity to bind to more than 300 enzymes and more than 2000 transcriptional factors. Its role in biochemical pathways and cellular functions, such as the response to oxidative stress, homeostasis, immune responses, DNA replication, DNA damage repair, cell cycle progression, apoptosis and aging is significant. Zn is required for the synthesis of protein and collagen, thus contributing to wound healing and a healthy skin. Metallothioneins are metal-binding proteins and they are potent scavengers of heavy metals, including Zn, and protect the organism against stress. Zn deficiency is observed almost in 17% of the global population and affects many organ systems, leading to dysfunction of both humoral and cell-mediated immunity, thus increasing the susceptibility to infection. This review gives a thorough insight into the most recent evidence on the association between Zn biochemistry and human pathologies, epigenetic processes, gut microbial composition, drug targets and nanomedicine.
Recent Advances of Zinc in Human Health: A Review
International Research Journal Of Pharmacy, 2020
Zinc is a very essential trace element for human health. Adequate zinc level is very necessary for several body functions. Proper zinc level can reduce the child illness and may increase the physical growth of the children. Daily dietary intake of zinc is 8-11 mg/day for normal human being, excess and lower of this amount can cause illness in the human body. Approximately 2 billion people can be affected by the zinc deficiency. Zinc mostly found in all plants, animals and available in all sorts of vitamin supplements as well. Zinc can control the enzyme activity and DNA formation. Exposure to excess zinc can cause some serious illness like metal fume fever, prostate cancer, nausea, vomiting, fatigue etc. Zinc deficiency may lead to the world's third most important cause of impaired child growth. Apart from reduced child growth, diarrhea, common cold, impaired mental development can be caused by the lack of zinc concentration. In this review we will give insights to the zinc functions biochemistry, source, metabolism, assessment methods and definitely the deficiency and toxicity effect.
The biological inorganic chemistry of zinc ions
Archives of biochemistry and biophysics, 2016
The solution and complexation chemistry of zinc ions is the basis for zinc biology. In living organisms, zinc is redox-inert and has only one valence state: Zn(II). Its coordination environment in proteins is limited by oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur donors from the side chains of a few amino acids. In an estimated 10% of all human proteins, zinc has a catalytic or structural function and remains bound during the lifetime of the protein. However, in other proteins zinc ions bind reversibly with dissociation and association rates commensurate with the requirements in regulation, transport, transfer, sensing, signalling, and storage. In contrast to the extensive knowledge about zinc proteins, the coordination chemistry of the "mobile" zinc ions in these processes, i.e. when not bound to proteins, is virtually unexplored and the mechanisms of ligand exchange are poorly understood. Knowledge of the biological inorganic chemistry of zinc ions is essential for understanding its ce...
Zinc and its importance for human health: An integrative review
Journal of research in medical sciences : the official journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 2013
Since its first discovery in an Iranian male in 1961, zinc deficiency in humans is now known to be an important malnutrition problem world-wide. It is more prevalent in areas of high cereal and low animal food consumption. The diet may not necessarily be low in zinc, but its bio-availability plays a major role in its absorption. Phytic acid is the main known inhibitor of zinc. Compared to adults, infants, children, adolescents, pregnant, and lactating women have increased requirements for zinc and thus, are at increased risk of zinc depletion. Zinc deficiency during growth periods results in growth failure. Epidermal, gastrointestinal, central nervous, immune, skeletal, and reproductive systems are the organs most affected clinically by zinc deficiency. Clinical diagnosis of marginal Zn deficiency in humans remains problematic. So far, blood plasma/serum zinc concentration, dietary intake, and stunting prevalence are the best known indicators of zinc deficiency. Four main interventi...
Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 2011
In addition to its critical role in normal cell function, growth, and metabolism, zinc is implicated as a major factor in the development and progression of many pathological conditions and diseases. Despite this importance of zinc, many important factors, processes, and mechanisms of the physiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology of zinc remain unknown. Especially important is the unresolved issue regarding the mechanism and process of the trafficking, transport, and reactivity of zinc in cells; especially in mammalian cells. This presentation focuses on the concept that, due to the existence of a negligible pool of free Zn 2+ ions in the mammalian cell environment, the trafficking, transport and reactivity of zinc occurs via a direct exchange of zinc from donor Zn-ligands to acceptor ligands. This Zn exchange process occurs without the requirement for production of free Zn 2+ ions. The direct evidence from mammalian cell studies is presented in support of the operation of the direct Zn-ligand exchange mechanism. The paper also provides important information and conditions that should be considered and employed in the conduct of studies regarding the role and effects of zinc in biological/biomedical research; and in its clinical interpretation and application.