Modulating the immune response by oral zinc supplementation: a single approach for multiple diseases

Abstract

Zinc is required for multiple cellular tasks, and especially the immune system depends on a sufficient availability of this essential trace element. During the last decades, many studies attempted to affect the outcome of various diseases by zinc supplementation. These efforts either aimed at supporting immunity by zinc administration or at correcting a loss of zinc secondary to the disease to restore the zinc-dependent functions of the immune system. This review aims to summarize the respective findings and to discuss possible molecular mechanisms by which zinc could influence viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections, autoimmune diseases, and the response to vaccination. Zinc supplementation in diseases such as diarrhea, chronic hepatitis C, shigellosis, leprosy, tuberculosis, pneumonia, acute lower respiratory infection, and leishmaniasis seems beneficial. In contrast, the results for the common cold and malaria are still not conclusive, and zinc was ineffective in most vaccination and rheumatoid arthritis studies. For AIDS and type 1 diabetes, zinc supplementation may even be a risk factor for increased mortality or deterioration of the glucose metabolism, respectively. In these cases, zinc supplementation should be used with care and limited to clearly zinc-deficient individuals.

Effectiveness of zinc supplementation plus oral rehydration salts for diarrhoea in infants aged less than 6 months in Haryana state, India

“…13 Zinc supplementation can prevent diarrhoea and pneumonia through several mechanisms, notably through its ability to restore immunity in children who have zinc deficiency. [14][15][16] Zinc deficiency reduces the number of B and T lymphocytes (CD4+ lymphocytes in particular) through increased apoptosis, and reduces their functional capacity. This element stabilizes the cell membrane, and zinc deficiency disrupts the intestinal mucosa, reduces brush border enzymes and increases mucosal permeability and the intestinal secretion of water.…”

EFFECT OF <i>CATHA EDULIS</i> ON INSULIN, RESISTIN AND CORTISOL LEVELS IN TYPE-2 DIABETICS AND NON-DIABETICS

“…Lower zinc levels for DNK and DK groups might give the explanation for insulin resistance particularly in DNK group, because hexamer conformation of insulin will not formed resulting in immature and/or inactive insulin. Substances such as calcium, fiber and other chelating agents interfere with intestinal absorption of zinc and subsequently lead to an increase of intestinal zinc excretion (Overbeck et al, 2008), therefore khat content of fibers, tannins and calcium retards zinc absorption after lunch.…”

SoxS Increases the Expression of the Zinc Uptake System ZnuACB in an Escherichia coli Murine Pyelonephritis Model

“…The use of Zn as a healing agent has been proposed (35), and several studies show that it decreases bacterial loads of various pathogens. Our data demonstrate that SoxS, a controller of oxidative stress response and antibiotic resistance, also activates znuCB expression.…”