The Metals in the Biological Periodic System of the Elements: Concepts and Conjectures

Maret, Wolfgang

doi:10.3390/ijms17010066

Cited by 191 publications

(128 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Our analyses of metal levels in developing zebrafish indicate that Zn is the most abundant metal followed by Cu then Mn, as has been observed in other biological systems [10]. The absolute metal levels and distribution between yolk and embryo that we ascertained by ICP-MS agree with most published reports.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Characterization of trace metal content in the developing zebrafish embryo

et al. 2017

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Trace metals are essential for health but toxic when present in excess. The maintenance of trace metals at physiologic levels reflects both import and export by cells and absorption and excretion by organs. The mechanism by which this maintenance is achieved in vertebrate organisms is incompletely understood. To explore this, we chose zebrafish as our model organism, as they are amenable to both pharmacologic and genetic manipulation and comprise an ideal system for genetic screens and toxicological studies. To characterize trace metal content in developing zebrafish, we measured levels of three trace elements, copper, zinc, and manganese, from the oocyte stage to 30 days post-fertilization using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Our results indicate that metal levels are stable until zebrafish can acquire metals from the environment and imply that the early embryo relies on maternal contribution of metals to the oocyte. We also measured metal levels in bodies and yolks of embryos reared in presence and absence of the copper chelator neocuproine. All three metals exhibited different relative abundances between yolks and bodies of embryos. While neocuproine treatment led to an expected phenotype of copper deficiency, total copper levels were unaffected, indicating that measurement of total metal levels does not equate with measurement of biologically active metal levels. Overall, our data not only can be used in the design and execution of genetic, physiologic, and toxicologic studies but also has implications for the understanding of vertebrate metal homeostasis.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Characterization of trace metal content in the developing zebrafish embryo

et al. 2017

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“…More than 20 chemical elements are essential for life (7). Thus an organic chemistry-centric view of life is insufficient.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Zinc in Pancreatic Islet Biology, Insulin Sensitivity, and Diabetes

Maret

2017

JFN

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104

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About 20 chemical elements are nutritionally essential for humans with defined molecular functions. Several essential and nonessential biometals are either functional nutrients with antidiabetic actions or can be diabetogenic. A key question remains whether changes in the metabolism of biometals and biominerals are a consequence of diabetes or are involved in its etiology. Exploration of the roles of zinc (Zn) in this regard is most revealing because 80 years of scientific discoveries link zinc and diabetes. In pancreatic β- and α-cells, zinc has specific functions in the biochemistry of insulin and glucagon. When zinc ions are secreted during vesicular exocytosis, they have autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine roles. The membrane protein ZnT8 transports zinc ions into the insulin and glucagon granules. ZnT8 has a risk allele that predisposes the majority of humans to developing diabetes. In target tissues, increased availability of zinc enhances the insulin response by inhibiting protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, which controls the phosphorylation state of the insulin receptor and hence downstream signalling. Inherited diseases of zinc metabolism, environmental exposures that interfere with the control of cellular zinc homeostasis, and nutritional or conditioned zinc deficiency influence the patho-biochemistry of diabetes. Accepting the view that zinc is one of the many factors in multiple gene-environment interactions that cause the functional demise of β-cells generates an immense potential for treating and perhaps preventing diabetes. Personalized nutrition, bioactive food, and pharmaceuticals targeting the control of cellular zinc in precision medicine are among the possible interventions.

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“…Accordingly, many metals such as chromium, copper, cobalt, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum and zinc are essential for important biological processes, serving as cofactors for enzymes, impacting nucleic acid tertiary structure and facilitating oxygen transport [1]. In some cases, however, metals interact with biological molecules and disrupt their function, acting as irritants by initiating tissue injury and cellular death or generating inappropriate immune responses.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interplay of innate and adaptive immunity in metal-induced hypersensitivity

McKee

Fontenot

2016

Current Opinion in Immunology

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Metal-induced hypersensitivity is driven by T cell sensitization to metal ions. Recent advances in our understanding of the complex interactions between innate and adaptive immunity have expanded our knowledge of the pathogenesis of these diseases. Metals activate the innate immune system through direct binding to pathogen recognition receptors, activation of the inflammasome, or the induction of cellular death and release of alarmins. Certain metals can serve as adjuvants, promoting dendritic cell activation and migration as well as antigen presentation to metal-specific T cells. These T cells can recognize metals as haptens or as altered MHC-peptide complexes. The ability of metals to create these neoantigens emphasizes the similarity between metal-induced hypersensitivity and autoimmunity.

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The Metals in the Biological Periodic System of the Elements: Concepts and Conjectures

Cited by 191 publications

References 27 publications

Characterization of trace metal content in the developing zebrafish embryo

Characterization of trace metal content in the developing zebrafish embryo

Zinc in Pancreatic Islet Biology, Insulin Sensitivity, and Diabetes

Interplay of innate and adaptive immunity in metal-induced hypersensitivity

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