In a recent article in Immunology Today, Wellinghausen et al.1 reviewed the various interactions between zinc and the immune system. The authors clearly pointed out that zinc (zinc ions and/or chelated zinc) plays an important role in the maintenance of immune function. Zinc deficiency results in hypoplasia of the immune system, impaired immune response, poor wound healing, diminished T-cell de...

BACKGROUND It has been reported that some alopecia areata patients have zinc deficiency. There have also been several reports published concerning oral zinc sulfate therapy, with encouraging results, in some alopecia areata patients. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effects of oral zinc supplementation for twelve weeks in alopecia areata patients who had a l...

Our aim was to investigate the effect of low dietary zinc intake on zinc and carbohydrate metabolism in type II diabetes. Male, 4–5-week-old, genetically diabetic (C57B/LKsJdb+/db+) and nondiabetic original strain (C57BL/KsJ) mice were fed a diet containing 1 mg of Zn/kg (low zinc groups) or 54 mg of Zn/kg (control groups) for 27 days. Food intake and body weight gain were recorded regularly. O...

To evaluate the role of high-dose dietary zinc in the process of prostate malignancy, 60 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: tumor induction with carcinogen and hormone (group 1), oral zinc administration without tumor induction (group 2), oral zinc administration with tumor induction (group 3) and a control without zinc administration or tumor induction (group 4). Zinc ...

Zinc is essential to the structure and function of myriad proteins, including regulatory, structural and enzymatic. It is estimated that up to 1% of the human genome codes for zinc finger proteins. In the central nervous system, zinc has an additional role as a neurosecretory product or cofactor. In this role, zinc is highly concentrated in the synaptic vesicles of a specific contingent of neur...

Adequate zinc stores in the body are extremely important during periods of accelerated growth. However, zinc deficiency is common in developing countries and low maternal circulating zinc concentrations have previously been associated with pregnancy complications. We reviewed current literature assessing circulating zinc and dietary zinc intake during pregnancy and the associations with preecla...

A cross-sectional survey of 2819 adults aged 20 years and above was undertaken in 2002 in Jiangsu Province. Zinc intake was assessed using a consecutive 3-day 24-h dietary recall method. Insufficient and excess intake was determined according to the Chinese Dietary Recommended Intakes. Four distinct dietary patterns were identified namely "traditional", "macho", "sweet tooth", and "healthy". In...

The trace element zinc is an essential micronutrient for the proper functioning of the immune system. Zinc deficiency leads to impaired function of the unspecific and specific immune response and consequently to an increased susceptibility to bacterial, viral and fungal infections. Immunological defects are not only seen in pronounced but even in marginal and moderate zinc deficiency. Lack of z...

Much remains to be understood about systemic regulation of zinc uptake in vertebrates, and adequate zinc status is far from always achieved in animals or human. In addition to absorbing zinc from the diet, fish are able to take up zinc directly from the water with the gills. This provides an elegant system to study zinc uptake, how it relates to zinc status, and the expression of genes for prot...

Metallic zinc is a promising negative electrode for high energy rechargeable batteries due to its abundance, low-cost and non-toxic nature. However, the formation of dendritic zinc and low Columbic efficiency in aqueous alkaline solutions during charge/discharge processes remain a great challenge. Here we demonstrate that the dendritic growth of zinc can be effectively suppressed in an ionic li...