The immune system (immunoglobulins, cell mediated immunity, phagocytosis complement, lysosomes, interferon, metabolic function, hormones, metabolic and respiratory alkalosis) is the natural mechanism which defends against cancer. Trace elements zinc, selenium, molybdenum, and manganese augment this natural mechanism. Zinc is essential for normal development and maintenance of the thymus. Reduce...

Zinc is known to be an essential element for human nutrition and good health1). Milk is its sole source in infants, and growing children as well as mature adults consume varying amounts of milk, which provide them with much of the needed zinc. Investigators, using gel filtration chromatography2,3), have demonstrated that zinc in cow's milk can be associated with fractions of high molecular weig...

After iron, zinc is the most abundant essential trace metal. Intracellular zinc ([Zn](i)) is maintained across a wide range of cells and species in a tight quota (100 to 500 μM) by a dynamic process of transport, intracellular vesicular storage, and binding to a large number of proteins (estimated at 3-10% of human proteome). As such, zinc is an integral component of numerous metalloenzymes, st...

Zinc deficiency is clearly teratogenic in animals (1). The catabolism of maternal tissues during pregnancy, however, seems to protect the fetus from the teratogenic effects of hypozincemia (2). In humans, most evidence suggesting the importance of zinc during pregnancy comes from patients with acrodermatitis enteropathica, an inherited severe zinc deficiency state. These patients have spontaneo...

BACKGROUND 5-chloro-7-iodo-8-hydroxyquinoline (clioquinol) was used clinically three decades ago as an oral antiparasitic agent and to increase intestinal absorption of zinc in patients with acrodermatitis enteropathica, a genetic disorder of zinc absorption. Use of clioquinol was epidemiologically linked to subacute myelo-optic neuropathy (SMON), characterized by peripheral neuropathy and blin...

Zinc is an essential micronutrient. It plays a role in stabilizing transcription factors in order to maintain normal cellular function. When the concentration of zinc is not regulated within cells, pathological conditions such as cancers, gastrointestinal tract and skin disorders develop. Although dysregulation of cellular zinc results in several pathological conditions, the mechanism of zinc t...

Around 3000 proteins are thought to bind zinc in vivo, which corresponds to ~10% of the human proteome. Zinc plays a pivotal role as a structural, catalytic, and signaling component that functions in numerous physiological processes. It is more widely used as a structural element in proteins than any other transition metal ion, is a catalytic component of many enzymes, and acts as a cellular si...

There is concern regarding the absorption of zinc, both from dietary intake and nutritional supplements, because of zinc’s essential role in human nutrition and metabolism, and because of evidence that some population groups have a marginal to deficient intake of zinc. While oral zinc supplementation is efficacious in most zinc deficiency conditions, not all zinc preparations have equal bioavai...

42 CLINICAL CONTACT DERMATITIS Case An 81-year-old man presented with a recalcitrant case of cheilitis that had been ongoing for seven months (Figure 1). His dermatitis was extremely itchy and painful. It was predominantly right sided, but extended around his mouth and even on to his lip mucosa. The lower vermillion border was obscured by the eruption. His lips were fissured, intensely dry, and...