Abstract
The objective of the present study was to review the existing data on the association between Zn status and characteristics of gut microbiota in various organisms and the potential role of Zn-induced microbiota in modulating systemic effects. The existing data demonstrate a tight relationship between Zn metabolism and gut microbiota as demonstrated in Zn deficiency, supplementation, and toxicity studies. Generally, Zn was found to be a significant factor for gut bacteria biodiversity. The effects of physiological and nutritional Zn doses also result in improved gut wall integrity, thus contributing to reduced translocation of bacteria and gut microbiome metabolites into the systemic circulation. In contrast, Zn overexposure induced substantial alterations in gut microbiota. In parallel with intestinal effects, systemic effects of Zn-induced gut microbiota modulation may include systemic inflammation and acute pancreatitis, autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, as well as fetal alcohol syndrome and obesity. In view of both Zn and gut microbiota, as well as their interaction in the regulation of the physiological functions of the host organism, addressing these targets through the use of Zn-enriched probiotics may be considered an effective strategy for health management.
Highlights
Zinc is a IIB group metal essential for all forms of life [1]
The relative number of Enterobacteriacea was found to be reduced at 35 days of treatment but not at later times. These findings demonstrate that the response of gut microbiota to ZnO exposure decreases significantly at older age [37]
Given the existing data on the role of Zn in the regulation of gut microbiota, the efficiency of its co-supplementation with probiotics has been investigated in a number of studies
Summary
Zinc is a IIB group metal essential for all forms of life [1]. The first studies on the biological essentiality of Zn2+ in fungi, plants, mammals, and humans originated more than a century ago [2]. In parallel to pathogenic microflora, zinc is essential for intestinal commensal microflora inherent to the gut microbiome The latter consists of more than 1000 bacterial species of various phyla with Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes being the predominant ones [12]. Recent findings have demonstrated that the gut microbiota is involved in the regulation of multiple functions of the host through the production of bioactive bacterial metabolites [13], being recognized as a novel human organ [14]. Given the role of gut microbiota in human health and disease, it has been proposed that Zn-induced modulation of intestinal microflora and its metabolites may be involved in the physiological regulation of the host organism.
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