Increase In Zinc Levels Research Articles (Page 1)

Intracellular zinc homeostasis and subcellular compartmentalization are exquisitely regulated, playing critical roles in immune regulation, such as inducing inflammatory programmed cell death, producing high levels of interferons and inflammatory cytokines, controlling the polarization and function of macrophages, etc. Herein, we designed two cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes with moderate zinc ion (Zn2+) affinity, capable of re-distributing the endogenous Zn2+ from the cytoplasm and vesicles to mitochondria as indicated by ICP-MS measurement, thus inducing mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis. Moreover, mitochondria-targeted Ir2 also displayed better immunoregulation activity than lysosome-targeted Ir1, capable of triggering GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis via caspase-1 dependent pathway and down-regulating PD-L1 levels in cancer cells. In macrophages, Ir2 also re-distributed intracellular zinc effectively, leading to an increased zinc level in mitochondria and promoting the M0-to-M1 polarization of macrophages. The antitumor efficacy and immunoregulation activity were also verified in vivo. This work suggested that the modulation of endogenous zinc homeostasis both in cancer cells and immune cells would be a promising strategy for activating anti-tumour immunity, and provided new clues for designing novel metallodrugs for cancer chemo-immunotherapy.

Low-dose aspirin prophylaxis is recommended for women at high risk of preeclampsia. It has been suggested that dietary salicylates may have a similar effect. Despite the known anti-inflammatory properties of salicylates, their influence on trace elements in preeclampsia remains unclear. This research investigated the effect of dietary salicylates and aspirin on iron, zinc, and copper status in rats with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)-induced preeclampsia. The study involved pregnant Sprague Dawley rats divided into six groups: control group (CH), preeclamptic rats (CP), preeclamptic rats with a low dose of dietary salicylate (LSP), preeclamptic rats with a high dose of dietary salicylate, preeclamptic rats with a low dose of aspirin (LAP), and preeclamptic rats with a high dose of aspirin. The content of trace elements in diets, liver, kidney, heart, spleen, pancreas, femur, brain, and hair was measured using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Salicylate concentrations in diets, serum, and urine were analyzed using HPLC and UHPLC-MS/MS systems. Administration of L-NAME resulted in elevated blood pressure across groups, and only the LAP group had blood pressure levels comparable to the CH group. Preeclampsia significantly decreased serum hepcidin levels, while salicylates abolished this effect. Salicylate administration significantly decreased iron levels in hair and increased maternal zinc concentrations in the brain. Dietary salicylates markedly increased zinc levels in the placenta. In conclusion, L-NAME-induced preeclampsia decreases maternal serum hepcidin. Treatment with salicylates modulates iron and zinc status in preeclamptic rats, with specific effects on hepcidin levels.

Malnutrition is a major global health concern, especially in underdeveloped and developing regions, where diets often lack essential nutrients. Poor dietary diversity and limited access to nutrient-rich foods contribute significantly to this issue. Addressing malnutrition is vital for achieving global food and nutritional security. A field experiment was conducted for Kharif season (2021-22) at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Nandyala, Andhra Pradesh by using split plot design to study the Influence of Zinc Fertilization Methods and Varietal Response on Paddy Yield and Zinc Bioavailability. In an experimental study, the rice variety NDLR-8 produced the highest grain yield (6,379 kg/ha) and straw yield (6,751 kg/ha), closely followed by the NDLR-7 variety. The study highlighted a strong positive response of rice to zinc fertilization in a low-rainfall region, particularly at application rates between 50 and 100 kg/ha. In terms of nutritional quality, NDLR-8 also showed significantly higher iron (42.35 mg/kg) and zinc (7.81 mg/kg) content compared to other varieties. Importantly, zinc application did not significantly alter the levels of potassium, copper, or manganese in the soil, relative to its initial condition. However, even small increases in zinc levels led to a noticeable rise in total zinc uptake by the plants. These findings underscore the potential of targeted zinc fertilization and nutrient-rich crop varieties like NDLR-8 to combat widespread zinc deficiency, improve soil health, and support the fight against malnutrition through improved crop nutrition.

SummaryAcute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a haematopoietic malignancy that continues to demonstrate lapses in current treatment modalities as evidenced by therapy refractory disease, disease relapse and high rates of lethality. The influence of nutritional factors, including trace elements, on disease development and progression is not yet well understood. We utilized AML cell lines and patient samples to further investigate zinc homeostasis and the dependency of leukaemic cells on zinc. Compared to control individuals, we found significantly increased zinc levels in malignant blasts with concomitant serum hypozincaemia. Increased cellular zinc levels were accompanied by the upregulation of zinc influx transporters such as ZIP6, ZIP9 and ZIP10. Subsequent in vitro experiments showed the importance of zinc for myeloid cell proliferation, survival and block of differentiation. We validated our results with data from the Leukemia Mile (n = 542) and the BeatAML2.0 study (n = 805). Importantly, we identified ZIP10 (as one of the highly upregulated zinc transporters in malignant blasts) which, when targeted, resulted in impaired zinc uptake and decreased malignant cell growth. These findings suggest that therapeutic approaches that target the zinc influx transporter ZIP10 may offer novel means of treatment for patients suffering from AML.

Background: Low levels of zinc are prevalent in patients living with HIV and are associated with higher morbidity. Zinc has major immunomodulatory effects. This study aimed to assess the effect of zinc supplementation on inflammatory and gut integrity markers and on zinc levels among HIV patients with zinc deficiency. Methods: This was a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial assessing the efficacy and safety of zinc supplementation on inflammation and gut markers in people with HIV (PWH) ≥ 18 years old, on stable antiretroviral therapy (ART) with undetectable HIV-1 viral load, and with zinc levels of ≤0.75 mg/L. Participants were randomized 2:1 to zinc gluconate tablets at a dose of 90 mg of elemental zinc or a matching placebo daily for 24 weeks. At baseline and at week 24, we measured plasma levels of zinc and markers of inflammation and gut barrier integrity. Results: Among the 95 participants enrolled in this study, 74% were male, and 65% were non-white, with a median CD4 count of 722 cells/μL. The primary analysis showed an increase in zinc levels in the active group. A decrease in the monocyte activation marker soluble CD14 was observed in the treatment group at -56.31 ng/mL (-263.24; 134.19), compared to an increase in the placebo group of 101.71 ng/mL (-90.50; 243.20); p = 0.021. The stratified analysis showed that the group with the lowest zinc levels at baseline had the greatest improvements in soluble CD14 levels during zinc supplementation. No changes were seen in other inflammation markers or gut integrity markers. Conclusions: This is the most comprehensive study on the effect of zinc supplementation in PWH on inflammatory and gut integrity markers. Decreases were seen in the monocyte activation marker sCD14. In the contemporary HIV era with potent effective therapies, suppressed viremia, and high CD4 cells, zinc supplementation does not offer consistent benefits on inflammation.

Zinc deficiency caused by inadequate dietary intake is a pervasive nutritional problem across the globe. Therefore, increasing zinc levels in wheat and other cereal crops through biofortification has become a serious concern and a top priority research. A field experiment was conducted in Department of Soil Science, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan Pakistan. The objectives were to evaluate the effect of zinc (Zn) on the growth, yield and yield contributing traits of wheat and to find out the best variety of wheat for yield maximization. Five wheat varieties, V1: AZRC, V2: Gulzar, V3: PS-15, V4: Fakhr e Bhakkar and V5: Wadan-17 were tested at 7.5 kg ha-1 zinc application. The treatments were arranged in randomized complete block design with three replications. The basal dose of NPK at the rate of 120: 60: 40 kg ha-1 respectively, was applied to all varieties. The result of study showed that Gulzar and AZRC variety resulted maximum plant height (81.67 and 79.67cm), number of tillers (407.67 and 383), spike length (12.02 and 11.36 cm), number of spikelets per spike (24.66 and 22.66), number of grains per spike (59.67 and 58.11), 1000 grain weight (51.31 and 48.01 g), biological yield (16.73 and 15.67 t ha-1), Straw yield (9.73 and 9.52 t ha-1) and harvest index (41.78 and 39.23 %), respectively. Similarly, chlorophyll content, protein content and zinc uptake by plant was recorded maximum in Gulzar and AZRC as 2.82 and 2.68, 11.91 and 11.72 %, 30.49 and 29.13 5 mg ka-1, respectively. All traits of wheat recorded lowest in PS-15. Thus, agronomic biofortification is the best way to enrich wheat grains with zinc for human consumption. In conclusion, Gulzar and AZRC were found to be most suitable for both optimum grain yield and grain biofortification of wheat.

This study focuses on the importance of zinc (Zn) as an essential micronutrient in the health of toddlers, especially in children under five years of age. Zinc plays a role in repairing bone tissue and function, and zinc deficiency can lead to stunted growth and potential stunting in toddlers. To address this, this study examines the effects of providing additional food based on Moringa oleifera leaves and seawater fish to toddlers with stunting. The study was conducted on 30 toddlers with stunting and severe stunting nutritional status For 30 days, the toddlers were given additional food based on Moringa leaves and seawater fish. The results of the study showed that after the intervention, blood zinc levels and average height of toddlers increased. There was also a significant relationship between zinc levels and toddler height, indicating that increased zinc levels are closely related to increased height. In conclusion, the provision of additional food based on moringa leaves and sea fish has a positive impact on zinc levels and height of stunted toddlers at the Sedan Health Center, Rembang Regency. This shows that such interventions can have a positive effect on toddler health and have the potential to overcome stunting problems.

It has been proven that a deficiency of zinc, can significantly weaken the body's immune response to infection. Zinc plays a key role in many immunological processes, such as the proliferation and differentiation of lymphocytes, antibody synthesis, and phagocytosis. Aim: to assess the dynamics of zinc levels in pediatric patients with community-acquired pneumonia, taking into account the presence or absence of SARS-CoV-2 co-infection in the acute phase of the disease and the recovery period. Materials and methods. The study included 114 children aged 6 to 18 years. The Basic group consisted of 81 patients diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia, divided into subgroups based on the presence or absence of SARS-CoV-2 co-infection. The Control group consisted of 33 healthy children matched by age and gender. Zinc levels in serum were determined for all children. The results of the study were processed using Microsoft Excel 2013. Results. All children in the Basic group had decreased serum zinc levels in both the acute phase and convalescent periods. Children with severe community-acquired pneumonia, regardless of viral infection, showed only a slight increase in zinc levels with standard treatment. A significant decrease in serum zinc levels was found in all children with pneumonia compared to the Control group. Patients with SARS-CoV-2 demonstrated a more pronounced zinc deficiency compared to those with pneumonia of other etiologies. During treatment, a gradual increase in zinc levels was observed in all patient groups. Conclusions. The study revealed a decrease in zinc concentration in children with community-acquired pneumonia, both during the acute phase and during the convalescent period of the disease. Patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection had significantly lower zinc levels compared to children without detected coronavirus. The study was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The study protocol was approved by the Ethical Committee for all participants in the process. The informed consent was obtained from children and parents for participation. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.

Abstract BackgroundThe risk of cognitive decline in cancer survivors may be increased by platinum‐based chemotherapy. Evidence indicates that physical exercise has a potential to reduce chemotherapy‐related toxicity. The aim of this study was to assess effects of a 6‐month aerobic‐strength training on cognitive functions, metabolic flexibility, anthropometric parameters and physical fitness in testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT) survivors, treated with platinum‐based chemotherapy.MethodsTGCT survivors underwent 6‐month intervention (supervised aerobic‐strength training/ controls n = 20/8, age 42.1±7.6 yrs. BMI:27.7±3.8kg/m², VO2max:29.2±6.7 mlO2/kg/min, 1‐20 years post‐treatment). Cognitive functions (FACT‐Cog; computerized tests Memtrax & CogState; Auditory Verbal Learning Test/AVLT), abdominal adiposity (MRI), cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max, spiroergometry), muscle strength (leg‐press; chair dynamometry), energy expenditure and metabolic substrate preference (indirect calorimetry), serum glycemia, insulinemia, lipid profile, plasma adiponectin (ELISA), platinum, and zinc (Inductively‐Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry) were assessed before and after the 6‐month intervention.ResultsTraining improved delayed and short‐term memory recall (AVLT), compared to non‐active controls. Training‐induced changes in delayed memory recall positively correlated with improvements in VO2max, supporting a link between cognition and cardiorespiratory fitness. Training reduced visceral adiposity (p<0.01), increased HDL‐cholesterol (p<0.01), cardiometabolic fitness (VO2max) and muscle strength (both p = 0.01). Plasma adiponectin, glycemia and insulinemia were unaffected by exercise training (p>0.1), while intervention normalized residual plasma platinum and increased zinc levels (both p<0.01), with no change in controls. Platinum levels (P<0.001) and number of chemotherapy cycles (p = 0.06) were the best predictors of memory function in cancer survivors.ConclusionsAerobic‐strength exercise training reduced visceral adiposity and circulating residual levels of platinum, improved physical fitness and cognitive functions in TGCT cancer survivors. Our observations support a role for exercise as an effective complementary treatment for cancer survivors, with a potential to reduce residual chemotherapy burden and cardiometabolic risk, which could be linked to improved cognitive functions.Funding: APVV 19‐0411, VEGA2/0164/20, VEGA 2/0076/22

Biofilm obtained from Bacillus subtilis subsp. spizizenii inoculated on vegetable seeds has been shown to have plant growth-promoting capacity. Seed inoculation with biofilm produced by this strain could also reduce the adverse effects on plant growth caused by soil or substrate heavy metal overabundance. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the impact of biofilm inoculated on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) seeds, which were planted on a substrate with artificially added zinc. First, seeds of the Río Grande tomato variety were exposed to increasing zinc concentrations, namely: 50, 100, 200, and 400 ppm, with and without bacterial biofilm inoculation. Zinc addition and seed inoculation affected germination parameters. For example, an extra 200 and 400 ppm of zinc led to high toxicity. Biofilm inoculation, however, reduced the noxious effects of excess zinc, bringing acute toxicity down to moderate. Then, tomato plants growing from inoculated and non-inoculated seeds were cropped for 4 months in both substrates with 400 ppm zinc and without added zinc. Extra zinc addition significantly (p < 0.05) reduced tomato root and shoot biomass, plant height, and fruit number at harvest time. However, seed biofilm inoculation avoided the harmful effect of zinc on plant growth parameters, fruit yield, and fruit quality. The roots and shoots of plants growing on contaminated substrates showed very noticeable increases in zinc levels compared to the control, while fruits only showed a much weaker zinc gain, even if this was significant (p < 0.05). Moreover, root shoot and fruit concentrations of elements other than zinc, (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, iron, manganese, copper, lead, and cadmium) were not or only weakly affected by the addition of this metal to the substrate. In summary, the biofilm of B. subtilis proved to be effective as a bioinoculant to alleviate negative effects on tomatoes cropped in a substrate with excess zinc.

This study aimed to investigate the bidirectional causal relationships between trace elements (such as zinc, magnesium, phosphate, and folate) and upper gastrointestinal ulcers (including gastric and duodenal ulcers). We utilized a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to achieve this. We conducted a two-sample MR analysis using summary-level data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) obtained from public genomics repositories. We utilized a range of MR methods, including inverse-variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, and weighted median methods, and conducted a meta-analysis to synthesize results across different datasets. To ensure the robustness of our findings, we performed extensive sensitivity analyses, including pleiotropy assessment, heterogeneity tests, and leave-one-out analysis. Our findings are significant, indicating a positive causal relationship between increased zinc levels and the risk of gastric ulcers. Moreover, magnesium and folate appear to offer potential protective effects against gastroduodenal ulcers (p < 0.05). The meta-analysis further supports the causal relationship between zinc and gastric ulcers (p < 0.05), confirming zinc's significant causal impact on this condition. The study confirms a positive causal relationship between zinc and gastric ulcers and highlights the complexity of how trace elements regulate the progression of upper gastrointestinal ulcers. These results provide a scientific basis for dietary recommendations regarding trace element intake in clinical and public health practices. They also offer new insights into effective prevention and treatment strategies for gastric and duodenal ulcers.

Zinc (Zn) is an essential micro mineral needed for the proper growth and immune function of fish. This investigation was designed to examine the antioxidant role of a fortified diet with different Zn levels in the muscle and liver tissues of carp fry. A four-iso-nitrogen (35% crude protein) practical diet was produced that included graded levels of dietary zinc sulphate as a nutritional zinc resource in the fundamental diet supplemented with increased zinc levels (T1, control, 85 mg Zn kg-1, T2 105 mg Zn kg-1, T3, 125 mg Zn kg-1 and T4, 145 mg Zn kg-1). Even though the SOD and CAT analysis results did not show a linear increase in the increasing Zn ratio in the diets, higher values were obtained compared to the control groups. SOD highest values in T3 for the liver (0.713 ± 0.220 U/ml) and T1 for muscle (0.751 ± 0.144 U/ml), CAT values were highest in T2 for the liver (0.849 ± 0.115 nmol/dk/m) and T2 for muscle (1.059 ± 0.148 nmol/dk/m) was obtained. MDA values were completely higher for the muscle than for the control group, and for the liver, a lower value was obtained in the T2 trial group than in the control group (1.671 ± 0.230 µM). The results of the study showed that Zn contributed significantly to the nutrition of carp fish. It can be concluded that the findings of SOD and CAT analysis endorse the positive contributions of using 105 mg Zn in the diets to promote the antioxidant defense of juvenile carp fish.

The trace element of zinc (Zn) has shown great effectiveness in control of leishmaniasis infection. Hence, the present study conducted a systematic review of in vitro and in vivo studies evaluating the zinc effect in the treatment or prevention of leishmaniasis. A systematic literature search was performed of all articles published in PubMed, SciELO, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases (1997-2023). The search terms were "zinc" OR "cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL)" OR "visceral leishmaniasis (VL)". Initial search yielded 89 citations, and 59 subjects were included. Data showed the zinc serum level in CL patients was lower than controls. Also, in vitro studies of zinc were more effective against L. tropica and L. major promastigotes compared to the amastigotes. Moreover, in vivo studies did not show destructive effects of zinc on the mammalian cell viability like macrophages. Furthermore, zinc depletion by specific chelators affected L. donovani survival and growth through promoting apoptosis and reactive oxygen species-dependent mechanisms. The serum level determination of zinc could be useful for estimating the leishmaniasis pathophysiology. Environmentally or genetically determined increases in zinc levels might augment resístanse to CL. In contrast, zinc depletion using a zinc-specific chelator could be effective treatment of VL in endemic areas.

Abstract Stress can disturb the ecological balance of the microbiota residing in the GI tract of piglets leading to dysbiosis. This unhealthy imbalance causes the piglets to be more vulnerable to deleterious effects induced by opportunistic pathogens. Antibiotics and increased zinc levels have often been used as dietary supplements to help minimize these stressors in pigs. Emerged evidence suggests that phytochemicals can promote growth by boosting nutrient digestibility, immune cell activity, and possessing bactericidal characteristics. We evaluated two phytochemicals formulations as safer and more environmentally friendly dietary alternatives for postweaning pigs. We used a total of 240 weaned piglets [average body weight (BW): 6.26 ± 0.36 kg] which were blocked (n = 8) by BW and then randomly assigned to 1 of 5 dietary treatments. Treatments were negative control (NC), Mecadox 10 (Phibro Animal Health Corp., Teaneck, NJ) + ZnO positive control (PC), Mecadox + phytochemical 1 (Lippia origanoides; Phyt1+AB), phytochemical 1 alone (Phyt1), and phytochemical 2 (Lippia origanoides + Rosmarinus officinalis + Sodium humates; Phyt2). The pigs were fed a 7-phase feeding regime: Nursery phase (NP) 1, 2, and 3, Grower phase 1 and 2 (Grower), and Finisher phase 1 and 2 (Finisher). The antibiotic and ZnO were withdrawn at the end of NP3, while Phyt1 and Phyt2 remained in feed throughout the entire study period. Data were analyzed using Mixed procedure of SAS (Cary, NC) with treatments as the main effect and BW blocks as the random effect. Pen was the experimental unit. Supplemental phytochemicals (Phyt1+AB, Phyt1, Phyt2) had greater average daily gain (ADG) and gain to feed ratio (G:F) during NP1 when compared with the pigs fed NC, but were still less than pigs fed PC (P &amp;lt; 0.0001). Pigs fed PC maintained a greater ADG during nursery overall than NC, Phyt1, and Phyt2 with pigs fed Phyt1+AB as intermediate (P &amp;lt; 0.0001). Phyt1 exerted an adverse effect (Phyt1+AB and Phyt1) on ADG during relatively mild stress in Grower phase (Grower, P = 0.0146), and resulted in the lighter BW at the end of Grower than pigs fed PC (P = 0.031). Notably, the pigs experienced summer heat stress during the Finisher phase, of which, the presence of phytochemicals minimized. Pigs fed Phyt2 had a greater ADG during Finisher than pigs fed NC with pigs fed PC, Phyt1+AB, and Phyt1 as intermediates (Finisher, P = 0.0419), while pigs fed Phyt1+AB and Phyt2 had greater G:F when compared with pigs fed PC and NC with pigs fed Phyt1 as intermediate (Finisher, P = 0.0032). Collectively, we demonstrated that phytochemical 2 can be a safer medication diet replacement to help pigs sustain weaning and heat stress. The mode of action and the optimum concentrations of these phytochemicals to achieve maximum benefits need further investigation.

The first 1000 days of life are the most important and unique at the beginning of human life, from conception to two years after giving birth which have an impact on growth and development. This research aimed to determine the differences in breast milk production between the control group, the group given Torbangun leaves, and the group given fenugreek and to carry out an analysis of the zinc content of breast milk for each group. This research design uses a quasi-experiment with a control and intervention group. Purposive sampling technique. Sample Size 49 Responden The number of respondents in this study was 30 respondents, 10 in the control group, 10 respondents in the tobangun intervention group, and 10 respondents in the fenugreek capsule intervention. The analysis test used is the one-way ANOVA analysis test which is used to see the differences between each group. The research results showed a significant difference between the control group and the treatment group with a significance value in the laboratory test for zinc levels, namely 0.000, namely &lt;0.05. Conclusion: Galactogues can be useful for breastfeeding mothers to increase breast milk volume. The suggestion is to use Galagtogog and Fenugreek for postpartum mothers to increase zinc levels and volume in the breast milk of nursing mothers. Keywords: Breast milk tablets; Galaktogogue; Torbangun leaves

Ligand-independent signaling and migration of breast cancer cells expressing membrane androgen receptor, ZIP9 (SLC39A9)

Malnutrition in children will affect their growth, causing a decrease in study skills and immunity. Considering the issues, overcoming the nutritional issues of babies and toddlers by giving food supplements is mandatory. Innovations in making food supplements basically from fish aim to increase the number of nutritions such as protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which contribute to the development of body organ function. This research is aimed to know the changes in iron, beta carotene, and zinc during storage. The research design is experimental. The first stage is making tuna nuggets which are substituted with pumpkin, broccoli, and red beans. Furthermore, the analysis of nutrients before and after storage in the freezer for 3 months. There was a decrease in beta carotene levels in pumpkin tuna nuggets, broccoli tuna, and red bean tuna, 34.5%, 14.2%, and 9.6%, respectively. There was an increase in the iron content of pumpkin tuna nuggets, broccoli tuna, and red bean tuna as much as 65.2%, 7.1%, and 30%, respectively. There was a decrease in zinc levels in pumpkin tuna and broccoli tuna nuggets as much as 23.6% and 78.8%, respectively. There was an increase in zinc levels in red bean tuna nuggets as much as 46.3%. Storage of nuggets in frozen conditions in the freezer for 3 months causes changes in beta carotene, iron, and zinc levels.

Viruses utilize host lipids to promote the viral life cycle, but much remains unknown as to how this is regulated. Zinc is a critical element for life, and few studies have linked zinc to lipid homeostasis. We demonstrated that Caenorhabditis elegans infection by Orsay virus is dependent upon lipids and that mutation of the master regulator of lipid biosynthesis, sbp-1, reduced Orsay virus RNA levels by ~236-fold. Virus infection could be rescued by dietary supplementation with lipids downstream of fat-6/fat-7. Mutation of a zinc transporter encoded by sur-7, which suppresses the lipid defect of sbp-1, also rescued Orsay virus infection. Furthermore, reducing zinc levels by chemical chelation in the sbp-1 mutant also increased lipids and rescued Orsay virus RNA levels. Finally, increasing zinc levels by dietary supplementation led to an ~1,620-fold reduction in viral RNA. These findings provide insights into the critical interactions between zinc and host lipids necessary for virus infection. IMPORTANCE Orsay virus is the only known natural virus pathogen of Caenorhabditis elegans, which shares many evolutionarily conserved pathways with humans. We leveraged the powerful genetic tractability of C. elegans to characterize a novel interaction between zinc, lipids, and virus infection. Inhibition of the Orsay virus replication in the sbp-1 mutant animals, explained by the lipid depletion, can be rescued by a genetic and pharmacological approach that reduces the zinc accumulation and rescues the lipid levels in this mutant animal. Interestingly, the human ortholog of sbp-1, srebp-1, has been reported to play a role for virus infection, and zinc has been shown to inhibit the virus replication of multiple viruses. However, the mechanism through which zinc is acting is not well understood. These results suggest that the lipid regulation mediated by zinc may play a relevant role during mammalian virus infection.

Trace elements mediate critical biological events by functioning as cofactors or catalysts for numerous enzymes and as centers for enzyme and protein structure stabilization. As a result, imbalances in trace element metabolism and homeostasis (deficiency or excess) may play a role in a number of disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the blood concentration of essential trace elements of fuel station workers blood in AL-Ramadi city compared with any people who didn’t work in fuel station (control) by measurement of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe) because they have negative effects on metabolism and considered to be carcinogenic factors. Total 50 male fuel workers and 50 control from ten fuel stations at Al-Ramadi City- Iraq, were participated in the present study. The levels of Zn, Cu and Fe in serum were measured spectrophotometrically by using laboratory kits. The result clarified that there was a significant increase in zinc, copper and iron mean (p 0.05) in fuel workers group compared to control group. Age had a significant correlation with copper levels and no correlation with zinc and iron. The daily hours of exposure showed no significant correlation with zinc, copper and iron. There was a significant increase in zinc levels in smokers compared to nonsmokers; copper and iron showed no correlation with smoking. The years of work in fuel stations significantly correlated with zinc and copper levels, while it showed no correlation with iron levels. The results of this study showed that there is no significant correlation between zinc, copper and the worker’s weight, while it showed a significant weak positive correlation between iron and the worker’s weight (p 0.05). There was a significant increase in copper levels in the workers with chronic illnesses compared to healthy workers, while zinc and iron had no correlation with chronic illnesses. The conclusion of study is the role of the increase of trace elements on the health of the fuel workers group, attention to use of safety gloves and face mask is recommended for fuel workers and a long follow-up to the studied group is necessary to discover the developments. Also, it is highly recommended to reduce the working hours for fuel workers in order to decrease the accumulative effects of benzene exposure and to allow the body to detoxify the blood.

BACKGROUND: In several studies in Indonesia, low birth weight (LBW) is shown as the most dominant risk factor for stunting. Some of the causes of LBW are chronic energy deficiency during pregnancy, anemia during pregnancy, lack of nutrient supply during pregnancy, pregnancy complications, maternal parity, and birth spacing. In this case, women commonly suffer from micronutrient deficiencies including iodine, iron, Vitamin A, zinc, and folate. Related to this, about 80% of pregnant women in the world fulfill normative pregnancy needs due to inadequate zinc intake. One source of micronutrients rich in zinc is pumpkin seeds. The nutritional potential of pumpkin seeds is realized in the form of food products for pregnant women, including amino acids. One example of pumpkin seed fortification has been assessed in biscuit products by trained panelists and consumers, obtaining results that 20% additional pumpkin seed flour to biscuits becomes the best treatment. Meanwhile, in the case of this study, we expect that the pumpkin seed biscuits provided can increase the energy intake in pregnant women because when pumpkin seeds are added, the nutrition contained in the biscuits is also increased, in this case, the nutrition includes the zinc and Fe. AIM: The purpose this research is to figure out how pumpkin seed biscuits affect pregnant women concerning their nutrition status and serum zinc levels. METHODS: The method employed was a double-blind and randomized experimental research involving pre- and post-test control groups. The inclusion criteria of the participants involved were pregnant women aged 20–35 years old who were at their first and second trimesters of pregnancy and parity one to three and singleton pregnancy. Meanwhile, the exclusion criteria of the participants were pregnant women suffering from severe complications. There were 89 pregnant women further gathered in this study, but only 66 of them met the criteria and idled into two groups. In this case, one group received the pumpkin seed biscuit intervention, while the other received placebo biscuits. The intervention was conducted for 90 days where the pregnant women were provided with four biscuits for daily consumption. RESULTS: The nutritional status parameter of pregnant women involved in the current research was assessed, including body weight, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), and serum zinc levels. In this case, the average serum zinc level obtained was 48.75 g/dL from 60 pregnant women. Furthermore, a significant increase occurred in nutritional status for each group, marked by body weight gain, and increased MUAC. However, no significant difference emerged between the pumpkin seed biscuit group and the placebo biscuit group with p = 0.914 and p = 0.916, respectively. A significant increase in zinc levels was observed in both groups. In this case, changes in zinc levels between the two groups were significantly different (13.72 ± 1.84 vs. 9.81 ± 11.81, p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: Giving pumpkin seed biscuits contribute to weight gain and increase the MUAC the pregnant women which, in turn, improves their nutritional status and serum zinc.