What is the impact of zinc deficiency for pancreatectomies in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma?

Backgroundand purpose: Zinc is an essential element for human health and plays an important role in metabolic, immunological and other biological processes. The present study was conducted to investigate the association between zinc deficiency (ZD) and the perioperative clinical course in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).MethodsOf 216 patients with PDAC who underwent elective pancreatectomy between 2013 and 2017 at our institution, 206 patients with sufficient clinical data were retrospectively reviewed. The perioperative variables were compared and the risk factors associated with infectious complications were identified.ResultsZD was preoperatively present in 36 (17.5%) of 206 patients with PDAC. In the patients of the ZD group, a higher proportion of males, higher preoperative modified Glasgow prognostic scores, a higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and a higher occurrence of postoperative infectious complications after pancreatectomy were observed, compared to the non-ZD group. By a univariate analysis, three risk factors were significantly associated with infectious complications after pancreatectomy: ZD (vs non-ZD: p = 0.002), serum albumin <3.5 g/dl (vs ≥ 3.5 g/dl: p = 0.005), and the procedure of pancreaticoduodenectomy (vs others: p = 0.013). By multivariate logistic regression analysis, the occurrence of infectious complications was significantly associated with ZD (OR 3.430, 95%CI 1.570 to 7.490, p = 0.002) and the procedure of pancreaticoduodenectomy (OR 2.030, 95%CI 1.090 to 3.770, p = 0.025).ConclusionsThe current study newly demonstrated that ZD could serve as a preoperative predictor of infectious complications after pancreatectomies in the patients with PDAC.     

Copper and Zinc Levels in Myelodysplastic Syndrome Patients versus Healthy Subjects

Background: Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a heterogeneous hematological disease and certain serum factors are assumed to be involved in its pathogenesis and progression. Given this, our aim was to comparatively investigate the copper, zinc, and iron levels in MDS patients and healthy individuals. Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 31 patients with MDS (according to the WHO criteria after investigating laboratory tests such as peripheral blood smear and bone marrow aspiration) attending Bahonar Hospital, Kerman, Iran, and 31 healthy subjects from 2016 to 2018. The levels of copper, ceruloplasmin, zinc, ferritin, and iron were compared between the two groups. Results: Among the MDS patients, five individuals (16.13%) had low serum copper level (mean: 67.8 ± 4.35 µg/dl). Serum copper level was 111.3 ± 27.7 and 138.3 ± 26.6 in case and control groups, respectively (P = 0.0001). The serum zinc level and bone marrow iron level were also significantly different between the two groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Overall, it can be concluded that because only a small proportion of the MDS patients enrolled in this study were found to have lower copper levels compared with the MDS patients population, further studies with a larger sample size and also clinical trials in MDS patients with serum zinc, and copper deficiency are recommended, and post-treatment hematological reassessment would also be beneficial to achieving more definitive results.     

miR-9通过靶向E盒结合锌指蛋白2调控小细胞肺癌的恶性生物学行为及其可能的机制

目的：探讨 miR-9 通过靶向 E 盒结合锌指蛋白 2（zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 2，ZEB2）对小细胞肺癌（small cell lung cancer，SCLC）细胞生物学行为的调控作用，分析miR-9在SCLC中的作用及其工作机制。方法：采用qPCR、WB和免疫组化方法检测于2018年2月至2019年11月于河北医科大学第四医院肿瘤内科接受手术治疗的67例SCLC患者癌组织及癌旁组织中ZEB2的表达。采用TargetScan预测miR-9的潜在靶基因并通过双荧光素酶报告基因试验、qPCR和WB法进行验证。CCK-8法、流式细胞术和Transwell实验检测miR-9和ZEB2 过表达对 NCI-H446 的生物学行为影响，WB法检测对细胞中E-cadherin，N-cadherin和Vimentin蛋白表达的影响。利用miR-9过表达NCI-H446细胞构建SCLC裸鼠移植瘤模型，观察miR-9对裸鼠移植瘤生长的影响。结果：SCLC组织中ZEB2的mRNA和蛋白表达水平明显高于癌旁正常组织（P<0.01）。miR-9在ZEB2的3'' UTR上具有潜在的结合位点，与对照组相比，miR-9过表达组NCI-H446细胞中ZEB2的mRNA和蛋白表达水平明显降低（P<0.01），细胞增殖、迁移和侵袭能力均显著下降（P<0.05或P<0.01），促EMT蛋白表达减少，而同时过表达ZEB2能够逆转上述影响。体内实验中，miR-9过表达组移植瘤体积、重量均明显低于对照组（P<0.05或P<0.01）。miR-9组裸鼠肿瘤组织中和ZEB2蛋白的表达均较对照组明显降低（P<0.01）。结论：miR-9通过靶向调控ZEB2从而抑制SCLC细胞的生物学行为以及NCI-H446裸鼠移植瘤的生长。     

Acquired acrodermatitis enteropathica due to zinc‐depleted parenteral nutrition

Well‐known causes of zinc deficiency, also referred to as acrodermatitis enteropathica (AE), include defects in intestinal zinc transporters and inadequate intake, but a rare cause of acquired zinc deficiency discussed here is an iatrogenic nutritional deficiency caused by parenteral nutrition administered without trace elements. While zinc‐depleted parenteral nutrition causing dermatosis of acquired zinc deficiency was first reported in the 1990s, it is now again relevant due to a national vitamin and trace element shortage. A high index of suspicion may be necessary to diagnose zinc deficiency, particularly because early clinical findings are nonspecific. We present this case of acquired zinc deficiency in a patient admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit for respiratory distress and atypical pneumonia, who subsequently developed a severe bullous eruption due to iatrogenic zinc deficiency but was treated effectively with enteral and parenteral zinc supplementation, allowing for rapid re‐epithelialization of previously denuded skin.     

Curcumin ameliorates hepatic chronic inflammation induced by bile duct obstruction in mice through the activation of heme oxygenase-1

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日常膳食锌摄入水平与绝经后女性骨密度之间的关系：一项基于DRYAD数据库的二次分析

目的明确每日膳食锌摄入量与绝经后女性骨密度之间的相关性。方法采用Empowerstats和R软件对DRYAD数据库数据进行二次分析,通过线性回归探索每日膳食锌摄入量与绝经后女性骨密度之间的线性关系,并采用广义加性模型进行曲线拟合分析二者间的非线性关系。结果该研究共纳入282例绝经后女性。在调整年龄、每日钙摄入量后,每日膳食锌摄入量和绝经后女性髋骨骨密度存在阈值关联。当每日摄入锌超过32.9 mg时,每日锌摄入量每增加1 mg,髋骨骨密度增加4.87 mg/cm2(P0.05)。结论每日膳食锌摄入量与绝经后女性骨密度之间存在阈值效应关系,这将为今后绝经后女性预防骨质疏松的营养支持与补充提供依据和指导。     

Effects of social defeat stress and fluoxetine treatment on neurogenesis and behavior in mice that lack zinc transporter 3 (ZnT3) and vesicular zinc

Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide, in part because the available treatments are inadequate and do not work for many people. The neurobiology of depression, and the mechanism of action of common antidepressant drugs such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), is not well understood. One mechanism thought to underlie the effects of these drugs is upregulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Evidence indicates that vesicular zinc is required for modulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis, at least under some circumstances. Vesicular zinc refers to zinc that is stored in the synaptic vesicles of certain neurons, including in the hippocampus, and released in response to neuronal activity. It can be eliminated from the brain by deletion of zinc transporter 3 (ZnT3), as is the case in ZnT3 knockout mice. Here, we examined the effects of repeated social defeat stress and subsequent chronic treatment with the SSRI fluoxetine on behavior and neurogenesis in ZnT3 knockout mice. We hypothesized that fluoxetine treatment would increase neurogenesis and reverse stress‐induced behavioral symptoms in wild type, but not ZnT3 knockout, mice. As anticipated, stress induced persistent depression‐like effects, including social avoidance and anxiety‐like behavior. Fluoxetine decreased social avoidance, though the effect was not specific to the stressed mice, but did not affect anxiety‐like behavior. Surprisingly, stress increased the survival of neurons born 1 day after the last episode of defeat stress. Fluoxetine treatment also increased cell survival, particularly in wild type mice, though it did not affect proliferation. Our results did not support our hypothesis that vesicular zinc is required for the behavioral benefits of fluoxetine treatment. As to whether vesicular zinc is required for the neurogenic effects of fluoxetine, our results were inconclusive, warranting further investigation into the role of vesicular zinc in adult hippocampal neurogenesis.     

NMR-based metabolomics to determine acute inhalation effects of nano- and fine-sized ZnO particles in the rat lung

Zinc oxide (ZnO) particles induce acute occupational inhalation illness in humans and rats. However, the possible molecular mechanisms of ZnO particles on the respiratory system remain unclear. In this study, metabolic responses of the respiratory system of rats inhaled ZnO particles were investigated by a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomic approach. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were treated with a series of doses of nano-sized (35?nm) or fine-sized (250?nm) ZnO particles. The corresponding control groups inhaled filtered air. After 24?h, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissues were collected, extracted and prepared for ¹H and J-resolved NMR analysis, followed by principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). PCA and PLSDA models from analysis of BALF and hydrophilic lung NMR spectra demonstrated that dose response trends were restricted to the 250?nm ZnO particle exposure group and were not observed in the 35?nm ZnO particle exposure group. Increased isoleucine and valine, as well as decreased acetate, trimethylamine n-oxide, taurine, glycine, formate, ascorbate and glycerophosphocholine, were recorded in the BALF of rats treated with moderate and high dose 250?nm ZnO exposures. Decreases in taurine and glucose, as well as an increase of phosphorylcholine-containing lipids and fatty acyl chains, were detected in the lung tissues from 250?nm ZnO-treated rats. These metabolic changes may be associated with cell anti-oxidation, energy metabolism, DNA damage and membrane stability. We also concluded that a metabolic approach provides more complete measurements and suggests potential molecular mechanisms of adverse effects.     

Trace metal toxicity in some food items in three major markets in Ado-Odo/Ota LGA,Ogun State,Nigeria and associated health implications

BackgroundMany of the markets in Nigeria are open, where foodstuffs are laid bare on flat trays and open baskets, directly exposing them to environmental contaminants. This study aimed at determining whether some food items on sale around an industrialized area of Ogun State are contaminated with trace metals.MethodsSeven different food items – Clarias gariepinus (roasted, fresh and smoked) Bos taurus (dried and fresh beef), zobo leaf (Hibiscus sabdariffa) and crayfish (Astacus leptodactylus) were sampled from three major markets, namely: Lusada, Atan and Ota in Ado-Odo/Ota LGA of Ogun State. They were analyzed for Lead, Cadmium, Nickel, Manganese and Zinc using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy.ResultsCd was not detected in most of the food items across the markets. Pb, Ni and Mn were detected in very high concentrations above the maximum allowable limits by international regulatory agencies. Zn was the only metal that was generally below regulatory limits in food items across the three markets. The Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) and Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) values were generally higher than values acceptable in food.ConclusionSome of the food items consumed in this area are not entirely safe from metal toxicity and this may have serious health consequences.