Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 8, 2026
Metal-Limited Growth of Neisseria gonorrhoeae for Characterization of Metal-Responsive Genes and Metal Acquisition from Host Ligands
Published on: March 4, 2020
Role of divalent metals in infectious disease susceptibility and outcome
1Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Background:
Divalent metals play important roles in maintaining metabolism and cellular growth of both eukaryotic hosts and invading microbes. Both metal deficiency and overload can result in abnormal cellular function or damage. Given its central role in host-pathogen interactions, subtle alterations of divalent metal homeostasis can occur in the course of infectious diseases which aim, from the host perspective, either to reduce the availability of respective metals to microbes or to use toxic metal accumulation to eliminate pathogens.
Aims:
To provide the reader with background information and clinical data on divalent metal homeostasis in host-pathogen interactions, how this affects the course of infectious disease and whether correction of metal disturbances has shown benefit in infections.
Sources:
An in-depth analysis of PubMed articles related to the topic of this review published in English between 1970 and 2016 was performed.
Content:
From the microbial perspective, divalent metals are essential for growth and pathogenicity and to mount effective protection against antimicrobial host responses, including toxic radical formation. Microbes have evolved multiple strategies to control their access to divalent metals. From the clinical perspective, alterations of divalent metal levels may result in increased or decreased susceptibility to infection and often occur in response to infections. However, keeping in mind the strategies underlying such alterations, for which the term 'nutritional immunity' was coined, the uncritical correction of such divalent metal imbalances may cause harm to patients. This review addresses the role of the divalent metals iron, selenium, zinc, manganese and copper in infectious diseases from a mechanistic and clinical perspective.
Implications:
We point out areas of research needed to expand our limited knowledge, hoping to improve the clinical management of patients with infections and to identify promising new targets for treatment by modulation of host or microbe divalent metal metabolism.
Insights
Divalent metals are crucial for host and microbial survival. Altering metal homeostasis impacts infectious disease, but uncorrected imbalances can harm patients, necessitating careful clinical management.
Area of Science:
- Infectious disease
- Host-pathogen interactions
- Divalent metal homeostasis
Background:
- Divalent metals (iron, selenium, zinc, manganese, copper) are vital for host and microbial metabolism and growth.
- Both deficiency and overload of these metals can disrupt cellular function and impact infectious disease dynamics.
- Host-pathogen interactions involve intricate manipulation of metal availability, termed 'nutritional immunity'.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of divalent metals in host-pathogen interactions.
- To examine how metal homeostasis affects infectious disease progression.
- To assess the clinical benefits and risks of correcting metal disturbances during infections.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature analysis of PubMed articles.
- Focus on English-language publications from 1970 to 2016.
- Review covers mechanistic and clinical perspectives of divalent metals in infections.
Main Results:
- Microbes utilize divalent metals for growth, pathogenicity, and defense against host responses.
- Altered metal levels in hosts can influence susceptibility to infections.
- Clinical correction of metal imbalances requires careful consideration due to potential harm.
Conclusions:
- Further research is needed to fully understand divalent metal roles in infections.
- Improved knowledge can enhance clinical management of infected patients.
- Targeting host or microbial metal metabolism offers potential therapeutic strategies.
More Related Videos
10:34Essential Metal Uptake in Gram-negative Bacteria: X-ray Fluorescence, Radioisotopes, and Cell Fractionation
Published on: February 1, 2018
11:04Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry Techniques for Determining the Structure and Mechanisms of Metal Ion Recognition and Redox Activity of Metal Binding Oligopeptides
Published on: September 7, 2019
Related Concept Videos
01:26Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
01:23Antimicrobial Proteins
Interferons
Interferons (IFNs) are proteins produced by lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts infected with viruses. While IFNs cannot prevent viruses from entering and...
02:51Metal-Ligand Bonds
In these complexes, transition metals form coordinate covalent bonds, a kind of Lewis acid-base interaction in which both of the electrons in the bond are contributed by a donor (Lewis base) to an electron acceptor (Lewis acid). The Lewis acid in...
01:16Transduction
01:20Infection
The chain begins with pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, or parasites such as protozoa helminths. These can be present on the skin as transient or resident flora, or they can be acquired from the environment. Identifying and treating the type of infection and...
01:29Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...