Zinc in Infection and Inflammation.

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Nutritional Science
• Microbiology

Background:

• Micronutrient homeostasis, particularly zinc, is crucial for immune system function.
• Zinc regulates both innate and adaptive immune responses.
• Zinc deficiency, often caused by malnutrition, leads to immune dysfunctions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the role of zinc in immune responses during infection and inflammation.
• To explore how the immune system modulates zinc levels.
• To highlight the impact of zinc homeostasis on host defense.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of current research on zinc's immunological functions.
• Analysis of zinc's role in specific immune pathways, including neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation.
• Examination of zinc's influence on inflammatory signaling, such as Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NF-κB).

Main Results:

• Zinc deficiency impairs cell-mediated immunity, worsening outcomes in bacterial infections and sepsis.
• Zinc is essential for pathogen elimination pathways and promotes cell-mediated over humoral immunity.
• Zinc deficiency exacerbates inflammation and host tissue damage by affecting NF-κB, oxidative stress, and cytokines.

Conclusions:

• Zinc homeostasis is critical for effective immune responses and host defense.
• Understanding zinc's intricate role is key to managing infections and inflammatory conditions.
• Immune system modulation of zinc levels is a dynamic process influenced by various stimuli.