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Review
. 2000 Dec 20;121(1-3):21-35.
doi: 10.1016/s0047-6374(00)00194-9.

Zinc, infections and immunosenescence

E Mocchegiani  1 , R Giacconi, M Muzzioli, C Cipriano
Affiliations
Review

Zinc, infections and immunosenescence

E Mocchegiani et al. Mech Ageing Dev. .

Erratum in

  • Mech Ageing Dev 2001 Mar;122(3):353

Abstract

Infections may cause mortality in old age due to damaged immune responses. As zinc is required as a catalyst, structural (zinc fingers) and regulatory ion, it is involved in many biological functions, including immune responses. Low zinc ion bioavailability and impaired cell-mediated immunity are common in ageing and may be restored by physiological supplementation with zinc for 1-2 months, impacting upon morbidity and survival. This article reviews the role of zinc in immune efficacy during ageing, and also describes the main biochemical pathways involved in the role of zinc in resistance to infections in ageing in order to better understand the possible causes of immunosenescence.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Possible different role of MTs during the whole life. Protective in young-adult age and dangerous in old age with final results of DNA-repair or cell-death by PARP, respectively. This is strictly dependent by oxidative and nitrosative stress status which is moderate in young age, massive in old age (Mocchegiani et al., 2000b). Hatched line, very old age; ?, currently under investigation in our laboratory.
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