Dietary #zinc alters the microbiota and decreases resistance to #Clostridium difficile infection

http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nm.4174.html

Taken together, these data suggest that nutrient Zn levels have a key role in determining susceptibility to CDI and severity of disease, and that calprotectin-mediated metal limitation is an important factor in the host immune response to C. difficile.

Selective inhibitory effects of #zinc on cell proliferation in esophageal squamous cell #carcinoma through Orai1
http://m.fasebj.org/content/early/2017/09/14/fj.201700227RRR.abstract?sid=d0eae7dd-4c74-442c-950c-a4789929ae0e

Zinc, an essential micronutrient, has a cancer preventive role. Zinc deficiency has been shown to contribute to the progression of esophageal cancer. Orai1, a store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) channel, was previously reported to be highly expressed in tumor tissues removed from patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) with poor prognosis, and elevation of its expression contributes to both hyperactive intracellular Ca2+ oscillations and fast cell proliferation in human ESCC cells

These data suggest that zinc may inhibit cell proliferation of esophageal cancer cells through Orai1-mediated intracellular Ca2+ oscillations and reveal a possible molecular basis for zinc-induced cancer prevention and Orai1-SOCE signaling pathway in cancer cells

#Zinc acetate lozenges for the treatment of the common #cold: a randomised controlled trial

There was no difference in the recovery rate between zinc and placebo participants during the 10-day follow-up (rate ratio for zinc vs placebo=0.68, 95% CI 0.42 to 1.08; p=0.10). The recovery rate for the two groups was similar during the 5-day intervention, but for 2 days after the end of zinc/placebo use, the zinc participants recovered significantly slower compared with the placebo participants (p=0.003). In the zinc group, 37% did not report adverse effects, the corresponding proportion being 69% in the placebo group.

Conclusions A commercially available zinc acetate lozenge was not effective in treating the common cold when instructed to be used for 5 days after the first symptoms. Taste has been a common problem in previous zinc lozenge trials, but a third of zinc participants did not complain of any adverse effects. More research is needed to evaluate the characteristics of zinc lozenges that may be clinically efficacious before zinc lozenges can be widely promoted for common cold treatment.

https://bit.ly/3aHfKSh

Effect of #Zinc Supplementation vs Placebo on Mortality Risk and #HIV Disease Progression Among HIV-Positive Adults With Heavy #Alcohol Use
https://2medical.news/2020/07/03/effect-of-zinc-supplementation-vs-placebo-on-mortality-risk-and-hiv-disease-progression-among-hiv-positive-adults-with-heavy-alcohol-use/

.. A total of 254 participants (184 men [72%]; mean [SD] age, 34 [6] years) were enrolled in the trial; 126 were randomized to receive zinc, and 128 were randomized to receive placebo. Participants had high CD4 cell counts (mean [SD], 521 [292] cells/mm3), and 188 (74%) reported heavy drinking in the past week. In the main analyses, zinc supplementation did not affect changes in …

Low #Zinc Levels at Admission Associates with Poor Clinical Outcomes in #SARS-CoV-2 Infection
https://2medical.news/2021/03/11/low-zinc-levels-at-admission-associates-with-poor-clinical-outcomes-in-sars-cov-2-infection/

Background: Zinc is an essential micronutrient that impacts host–pathogen interplay at infection. Zinc balances immune responses, and also has a proven direct antiviral action against some viruses. Importantly, zinc deficiency (ZD) is a common condition in elderly and individuals with chronic diseases, two groups with an increased risk for severe severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes. We hypothesize that serum zinc content (SZC) influences COVID-19 …

#Zinc drives #vasorelaxation by acting in sensory nerves, endothelium and smooth muscle

https://2medical.news/2021/06/13/zinc-drives-vasorelaxation-by-acting-in-sensory-nerves-endothelium-and-smooth-muscle/

#Zinc, Vitamin D and Vitamin C: Perspectives for #COVID-19 With a Focus on Physical Tissue Barrier Integrity

https://2medical.news/2021/10/14/zinc-vitamin-d-and-vitamin-c-perspectives-for-covid-19-with-a-focus-on-physical-tissue-barrier-integrity/

#Zinc for the prevention or treatment of acute viral #respiratory tract infections in adults: a rapid systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

https://2medical.news/2021/11/03/zinc-for-the-prevention-or-treatment-of-acute-viral-respiratory-tract-infections-in-adults-a-rapid-systematic-review-and-meta-analysis-of-randomised-controlled-trials/