Biochemistry of zinc
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12923/Abstract
Zinc is an essential trace element to physiological functions of human organism. Over 300 enzymes have been shown to contain zinc as a cofactor. The zinc-deficient patients have severe dysfunction, mainly affecting T helper cells. Severe zinc deficiency is characterized by skin lesion, growth retardation, impaired wound healing, anemia, and mental retardation. Fortunately, all symptoms can be reversed by zinc treatment. Zinc reduces oxidative stress markers and generation of inflammatory cytokines. Besides, zinc plays a significant role in Parkinson’s disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Wilson’s disease (WD). It is also involved in signal transduction and apoptosis, i.e. zinc prevents prostate cells from growing by its induction of apoptosis. Many transcription factors contain zinc finger and similar structural motifs. Zinc finger motifs bind to a wide variety of compounds, such as nucleic acids, proteins and small molecules. Besides, zinc is a modulator of synaptic transmission in the central nervous system.
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