Zinc, metallothioneins, immune responses, survival and ageing.

摘要: Zinc is required as a catalytic, structural (zinc fingers) and regulatory ion. In this capacity, it involved in many homeostatic mechanisms, including immune responses. Metallothioneins (MTs) may play key roles because of their preferential binding to zinc especially ageing. MTs protect from oxidative damage during transient stress conditions at young-adult age. This protection no longer exists ageing age-related diseases (cancer infections) the condition constant. As such, constantly deplete plasma tissues. phenomenon causes increased levels on one hand, but other hand induces low ion bioavailability for normal be particularly relevant thymic functions natural killer activity. Therefore which are protective young-adults become dangerous responses Physiological supplementation corrects central peripheral defects, resulting prolonged survival decreased mortality (50%) infections tumours, middle Because MT gene expression protein liver atrophic thymus old mice, proposed genetic markers immunosenescence.