Modulation der Lipopolysaccharid-vermittelten Zellaktivierung und des Zelltodes durch Zink

Zinc is essential for the integrity of the immune system. Our research uncovered details about the interactions of zinc with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We investigated the different effects of zinc dependant on the time of application. Our data showed protection against LPS mediated cell-death and mortality in vivo with early zinc application. If zinc is added after LPS-application the negative reactions with gram-negative pathogens increases. This results in a critical situation for the organism. As shown in our in vitro studies the interactions between zinc and LPS are obviously not only on the cellular level. A serumfactor eventually synthesized in the liver is probably the most important factor influencing LPS activity. A similar serumfactor is also responsible for monocytic pre-activation in zinc-deficient healthy elderly people. In healthy organisms zinc pre-medication induces a serumfactor lowering LPS caused letality. Zinc also protects mice fibroblast-cells from tumour necrosis factor-a. This effect takes place directly on the treated cell, since it was reproducible in all in vitro experiments. Therefore, the protective effects of zinc are mediated by a serumfactor induced in the liver and due to cellular protection against TNF-a. Further experiments show that zinc is able to inhibit one of the main steps in programmed cell death at the protein level. Our results suggest that there is no influence of zinc on gene amplification. However, zinc has an important effect on survival of human PBMC, since zinc depletion reduces cell survival, whereas zinc supplementation counteracts this effect In this thesis, direct as well as indirect effects of zinc on cells of the immune system could be established in vivo and in vitro. These effects underline that zinc is essential for the immune system. On the basis of these results, zinc supplementation must be adapted to the current situation, but opens new applications for zinc as well as new side effects.

Grantor dc:publisher

Publikationsserver der RWTH Aachen University

Year dc:date

2004

Author dc:creator

• Gabriel, Christian Philip

Contributors dc:contributor

• Rink, Lothar

• info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/610
• Medizin

Statement dc:rights

• info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Language dc:language

ger

Identifier

https://publications.rwth-aachen.de/search?p=id:%22RWTH-CONV-121468%22

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:publications.rwth-aachen.de:59707