Zinc supplementation stimulates tetanus antibody formation and soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels in chronic hemodialysis patients.
Immunodepression in end-stage renal disease has been associated with zinc deficiency. In a controlled study serum zinc levels, serum concentrations of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R), and tetanus IgG antibody titers were measured in 65 hemodialysis patients before and after intravenous zinc supplementation for 2 months. The hemodialysis patients had significantly lower predialysis serum zinc concentrations compared to healthy controls (63 +/- 1.65 versus 126 +/- 4.6 micrograms/dl, P < 0.001). Serum zinc concentrations increased to the normal range in the zinc-treated patients. After zinc substitution tetanus antibody titers rose significantly (0.81 +/- 0.12 versus 1.22 +/- 0.12 U/ml, P < 0.01). Pretreatment sIL-2R levels were elevated in 95% of examined patients. A further increase in sIL-2R was observed after zinc supplementation (234 +/- 14 versus 285 +/- 21 U/ml, P < 0.05). The results suggest that zinc induces the activation of T lymphocytes and T-cell dependent B lymphocytes in chronic uremic patients in vivo.
Medizinische Klinik, Krankenhaus Maria Hilf GmbH Mönchengladbach, Akademisches Lehrkrankenhaus, RWTH Aachen.
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W
Holtkamp
H P
HP
Brodersen
T
T
Stollberg
J
J
Thiery
C
C
Falkner
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000187:drug effects; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013743:Tetanus Antitoxin / Q000097:blood*; D014511:Uremia / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency / Q000494:pharmacology*
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D013743:Tetanus Antitoxin; D015032:Zinc