Premium
The interaction of zinc and vitamin A in human schistosomiasis
Author(s) -
MIKHAIL MARY M.,
MANSOUR MOUSTAFA M.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
european journal of clinical investigation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.164
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1365-2362
pISSN - 0014-2972
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2362.1982.tb02243.x
Subject(s) - transthyretin , schistosomiasis , vitamin , retinol binding protein , albumin , zinc , medicine , retinol , vitamin a deficiency , blood proteins , endocrinology , serum albumin , immunology , vitamin d and neurology , biology , chemistry , helminths , organic chemistry
. Levels of vitamin A and components of its transport protein complex, retinol binding protein and prealbumin, as well as zinc and its major binding proteins albumin and α 2‐macroglobulin were measured in plasma of ninety‐one male Egyptian patients with active schistosomal infection and thirty‐two healthy adult males. Patients were divided into four groups: Group I had active schistosomiasis without associated complications; Group II had schistosomiasis complicated by colonic polyposis; Group III had advanced schistosomiasis, hepatosplenomegaly and/or ascites; and Group IV had chronic salmonella septicaemia in addition to schistosomiasis. Results showed that all patient groups had subnormal levels of plasma vitamin A, retinol binding protein, prealbumin, zinc and albumin ( P <0·005 for all parameters) but elevated α 2 ‐macroglobulin ( P <0·001) when compared to the control group. Alterations in the vitamin A transport proteins increased with schistosomal complications and were closely correlated to changes in vitamin A ( P <0·005), but alterations of albumin and α 2 ‐macroglobulin were less consistent and did not correlate with changes in zinc levels. There was a highly significant correlation, however, between plasma zinc concentrations and those of vitamin A, retinol binding protein and prealbumin ( P <0·001 for all correlations) in all groups of patients as well as the control group. These findings indicate that the binding and transport proteins of both zinc and vitamin A were adversely affected by schistosomiasis and its various complications. Deficiencies of both zinc and vitamin A seem to be interrelated in this disease and the vitamin A transport system may be largely dependent on zinc status.