{"title":"Interaction and competition for intestinal absorption by zinc, iron, copper, and manganese at the intestinal mucus layer","authors":"Vincent Einhorn , Hajo Haase , Maria Maares","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2024.127459","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Trace elements such as zinc, manganese, copper, or iron are essential for a wide range of physiological functions. It is therefore crucial to ensure an adequate supply of these elements to the body. Many previous investigations have dealt with the role of transport proteins, in particular their selectivity for, and competition between, different ions. Another so far less well investigated major factor influencing the absorption of trace elements seems to be the intestinal mucus layer. This gel-like substance covers the entire gastrointestinal tract and its physiochemical properties can be mainly assigned to the glycoproteins it contains, so-called mucins. Interaction with mucins has already been demonstrated for some metals. However, knowledge about the impact on the respective bioavailability and competition between those metals is still sketchy. This review therefore aims to summarize the findings and knowledge gaps about potential effects regarding the interaction between gastrointestinal mucins and the trace elements iron, zinc, manganese, and copper. Mucins play an indispensable role in the absorption of these trace elements in the neutral to slightly alkaline environment of the intestine, by keeping them in a soluble form that can be absorbed by enterocytes. Furthermore, the studies so far indicate that the competition between these trace elements for uptake already starts at the intestinal mucus layer, yet further research is required to completely understand this interaction.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.6000,"publicationDate":"2024-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0946672X24000798/pdfft?md5=cd23cb99d62f0fcb7ba9306bc3d55ce2&pid=1-s2.0-S0946672X24000798-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0946672X24000798","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Trace elements such as zinc, manganese, copper, or iron are essential for a wide range of physiological functions. It is therefore crucial to ensure an adequate supply of these elements to the body. Many previous investigations have dealt with the role of transport proteins, in particular their selectivity for, and competition between, different ions. Another so far less well investigated major factor influencing the absorption of trace elements seems to be the intestinal mucus layer. This gel-like substance covers the entire gastrointestinal tract and its physiochemical properties can be mainly assigned to the glycoproteins it contains, so-called mucins. Interaction with mucins has already been demonstrated for some metals. However, knowledge about the impact on the respective bioavailability and competition between those metals is still sketchy. This review therefore aims to summarize the findings and knowledge gaps about potential effects regarding the interaction between gastrointestinal mucins and the trace elements iron, zinc, manganese, and copper. Mucins play an indispensable role in the absorption of these trace elements in the neutral to slightly alkaline environment of the intestine, by keeping them in a soluble form that can be absorbed by enterocytes. Furthermore, the studies so far indicate that the competition between these trace elements for uptake already starts at the intestinal mucus layer, yet further research is required to completely understand this interaction.
期刊介绍:
The journal provides the reader with a thorough description of theoretical and applied aspects of trace elements in medicine and biology and is devoted to the advancement of scientific knowledge about trace elements and trace element species. Trace elements play essential roles in the maintenance of physiological processes. During the last decades there has been a great deal of scientific investigation about the function and binding of trace elements. The Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology focuses on the description and dissemination of scientific results concerning the role of trace elements with respect to their mode of action in health and disease and nutritional importance. Progress in the knowledge of the biological role of trace elements depends, however, on advances in trace elements chemistry. Thus the Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology will include only those papers that base their results on proven analytical methods.
Also, we only publish those articles in which the quality assurance regarding the execution of experiments and achievement of results is guaranteed.