Zinc and copper concentrations in serum from Spanish women during pregnancy

A cross-sectional study of serum zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) levels in 31 healthy pregnant women and 51 healthy, nonpregnant controls living in the Mediterranean area of Granada, Spain, was performed. The subjects were divided into two groups: Group A, consisted of pregnant women in three categories according to the trimester of pregnancy, and Group B consisted of nonpregnant women acting as controls. In pregnant women, serum Zn levels were found from 0.300-1.340 mg/L and serum Cu from 0.936-2.304 mg/L, whereas in the nonpregnant women group, the mean serum levels were 0.947 ±0.265 mg/L for Zn and 1.092 ±0.365 mg/L for Cu. Serum Zn progressively decreased with gestation. Mean Zn levels were 0.829 ±0.253, 0.846 ±0.329, and 0.620 ±0.142 mg/L, corresponding to the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy, respectively. Serum Zn concentrations were significantly lower in pregnant women as compared to controls: 0.712 ±0.236 mg/L vs 0.947 ±0.265 mg/L, respectively (p < 0.05). In contrast, Cu levels increased with period of gestation from 1.053 ±0.498 mg/L in the first trimester to 1.616 ±0.304 mg/L in the second and 1.689 ±0.344 mg/L in the third. Serum Cu levels in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those determined during the first trimester and for nonpregnant controls. Both Zn and Cu during pregnancy did not appear to be dependent on the subject’s age (p > 0.05).     

Effects of nutrition on zinc, folic acid, and vitamin B12 levels during pregnancy

In this article, we report the results of a case control study carried out on 290 Turkish pregnant women at 5–24 wk of gestation to determine their zinc, folic acid, and vitamin B₁₂ levels in relation to their nutritional and socioconomic status. The women were divided into two groups (n=145 each), depending on the stage of gestation. Group I consisted of women in the first trimester of gestation; those in the second trimester were allocated into group II. Twenty-five age-matched, healthy nonpregnant women were selected as controls. The nutritional status of the subjects was determined by means of a survey. Based on this, the women were subdivided into three subgroups: malnourished (PN), moderately nourished (MN), and well nourished (WN). Also from the survey, the socioeconomic status was classified as good (G) or bad (B). A statistically significant decrease on zinc and folic acid was observed in group I women, as their socioeconomic status worsened. In group II, zinc decreased only in the PN and MN subgroups, p<0.001. The folic acid and vitamin B₁₂ levels did not change significantly during the second trimester of gestation in all subgroups. Regarding zinc, nutrition, or dietary habits are more relevant than socioeconomic status, but poor nutrition affects folic acid levels only during the first trimester of gestation.     

Plasma zinc response to a breakfast meal or fasting in elderly women

The aim of this study was to determine whether the postprandial decline in plasma zinc concentration is altered by aging. Eleven women, between the ages of 65 and 82 yr, participated in two separate experimental protocols: a high carbohydrate breakfast trial and a fasting trial. Plasma zinc concentrations were measured from blood samples obtained at 8∶00am (baseline fasting) and at 30-min intervals until 1∶00pm during each trial. Following the breakfast meal, plasma zinc concentrations declined 14% from 75±1 to 65±2 μg/dL (p<0.05), reaching a nadir 2.7±0.2 h after the meal. This decline was significantly (p<0.0001) greater than the 3.6% fall observed during the fasting trial. Postprandial changes in the plasma zinc concentrations were correlated with postprandial changes in serum glucose (r=−0.43,p<0.001), serum insulin (r=−0.17,p<0.01), and serum phosphorus(r=0.32,p<0.005). These data show that plasma zinc concentrations decline following food intake in elderly women in the same manner as previously described for younger adult women.     

Dietary and Non-dietary Factors Associated with Serum Zinc in Indian Women

Women in low-income settings, common in India, are at risk of inadequate zinc intake due to poor diet quality and low consumption of flesh foods rich in zinc. The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of zinc status of non-pregnant rural and tribal women living in central India and to identify dietary and non-dietary factors associated with the biochemical zinc status of these women. Rural and tribal non-pregnant women 18–30 years of age were selected using proportion to population sampling near Nagpur, Maharashtra, India. Sociodemographic, biochemical (serum zinc), clinical, and dietary data (1-day interactive 24-h recall) were collected. The mean age of women (n?=?109; rural?=?52; tribal?=?56) was 23.2 years and mean BMI was 17.9 kg/m². The majority of the participants identified as being non-vegetarian (72 %). The mean?±?SD serum zinc concentration was 10.8?±?1.6 μmol/L, and 52 % of participants had a low serum zinc concentration according to the International Zinc Nutrition Consultative Group (IZiNCG). The median (first and third quartile) energy, zinc intake, and phytate/zinc molar ratio was 5.4 (4.2, 6.7)?MJ/day, 5.3 (3.8, 7.0)?mg/day, and 26 (22, 28), respectively. Zinc intakes were well below IZiNCG recommendations for dietary zinc of 9 mg/day for non-pregnant women aged 14–18 years and 7 mg/day for non-pregnant women aged ≥19 years. Using linear regression analysis to identify non-dietary and dietary factors associated with serum zinc, a significant association was only found for current lactation (p?=?0.012) and energy intake (p?相似文献   

Effect of the period of resting in elite judo athletes

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the resting period on hematological and copper-zinc-dependent antioxidant indices in Brazilian elite judo athletes (n=7). Venous blood samples were collected after 24-h and 5-d periods of resting following a competition, with an interval of 30 d between collections. Two months prior to and during the study, each athlete received an individualized adequate diet. Body composition was determined at both study periods. The following were analyzed: in whole blood, hemoglobin, hematocrit, red cell count, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, red cell distribution width, and white cell count; in plasma, zinc, copper, iron, ceruloplasmin, and total iron-binding capacity; in erythrocytes, metallothionein, copper/zinc superoxide dismutase, and osmotic fragility. Dietary intake and body composition did not affect the biochemical measurements. A significant reduction in ceruloplasmin and superoxide dismutase activity was found after 5 d compared to 24 h of resting. A significant correlation between erythrocyte metallothionein and red cell distribution width was observed after 24 h of resting (r=−0.83, p=0.02) whereas positive correlations of metallothionein with hemoglobin, red cell count, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were observed after 5 d of resting (r≥0.76, p≤0.05). Our results suggest that a longer resting period favors homeostatic adjustments in the erythrocyte population and in the copper/zinc-dependent antioxidant system in elite judo athletes.     

Correlation between maternal plasma homocysteine and zinc levels in preeclamptic women

Women with preeclampsia have been shown to have elevated blood levels of the metabolite homocysteine, and alterations in blood levels of zinc and copper have also been reported. This study measured plasma levels of zinc, copper, and homocysteine in women with preeclampsia and in women with healthy, normotensive pregnancies. For the patients with preeclampsia compared with controls, significantly higher mean plasma levels were found of homocysteine (16.39 vs 9.45 nmol/mL; p≤0.001), zinc (15.53 vs 11.93 μg/g protein; p < 0.05), and copper (47.90 vs 31.60 μg/g protein; p=0.001). The ratio of plasma Cu/Zn levels tended to be higher in preeclamptic women and could be taken as an index of inflammatory reaction, but the difference was not significant. Homocysteine concentrations correlated positively with plasma zinc concentrations in women with preeclampsia (r=0.588, p=0.003) but not in women with healthy pregnancies. No correlations were observed between plasma levels of homocysteine and copper. Thus, the present study found evidence that preeclampsia might be associated with hyperhomocysteinemia and elevated blood levels of zinc and copper. Furthermore, elevated blood levels of zinc were significantly associated with hyperhomocysteinemia in preeclampsia. More studies are warranted to investigate further any relationship between altered homocysteine metabolism and levels of zinc and copper in preeclampsia.     

Changes of serum selenium in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus

Gestational diabetes is one of the most common diseases in pregnancy. In the present work, the possible relationship between serum selenium concentration and gestational diabetes was investigated. Blood samples of 234 pregnant women were collected, including 98 subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), 46 subjects with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and 90 normal pregnant women (NPW). An additional 17 samples of normal women of fertile age (NW) were collected for comparison. The hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry was used for selenium determination. The mean serum selenium levels obtained for each group were 0.0741±0.0167 mg/L for NPW, 0.0631±0.0132 mg/L for IGT, 0.0635±0.0120 mg/L for GDM, and 0.108±0.0170 mg/L for NW. Serum selenium levels were significantly lower in pregnant woman with IGT (p<0.001) and GDM (p<0.001) than in NPW. Furthermore, an inverse correlation between the serum selenium concentration and the gestational period was also observed. Selenium supplementation during gestation for pregnant women, especially with IGT and GDM, should be considered.     

Visfatin in pregnancy: proposed mechanism of peptide delivery

Visfatin is a newly identified 52 kD adipocytokine that appears to have insulinomimetic properties. We examined visfatin expression in visceral fat from lean and pregnant women. Visfatin gene expression was seven times higher in omental fat of pregnant women than in lean women. Both immunohistochemistry and immunoblot confirmed that visfatin protein was much higher in pregnant women than in nonpregnant women. However, serum visfatin was 20.8 ± 7.7 ng/ml (n = 7) in lean women as compared to only a slight increase to 40.3 ng/ml in pregnant women (n = 4). We measured visfatin mRNA content of human placenta and found that placenta expresses high levels of visfatin mRNA and protein. At a concentration of 2 nM, visfatin and insulin produced nearly identical increase in glucose transport. The discrepancy between the elevated visfatin expression and tissue visfatin compared to only a small increase in serum visfatin is a matter of controversy. The data on serum visfatin concentrations are replete with contradictory data. Taken together, we suggest that visfatin is not a hormone. Instead, we propose that visfatin acts in either a paracrine or autocrine mode. This hypothesis would explain what various laboratories have found widely discrepant values for serum visfatin. Since visfatin potently and efficaciously induced glucose transport in a cell culture model, any hypothetical role for visfatin in pregnancy should include the possibility that it may play a role in maternal/fetal glucose metabolism or distribution and that it may do so by acting locally.     

Levels of zinc and lipid peroxidation in acute coronary syndrome

The present study was carried out on 20 female patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The control group was composed of 20 healthy female volunteers. Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and serum zinc (Zn), total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and VLDL-cholesterol, Lp(a), Apo-A₁, and Apo-B were determined in all patients and controls. Plasma MDA levels were determined to be significantly high in patients with ACS compared to the controls (1.75±0.27 vs 0.8±0.43 nmol/mL; p<0.05). On the other hand, Zn levels in patients with ACS were determined to be significantly low compared to the control group (67.9±14.8 vs 101.8±22.4 mg/dL; p<0.05). There was a statistically significant negative correlation between MDA and Zn levels in patients with ACS (r=−0.678, p<0.05). Other lipid parameters were significantly altered in patients with ACS compared to the controls (p<0.05). In conclusion, Zn and lipid peroxidation levels are important in patients with ACS and they must be monitored during diagnosis and treatment of these patients.     

Serum mineral levels at pregnancy and postpartum in single and twin pregnant sheep

This study was performed to investigate calcium (Ca), inorganic phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), and chlorine (Cl) levels in blood serum at d 60, 100, and 150 of gestation and at d 45 after parturition and to find out the significance of differences for macromineral levels during these stages of single or twin gestation in Akkaraman sheep. Blood samples of 30 apparently healthy pregnant Akkaraman sheep (15 single pregnancies, 15 twin pregnancies) were used. The samples were analyzed using a biochemical analyzer for Ca, P, Na, K, and Mg concentrations and using the Schales method for Cl levels. A statistically significant decrease (p<0.001 and p<0.05) was found on d 100 of pregnancy for Ca levels and for serum inorganic P levels in both groups. Twin pregnant sheep were found to have lower (p<0.05) serum Ca and inorganic P levels than sheep pregnant with one fetus on d 100 and 150. Significant decreases (p>0.05, p <0.01) for serum Mg levels in both groups were recorded on d 100 and 150 of pregnancy. There were significant increases (p<0.01) in serum Cl levels on d 100 in single and twin pregnant sheep.     

Plasma protein carbonyls in nonpregnant,healthy pregnant and preeclamptic women

Increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation may be implicated in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia by causing cell (membrane) damage and impaired endothelial function. Carbonyl derivatives of proteins, or protein carbonyls, may be sensitive biomarkers of ROS-mediated damage. The aim of the study was to compare levels of protein carbonyls in plasma of preeclamptic, healthy pregnant and healthy nonpregnant women.

Plasma protein carbonyls were measured in 47 preeclamptic, 45 healthy pregnant and 22 healthy non-pregnant women by using a sensitive ELISA-method. ANOVA, the unpaired t-test and Pearson's correlation were used for statistical analysis.

Preeclamptic women had significantly higher plasma protein carbonyl levels than healthy pregnant women (P < 0.0001). Healthy pregnant women showed significantly higher protein carbonyl levels (P < 0.001) as compared to nonpregnant controls.

The higher levels of protein carbonyls as compared to nonpregnant controls suggest that increased oxygen free radical damage occurs in normal pregnancy and to a much higher extent in preeclampsia.     

Changes in osmolality and blood serum ion concentrations in pregnancy

Changes in osmolality and the concentration of cations (Na, K, Ca, Mg) were studied in blood serum of pregnant women from two weeks after conception, throughout the whole pregnancy, and within the first week after delivery. Altogether 239 women from 18 to 40 years of age were studied. Blood serum osmolality decreased from 287±0.8 to 278±1.6 mOsm/kg H₂O from the fifth week of pregnancy and remained virtually at this level until the end of pregnancy. Hyponatremia was found during the three trimesters of pregnancy, in trimesters II and III hypokalemia was not observed, whereas hypocalcemia and hypomagnemia were found. On the first day after delivery, the blood serum osmolality and concentrations of magnesium ions returned to their levels in nonpregnant women, whereas concentrations of sodium and calcium ions remained decreased. No correlation was found between hypoosmia and changes in blood serum concentrations of ions under study during the three trimesters of pregnancy. Thus, in normal pregnancy, hypoosmia develops from the fifth week after conception and persists until delivery. The concentrations of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium ions are regulated by independent mechanisms to provide retention of these parameters within certain periods of pregnancy at the level of nonpregnant women on the background of hypoosmia.     

Serum extracellular superoxide dismutase activity as an indicator of zinc status in humans

The present study focused on whether serum extracellular superoxide dimutase (EC-SOD) activity can be used as a functional indicator of marginal zinc deficiency in humans. Subjects in this study were 444 healthy adults over 30 yr of age living a normal rural life in Kyunggi province, Korea. The mean dietary zinc intake of subjects obtained from one 24-h recall was 6.41 ± 4.35 mg and the average serum zinc concentration of the subjects was 11.06 ± 2.44 (μmol/L. Subjects were divided into three groups by serum zinc concentrations: adequate (serum zinc >10.7 (μmol/L), low (serum zinc 9.0–10.7 μmol/L), and very low (serum zinc <9.0 μmol/L) groups. A total of 50 subjects were selected from the three groups for analysis of EC-SOD activities. The EC-SOD activity of subjects increased with increasing serum zinc concentrations, and the activities of the three groups were significantly different as indicated by the Kruskal-Wallis test (p = 0.0239). Also, serum EC-SOD activities were significantly correlated with serum zinc concentrations (r = 0.289,p = 0.04). Serum EC-SOD activities, however, were not significantly correlated to the dietary zinc intakes. In conclusion, these results show that EC-SOD activities are decreased in subjects with low serum zinc concentrations and suggest that EC-SOD activity may be a functional indicator of zinc nutritional status in humans.     

Plasma estradiol and progesterone levels during post partum ovulation and early pregnancy in the common marmosetCallithrix jacchus

The incidence of ovulation and subsequent pregnancy in post partum marmosets were studied. By two weeks following delivery, all the animals (N=10) had ovulated as determined by a gradual rise in plasma estradiol followed by a rise in plasma progesterone (p>31.8 nmol/l) levels. The mean day of ovulation was 11.3±1.5 (9–14 days). Eighty percent of these females became pregnant as indicated by a continued rise in plasma progesterone levels (p>127 nmol/l) and as confirmed by transabdominal uterine palpation. These results suggest that the day of delivery could serve as a useful parameter to monitor ovulation and pregnancy in this non-menstruating primate species.     

Preconception Vitamin D Level and In Vitro Fertilization: Pregnancy Outcome

ObjectiveVitamin D deficiency impairs female fertility and the success of in vitro fertilization (IVF). The recommended serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) level in IVF-conceived pregnancies is still debated. We aimed to explore the relationship of the preconception serum 25(OH)D level with pregnancy outcome following IVF treatment. We also explored the utility of the currently recommended serum 25(OH)D cutoff of ≥50 nmol/L for women undergoing IVF therapy.MethodsRetrospective cohort of women who had undergone IVF therapy. Of the women who started IVF therapy (n = 354), 218 completed the study. They were divided into 2 groups: (1) women who achieved a successful pregnancy (pregnant group, n = 160) and (2) those who did not achieve a successful pregnancy (nonpregnant group, n = 58). Preconception serum samples were analyzed for reproductive hormones, fasting glucose, insulin, and 25(OH)D levels.ResultsOverall, the median (interquartile range) age, body mass index, and hemoglobin A1c level were 32 (6) years, 25.7 (7.4) kg/m², and 5.2% (0.6%), respectively. The 25(OH)D level was significantly higher at preconception in the pregnant group (56.4 [21.4] vs 47.9 [29.16] for nonpregnant, P = .001). The preconception 25(OH)D level was a significant predictor of IVF outcome (B = 0.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.06; P = .001), with greater IVF success associated with a serum 25(OH)D level of ≥50 nmol/L (odds ratio, 0.46; P = .01).ConclusionPreconception 25(OH)D sufficiency (≥50 nmol/L) is associated with successful pregnancy outcome following IVF therapy.     

Increased circulating heat shock protein 70 levels in pregnant asthmatics

Asthma is one of the most common diseases complicating pregnancy and represents a risk factor for several maternal and perinatal complications. The natural history of asthma is known to change in pregnancy, but very few data are available in the terms of pathomechanism of this change during gestation. Circulating heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) levels are decreased in healthy pregnancy, which might reflect physiological immunotolerance. The aim of our study was to determine the serum levels of Hsp70 in asthmatic women during gestation. Forty pregnant women with bronchial asthma and 40 healthy pregnant women matched for maternal and gestational age were involved in this case-control study. Serum Hsp70 levels were measured using the ELISA Kit of R&D Systems. Spirometry and oxygen saturation measurements were performed in asthmatic patients. In asthmatic pregnant women, an increase of serum Hsp70 levels was observed compared to healthy pregnant women (median (25–75 percentile): 0.44 ng/ml (0.36–0.53) versus 0.21 ng/ml (0–0.27), p < 0.001). Fetal birth weight of asthmatic mothers was significantly smaller than of healthy controls, but in the normal range (3,230 g (2,690–3,550) versus 3,550 g (3,450–3,775), p < 0.05). A statistically significant negative correlation between maternal age and serum Hsp70 concentrations (Spearman R = −0.48, p = 0.0018) and a significant positive correlation between gestational age and serum Hsp70 levels (Spearman R = 0.83, p < 0.001) were detected in healthy pregnant women. In conclusion, this study proves an elevation of circulating Hsp70 levels during asthmatic pregnancy compared to healthy pregnant women. However, further studies are warranted to determine the role of circulating Hsp70 in the pathogenesis of maternal and perinatal complications of asthma in pregnancy.     

High plasma adenosine levels in overweight/obese pregnant women

We aim to investigate whether overweight/obese pregnant women have elevated plasma levels of adenosine associated with increased consumption of high-calorie food. Sixty women were included. They were divided into lean (n = 23 and n = 12) or overweight/obese (n = 7 and n = 18) non-pregnant and pregnant women, respectively. Clinical records and maternal blood samples were collected after informed consent. A self-reported dietary questionnaire was also completed. Plasma adenosine levels were determined with high-performance liquid chromatography. Biochemical parameters, including glucose, total protein, and lipid profile, were determined using standard colorimetric assays. Adenosine levels were higher in pregnant women than in non-pregnant women (18.7 ± 1.6 vs 10.8 ± 1.3 nM/μg protein, respectively, p < 0.0001). Overweight/obese pregnant women (21.9 ± 2.5 nM/μg protein) exhibited higher adenosine levels than lean pregnant (14.5 ± 1.0 nM/μg protein, p = 0.04) or non-pregnant women (11.7 ± 1.5 nM/μg protein, p = 0.0005). Also, pregnant women with elevated weight gain exhibited higher (26.2 ± 3.7 nM/μg protein) adenosine levels than those with adequate weight gain (14.9 ± 1.4 nM/μg protein, p = 0.03). These differences were not statistically significant compared with those of pregnant women with reduced weight gain (17.4 ± 2.1 nM/μg protein, p = 0.053). Body mass index and adenosine only in pregnant women were positively correlated (r = 0.39, p = 0.02). While, polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) consumption was negatively correlated with plasma adenosine levels only in non-pregnant women (r = ?0.33, p = 0.03). Pregnancy is associated with high plasma adenosine levels, which are further elevated in pregnant women who are overweight/obese. High PUFA intake might reduce plasma adenosine levels in non-pregnant women.     

Factors influencing plasma zinc levels in low-income pregnant women

Plasma zinc (Zn) concentrations were measured in 4376 indigent women (86% African-American), at a mean (±SD) gestational age of 15 (±7.8) wk to determine the relationship between various maternal characteristics and plasma Zn levels during pregnancy. Mean plasma Zn levels were lower in African-American women than in Caucasian women, in multiparous women than in primiparous women, and in women with body weight >69.9 kg than in those with body weight ≤69.9 kg (p≤0.001 for each comparison). There were no significant differences related to maternal age, marital status, education, or smoking habit. Multiple regression analysis, including maternal prepregnancy weight, race, age, parity, smoking habit, education, and marital status indicated that race, parity, and pregnancy weight were significantly associated with maternal plasma Zn levels, adjusted for gestational age. Maternal race was the best predictor of plasma Zn concentrations among the population of pregnant women studied A significant proportion of variance in maternal plasma Zn levels remained unexplained after taking into account various maternal characteristics. The reasons for lower plasma Zn levels in African-American women, compared to Caucasian women, during pregnancy are unknown.     

Induction of metallothionein by exposure to normobaric 100% oxygen atmosphere in rats with different zinc supply

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of an oxygen enriched environment on the induction of the metalloprotein metallothionein (MT) and its relation to zinc metabolism in rats supplied with different levels of dietary zinc. Male albino rats were fed purified diets based on maize starch, egg white, saccharose and soybean oil differing in the concentration of zinc (1; 20; 100; 500 mg Zn/kg diet). At a dietary zinc supply of 1 mg/kg, the rats developed a zinc deficiency indicated by visual and biochemical parameters. At the end of the 37-day feeding period, half of the rats were exposed to 100% oxygen for 12 h.

The oxygen treatment significantly reduced plasma zinc in the zinc supplemented rats and reduced it in tendency in the zinc deficient rats. The MT concentration was increased in the zinc supplemented groups in the liver, kidney and lung. The oxygen treatment elevated the metallothionein concentration in the two high zinc supplemented groups (100 and 500 mg Zn/kg diet) in the liver. The response of the zinc concentration in plasma and of hepatic metallothionein levels to oxygen exposure indicates a role of metallothionein in zinc distribution or interactions with other trace elements to support antioxidant capacity, rather than an impact on direct scavenging activity of free radicals.