Zinc is an essential element that plays catalytic, structural and regulatory roles in human biological systems. It is vital for growth and development, sexual maturation and reproduction, dark vision adaptation, olfactory (smell) and gustatory (taste) activity, insulin storage and release, and host immune defenses. It plays a crucial role in the protection and repair of DNA and regulation of hormone levels. Deficiency may cause growth retardation, pregnancy complications, frequent infections and poor wound healing. Good sources are oysters, wheat germ, pumpkin seeds and Brazil nuts. Recommended daily allowance is 15 milligrams/day. (For more detailed information, please visit ISM’s searchable database: Nutraceutical Search.)
Prostate carcinogenesis involves transformation of zinc-accumulating normal epithelial cells to malignant cells, which do not accumulate zinc…Results suggest one possible mechanism for the inhibitory effect of zinc on the development and progression of prostate malignancy and might have important consequences for the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer. [Uzzo, RG et al (2002). Zinc Inhibits Nuclear Factor-B Activation and Sensitizes Prostate Cancer Cells to Cytotoxic Agents. Clinical Cancer Research, 8, 3579-83.]
Prostate Zn2+ concentrations are among the highest in the body, and a marked decrease in the level of this ion is observed in prostate cancer. Extracellular Zn2+ is known to regulate cell survival and proliferation in numerous tissues… Therapeutic strategies based either on Zn2+ chelation or administration of Zn2+Citrate may be effective in attenuating prostate tumor growth. [Dubi, N et al (2008). Extracellular zinc and zinc-citrate, acting through a putative zinc-sensing receptor, regulate growth and survival of prostate cancer cells. Carcinogenesis, 29(9), 1692-1700.]
Zn may be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer. [Clin Chem Lab Med. 2006; 44(2): 175-9.]
Previous studies by our laboratory indicated that zinc ribbon domain-containing 1 (ZNRD1) suppressed the growth of gastric cancer cells with a G1 cell cycle arrest… In the present study, we have demonstrated that ZNRD1 could significantly inhibit the in vitro and in vivo growth of gastric cell line MKN28…Taken together, these results suggested that ZNRD1 might inhibit cell growth by targeting cell cycle-related genes and reducing tumor angiogenesis. [Hong, L et al (2007).Mechanisms of growth arrest by zinc ribbon domain-containing 1 in gastric cancer cells. Carcinogenesis, 28(8), 1622-8.]
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