AUTHOR: SEOK WOO YANG, MD & PhD
CONTACT: soplab@outlook.kr
DATE: 2020.03.19
CONTENT:
te Velthuis et al reported that Zn(2+) inhibits the replication of SARS coronaviruses in cell culture study. They found that the SARS-CoV RdRp elongation was inhibited and template binding reduced by Zn(2+).[1]
Mocchegiani et al found that old people aged 60-65 years with specific IL-6 polymorphism (GG allele carriers; named C-) had a low level of zinc and the proinflammatory status of IL-6. With zinc supplementation, the inflammatory responses by IL-6 were ameliorated into the healthy condition.[2]
Old people have a tendency to have an increased level of IL-6 associated with the aging process.[3]
It has known that increased IL-6 production by Th2 cells and macrophages.[4]
This Th2 shifting immunity is susceptible to viral infection.
About the immunity of COVID-19, Xu et al revealed Th2 immune skewness polarized by IL-6 and TGF-β, which is vulnerable to viral infection.[5]
With a constellation of the above data, although there is no report about the relationship between zinc and novel coronaviral infection(COVID-19, Wuhan Coronaviral infection), the author thinks that zinc can be a supportive nutritional mineral for anti-viral immunity in COVID-19.
REFERENCE:
[1] te Velthuis AJ, van den Worm SH, Sims AC, Baric RS, Snijder EJ, van Hemert
MJ. Zn(2+) inhibits coronavirus and arterivirus RNA polymerase activity in vitro
and zinc ionophores block the replication of these viruses in cell culture. PLoS
Pathog. 2010 Nov 4;6(11):e1001176.
[2] Mocchegiani E, Romeo J, Malavolta M, Costarelli L, Giacconi R, Diaz LE,
Marcos A. Zinc: dietary intake and impact of supplementation on immune function in elderly. Age (Dordr). 2013 Jun;35(3):839-60. doi: 10.1007/s11357-011-9377-3.
Epub 2012 Jan 6. PMID: 22222917; PMCID: PMC3636409.
[3] Franceschi C. Inflammaging as a major characteristic of old people: can it be prevented or cured? Nutr Rev. 2007 Dec;65(12 Pt 2):S173-6.
[4] Mocchegiani E, Muzzioli M, Cipriano C, Giacconi R. Zinc, T-cell pathways, aging: role of metallothioneins. Mech Ageing Dev. 1998;106:183–204.
[5] Xu Z, Shi L, Wang Y, Zhang J, et al. Pathological findings of COVID-19 associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Lancet Respir Med. 2020;S2213-2600(20)30076-X.