Analysis of the relationship between zinc deficiency, androgen disorders and lung

CIMINARI MARIA EUGENIA; PEREZ CHACA MARIA VERONICA; ALVAREZ SILVINA MONICA; BIAGGIO VERONICA S; GOMEZ NIDIA N

Famine, Starvation and Nutrient Deprivation.

Springler International Publishing

Año: 2019;

This review is focused on the adult lung in health and disease and on the effect of Zinc on both states. Pulmonary fibrosis (PF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma are some of the major health problems in the world. Zn is present in protein-bound and ionic forms, and plays important roles in mediating the function and structure of proteins, and in maintaining physiological balance. It was found that Zinc is involved in the regulation of sex hormones and that it also has effects on lung lipid metabolism and the immune system. It is known that sex affects lung development and physiology. Androgens enhance airway branching but delay alveolar maturation contributing to increased respiratory morbidity in prematurely born male infants. It was shown that there are sex-specific trends in the incidence, prevalence and mortality of diseases such as COPD and PF. In men, there is a gradual decline in testosterone secretion that begins after 30 years old, with the signs and symptoms of testosterone deficiency typically presenting after the age of 65. The absence of androgens induces oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in lung, synchronically with changes in the expression of cytoprotective markers, what could be part of the mechanisms involved in the development of the previously mentioned diseases. Therefore, not only the levels of zinc, but also of testosterone are important in order to maintain the lungs healthy and functional.