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The Role of Trace Elements in Nutrition and Health
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The Role of Trace Elements in Nutrition and Health

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Bioactives and Nutraceuticals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 April 2025 | Viewed by 8370

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Jie Feng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed of Zhejiang Province, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: minerals; iron metabolism; iron homeostasis; zinc metabolism; zinc homeostasis; antioxidants; oxidative stress; animal nutrition

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Trace elements such as iron, zinc, and selenium play vital roles in humans and animals, influencing a variety of physiological processes in the body, including metabolism, development, and immunity. Trace element intake is essential for maintaining health, especially in special populations and at specific stages in animals, such as pregnant women, infants, the elderly, the chronically ill, and newborn piglets. Although trace elements have been studied for many years, there are still many unknowns waiting to be explored. This Special Issue will focus on the biological functions of trace elements, mechanisms of absorption and metabolism, recommended intakes, possible health problems caused by deficiencies or excessive intake, as well as research on the development and application of novel trace elements.

We look forward to receiving high-quality original research papers and reviews from a wide range of species, both basic research and applied research, as well as experimental data at in vivo, molecular, immunological, and cellular levels. This Special Issue aims to provide readers with more comprehensive and diverse information to promote the application and development of trace elements in nutrition and health. Researchers from all over the world with different research backgrounds are welcome to submit their latest research results or review papers to this Special Issue to promote the advancement of this field.

Prof. Dr. Jie Feng
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • trace elements
  • nutrition
  • health
  • function
  • disease
  • metabolism
  • homeostasis

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 2146 KiB  
Article
Maternal Metal Ion Status Along Pregnancy and Perinatal Outcomes in a Group of Mexican Women
by Johana Vásquez-Procopio, Johnatan Torres-Torres, Elodia Rojas-Lima, Salvador Espino-y-Sosa, Juan Mario Solis-Paredes, Maribel Sánchez-Martínez, Mari-Cruz Tolentino-Dolores, Otilia Perichart-Perera, Fanis Missirlis and Guadalupe Estrada-Gutierrez
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(23), 13206; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252313206 - 8 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1708
Abstract
Pregnancy increases the demand for essential metal ions to support fetal development, making the maternal metal ion status a critical determinant of perinatal outcomes. This prospective cohort study examined changes in metal ion levels across the three trimesters, evaluated the influence of preexisting [...] Read more.
Pregnancy increases the demand for essential metal ions to support fetal development, making the maternal metal ion status a critical determinant of perinatal outcomes. This prospective cohort study examined changes in metal ion levels across the three trimesters, evaluated the influence of preexisting metabolic conditions on the metal ion status, and assessed the associations between maternal metal ion levels and perinatal outcomes in 206 pregnant women from the Biochemical and Epigenetic Origin of Overweight and Obesity (OBESO) cohort receiving care at the Instituto Nacional de Perinatología in Mexico City from 2017 to 2020. Six essential metal ions (iron, zinc, copper, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus) were measured in blood samples using inductively coupled plasma optic emission spectrometry. Significant variations in the metal ion levels were observed across the trimesters, with notable decreases in iron and magnesium and increases in copper as pregnancies progressed. Maternal hypothyroidism was associated with significantly low levels of zinc and magnesium during pregnancy. Regression analyses revealed robust associations between maternal metal ion levels and perinatal outcomes. For instance, declining magnesium levels as pregnancies progressed were positively associated with gestational diabetes (OR: 2.92, p = 0.04; OR: 2.72, p = 0.03). The maternal metal ion status significantly influences perinatal outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Trace Elements in Nutrition and Health)
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16 pages, 4901 KiB  
Article
A 0.2 T–0.4 T Static Magnetic Field Improves the Bone Quality of Mice Subjected to Hindlimb Unloading and Reloading Through the Dual Regulation of BMSCs via Iron Metabolism
by Jianping Wang, Chenxiao Zhen, Gejing Zhang, Zhouqi Yang and Peng Shang
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(23), 13136; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252313136 - 6 Dec 2024
Viewed by 799
Abstract
Osteoporosis is the most prevalent metabolic bone disease, especially when aggravated by aging and long-term bed rest of various causes and also when coupled with astronauts’ longer missions in space. Research on the use of static magnetic fields (SMFs) has been progressing as [...] Read more.
Osteoporosis is the most prevalent metabolic bone disease, especially when aggravated by aging and long-term bed rest of various causes and also when coupled with astronauts’ longer missions in space. Research on the use of static magnetic fields (SMFs) has been progressing as a noninvasive method for osteoporosis due to the complexity of the disease, the inconsistency of the effects of SMFs, and the ambiguity of the mechanism. This paper studied the effects of mice subjected to hindlimb unloading (UL, HLU) and reloading by the 0.2 T–0.4 T static magnetic field (MMF). Primary bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were extracted to explore the mechanism. Eight-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were used as an osteoporosis model by HLU for four weeks. The HLU recovery period (reloading, RL) was carried out on all FVEs and recovered in the geomagnetic field (45–64 μT, GMF) and MMF, respectively, for 12 h/d for another 4 weeks. The tibia and femur of mice were taken; also, the primary BMSCs were extracted. MMF promoted the recovery of mechanical properties after HLU, increased the number of osteoblasts, and decreased the number of adipocytes in the bone marrow. MMF decreased the total iron content and promoted the total calcium content in the tibia. In vitro experiments showed that MMF promoted the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs and inhibited adipogenic differentiation, which is related to iron metabolism, the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, and the PPARγ pathway. MMF accelerated the improvement in bone metabolism and iron metabolism in RL mice to a certain extent, which improved the bone quality of mice. MMF mainly promoted osteogenic differentiation and reduced the adipogenic differentiation of BMSCs, which provides a reliable research direction and transformation basis for the osteoporosis of elderly, bedridden patients and astronauts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Trace Elements in Nutrition and Health)
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13 pages, 1914 KiB  
Article
Pre- and Postnatal Vitamin A Deficiency Impairs Motor Skills without a Consistent Effect on Trace Mineral Status in Young Mice
by Joseph Arballo, Jennifer M. Rutkowsky, Marjorie J. Haskell, Kyla De Las Alas, Reina Engle-Stone, Xiaogu Du, Jon J. Ramsey and Peng Ji
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(19), 10806; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms251910806 - 8 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1562
Abstract
Pregnant women and children are vulnerable to vitamin A deficiency (VAD), which is often compounded by concurrent deficiencies in other micronutrients, particularly iron and zinc, in developing countries. The study investigated the effects of early-life VAD on motor and cognitive development and trace [...] Read more.
Pregnant women and children are vulnerable to vitamin A deficiency (VAD), which is often compounded by concurrent deficiencies in other micronutrients, particularly iron and zinc, in developing countries. The study investigated the effects of early-life VAD on motor and cognitive development and trace mineral status in a mouse model. C57BL/6J dams were fed either a vitamin A-adequate (VR) or -deficient (VD) diet across two consecutive gestations and lactations. Offspring from both gestations (G1 and G2) continued the same diets until 6 or 9 weeks of age. Behavioral assays were conducted to evaluate motor coordination, grip strength, spatial cognition, and anxiety. Hepatic trace minerals were analyzed. A VD diet depleted hepatic retinoids and reduced plasma retinol across all ages and gestations. Retracted rear legs and abnormal gait were the most common clinical manifestations observed in VD offspring from both gestations at 9 weeks. Poor performance on the Rotarod test further confirmed their motor dysfunction. VAD didn’t affect hemoglobin levels and had no consistent effect on hepatic trace mineral concentrations. These findings highlight the critical role of vitamin A in motor development. There was no clear evidence that VAD alters the risk of iron deficiency anemia or trace minerals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Trace Elements in Nutrition and Health)
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Review

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15 pages, 762 KiB  
Review
The Role of Trace Metals in the Development and Progression of Prostate Cancer
by Unathi Albertinah Tshoni, Thokozani P. Mbonane and Phoka C. Rathebe
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(19), 10725; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms251910725 - 5 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1342
Abstract
Over the years, prostate cancer (PCa) research has been of great interest, and trace metals have attracted a lot of attention due to their association with prostate cancer development and progression. PCa has a complex etiology, with genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors being [...] Read more.
Over the years, prostate cancer (PCa) research has been of great interest, and trace metals have attracted a lot of attention due to their association with prostate cancer development and progression. PCa has a complex etiology, with genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors being implicated. Trace metals such as zinc (Zn), mercury (Hg), selenium (Se), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn), arsenic (As), and nickel (Ni) have garnered much attention in recent years, suspected of having direct links to the modulation of cancer risk and progression through their impacts on prostate cancer omics (genomics, epigenetics, proteomics, and transcriptomics). This has led to them being the subject of extensive research in this regard. In this review, we explored the influence of trace metals and offered a comprehensive analysis of the current knowledge on how trace metals affect the biology of prostate cancer at a molecular level by integrating findings from the recent literature to help suggest possible directions for future research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Trace Elements in Nutrition and Health)
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22 pages, 2254 KiB  
Review
The Mechanism of Zinc Oxide in Alleviating Diarrhea in Piglets after Weaning: A Review from the Perspective of Intestinal Barrier Function
by Xiaopeng Tang, Kangning Xiong, Yan Zeng and Rejun Fang
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(18), 10040; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms251810040 - 18 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1903
Abstract
Weaning is one of the most challenging phases for piglets, and it is also the time when piglets are the most susceptible to diarrhea, which may result in significant economic losses for pig production. One of the dietary strategies for reducing post-weaning diarrhea [...] Read more.
Weaning is one of the most challenging phases for piglets, and it is also the time when piglets are the most susceptible to diarrhea, which may result in significant economic losses for pig production. One of the dietary strategies for reducing post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) in piglets is to provide them with a pharmacological dose of zinc oxide (ZnO). However, excessive or long-term usage of high-dose ZnO has significant impacts on pig health and the ecological environment. Therefore, caution should be exercised when considering the use of high-dose ZnO for the prevention or treatment of PWD in piglets. In this paper, the significant role of zinc in animal health, the potential mode of action of ZnO in alleviating diarrhea, and the impact of innovative, highly efficient ZnO alternatives on the regulation of piglet diarrhea were reviewed to offer insights into the application of novel ZnO in pig production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Trace Elements in Nutrition and Health)
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