ijms-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Molecular Mechanisms of Trace Elements Metabolism

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: closed (31 May 2022) | Viewed by 10122

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Trace elements are involved in a number of metabolic processes (regulation of enzyme activity, neurotransmission, erythropoiesis, growth, tissue and cell differentiation, immune response, oxidative stress etc.). Despite many decades of intensive research, numerous mechanisms of their action have not yet been fully identified, while the others have been insufficiently studied. The subject of a special interest are molecular mechanisms of trace elements action, as their explanation would allow to develop activities leading to elimination of the effects of their deficiency or toxicity. Thus, it will be possible to treat more effectively many diseases caused by impaired metabolism of trace elements. 

Taking the above into account, I have a pleasure to invite all who are interested in trace element research to submit valuable articles. Original papers, communications and review articles are welcome. They should focus on molecular mechanisms, as this is a profile of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 

Prof. Dariusz Chlubek
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

  • molecular mechanisms of trace elements metabolism in health
  • molecular mechanisms of trace elements metabolism in disease
  • synergistic and antagonistic actions of trace elements
  • interactions between trace elements and macroelements
  • interactions between trace elements and toxic elements
  • interactions between trace elements and vitamins
  • methodology applied in studies on trace elements metabolism

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

15 pages, 3213 KiB  
Article
Dietary Copper Deficiency Leads to Changes in Gene Expression Indicating an Increased Demand for NADH in the Prefrontal Cortex of the Rat’s Brain
by Monika Cendrowska-Pinkosz, Marta Ostrowska-Lesko, Katarzyna Ognik, Magdalena Krauze, Jerzy Juskiewicz, Anna Dabrowska, Jaroslaw Szponar and Slawomir Mandziuk
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(12), 6706; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23126706 - 16 Jun 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2516
Abstract
Copper is an essential element to brain cells as it is a cofactor and a structural component of various enzymes involved in energy metabolism pathways. Accumulating evidence points to the pivotal role of copper deficiency in neurodegeneration resulting from impaired copper homeostasis. Despite [...] Read more.
Copper is an essential element to brain cells as it is a cofactor and a structural component of various enzymes involved in energy metabolism pathways. Accumulating evidence points to the pivotal role of copper deficiency in neurodegeneration resulting from impaired copper homeostasis. Despite the indisputable role of copper in mitochondrial respiration, its homeostasis regulation in the brain tissue remains unclear. The assessment of changes in the expression of genes encoding key pathways of energy metabolism can greatly benefit further studies exploring copper’s role in neurodegeneration. Using a rat model, we investigate whether the replacement of the inorganic form of copper with metallic nanoparticles containing copper or complete deprivation of copper from the diet have an impact on the expression of genes involved in energy metabolism in the prefrontal cortex of the rats’ brain. Herein, we indicate that removing inorganic copper from the normal standard diet or the replacement with copper nanoparticles can lead to programmed energy metabolism changes. It can be recognized that some of these changes indicate an increased demand for NADH in the prefrontal cortex of the rat’s brain, probably as a result of adaptation effect. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Trace Elements Metabolism)
Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 2324 KiB  
Article
The Combined Inactivation of Intestinal and Hepatic ZIP14 Exacerbates Manganese Overload in Mice
by Caitlin K. Fung and Ningning Zhao
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(12), 6495; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23126495 - 10 Jun 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1960
Abstract
ZIP14 is a newly identified manganese transporter with high levels of expression in the small intestine and the liver. Loss-of-function mutations in ZIP14 can lead to systemic manganese overload, which primarily affects the central nervous system, causing neurological disorders. To elucidate the roles [...] Read more.
ZIP14 is a newly identified manganese transporter with high levels of expression in the small intestine and the liver. Loss-of-function mutations in ZIP14 can lead to systemic manganese overload, which primarily affects the central nervous system, causing neurological disorders. To elucidate the roles of intestinal ZIP14 and hepatic ZIP14 in maintaining systemic manganese homeostasis, we generated mice with single-tissue or two-tissue Zip14 knockout, including intestine-specific (Zip14-In-KO), liver-specific (Zip14-L-KO), and double (intestine and liver) Zip14-knockout (Zip14-DKO) mice. Zip14flox/flox mice were used as the control. Tissue manganese contents in these mice were compared using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis. We discovered that although the deletion of intestinal ZIP14 only moderately increased systemic manganese loading, the deletion of both intestinal and hepatic ZIP14 greatly exacerbated the body’s manganese burden. Our results provide new knowledge to further the understanding of manganese metabolism, and offer important insights into the mechanisms underlying systemic manganese overload caused by the loss of ZIP14. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Trace Elements Metabolism)
Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 2190 KiB  
Article
Comparative Evaluation of Sucrosomial Iron and Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as Oral Supplements in Iron Deficiency Anemia in Piglets
by Rafał Mazgaj, Paweł Lipiński, Mateusz Szudzik, Aneta Jończy, Zuzanna Kopeć, Adrian M. Stankiewicz, Marian Kamyczek, Dorine Swinkels, Beata Żelazowska and Rafał R. Starzyński
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(18), 9930; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22189930 - 14 Sep 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4853
Abstract
Iron deficiency is the most common mammalian nutritional disorder. However, among mammalian species iron deficiency anemia (IDA), occurs regularly only in pigs. To cure IDA, piglets are routinely injected with high amounts of iron dextran (FeDex), which can lead to perturbations in iron [...] Read more.
Iron deficiency is the most common mammalian nutritional disorder. However, among mammalian species iron deficiency anemia (IDA), occurs regularly only in pigs. To cure IDA, piglets are routinely injected with high amounts of iron dextran (FeDex), which can lead to perturbations in iron homeostasis. Here, we evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of non-invasive supplementation with Sucrosomial iron (SI), a highly bioavailable iron supplement preventing IDA in humans and mice and various iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs). Analysis of red blood cell indices and plasma iron parameters shows that not all iron preparations used in the study efficiently counteracted IDA comparable to FeDex-based supplementation. We found no signs of iron toxicity of any tested iron compounds, as evaluated based on the measurement of several toxicological markers that could indicate the occurrence of oxidative stress or inflammation. Neither SI nor IONPs increased hepcidin expression with alterations in ferroportin (FPN) protein level. Finally, the analysis of the piglet gut microbiota indicates the individual pattern of bacterial diversity across taxonomic levels, independent of the type of supplementation. In light of our results, SI but not IONPs used in the experiment emerges as a promising nutritional iron supplement, with a high potential to correct IDA in piglets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Trace Elements Metabolism)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop