EFFECT OF ZINC ON IMMUNOCOMPETENCE IN THE ELDERLY

这一应用解决了这样一种假设，即饮食中锌的差异 锌含量和锌营养水平可能影响老年人的免疫反应。 我们进一步假设，免疫功能改善的机制 反应既是对潜在锌缺乏症的纠正，也是对 高剂量锌的药理(药)效应，即后者效应 对大多数病人来说更重要。这项研究的主题是 老年人将根据首字母缩写分为3组 他们血浆锌浓度的测定(小于60ug/dl，60-80 Ug/dl或大于80 ug/dl)。来自三个小组的受试者将是 随机分配到三个处理之一：每天15毫克锌，100毫克锌 每天服用，或服用安慰剂。锌或安慰剂的服用将继续一年 年。血液和头发样本将在0、3、6、12和24点采集 在开始补锌几个月后。以下测试将是 评估受试者锌营养：血浆锌、发锌、血浆碱性 磷酸酶、血清白蛋白和红细胞锌。免疫能力将是 通过几种方法进行评估，包括评估延迟的皮肤 淋巴细胞对有丝分裂原的超敏反应和体外反应 抗原，淋巴细胞表面标志物的评估，和评估 自然杀伤细胞的功能。铜的主题营养也将是 通过测量血浆中铜的浓度进行评估。研究对象将 接受三年的传染病、癌症和 各种原因造成的死亡。数据将通过多元回归进行分析 协方差分析的方法。这项研究将允许确定 锌对免疫功能的预期有益作用是否合理 纠正轻至中度锌缺乏症和/或药物治疗 高剂量锌的影响，从而提供了关于以下机制的数据 哪种锌能产生有益的效果。评估各种 免疫活性的测量将允许确定这些最 受锌管理的有利影响。从理论上讲，两者都具有传染性 疾病和癌症的发生可能会受到增强的 细胞免疫。因此，可以从一种 锌对老年人细胞免疫功能影响的研究 癌症和危及生命的传染性疾病的高发病率 疾病。

This application addresses the hypothesis that differences in dietary zinc content and zinc nutriture may affect the immune response in the elderly. We further hypothesize that the mechanism of improvement in the immune response is both a correction of underlying zinc deficiency and a pharmacologic (drug) effect of high doses of zinc, with the latter effect being more important for most patients. The subjects of this study will be elderly adults who will be divided into 3 groups based on an initial determination of their plasma zinc concentration (less than 60 ug/dl, 60-80 ug/dl, or greater than 80 ug/dl). Subjects from the 3 groups will be randomly assigned to one of three treatments: 15 mg Zn daily, 100 mg Zn daily, or a placebo. Administration of Zn or placebo will continue for one year. Blood and hair samples will be collected at 0, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after beginning zinc administration. The following tests will be done to assess subject zinc nutriture: plasma Zn, hair Zn, plasma alkaline phosphatase, serum albumin, and erythrocyte zinc. Immunocompetence will be assessed by several methods, including evaluation of delayed dermal hypersensitivity, in vitro response of lymphocytes to mitogens and antigens, assessment of lymphocyte surface markers, and evaluation of natural killer cell function. Subject nutriture for copper will also be assessed by measurement of plasma concentrations of copper. Subjects will be monitored for three years for infectious diseases, cancers, and mortality from all causes. Data will be analyzed by a multiple regression approach to analysis of covariance. The study will allow determination of whether the expected beneficial effects of zinc on immunocompetence are due to correction of mild to moderate zinc deficiency and/or to a pharmacologic effect of high doses of zinc, and thus provide data on the mechanisms by which zinc produces its beneficial effects. Assessing a variety of measures of immunocompetence will allow determination of those most favorably affected by zinc administration. Theoretically, both infectious diseases and carcinogenesis could be favorably affected by enhanced cellular immunity. Thus, considerable benefit could be derived from a study of the effects of zinc on cellular immunity in the elderly, a group with a high incidence of both cancers and life-threatening infectious diseases.