The antagonistic interplay between phosphorus (P) and zinc (Zn) in plants is well established. However, the molecular mechanisms mediating those interactions as influenced by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis remain unclear. We investigated Zn concentrations, root AM symbiosis, and transcriptome profiles of maize roots grown under field conditions upon different P levels. We also validated genotype-dependent P-Zn uptake in selected genotypes from a MAGIC population and conducted mycorrhizal inoculation experiments using mycorrhizal-defective mutant pht1;6 to elucidate the significance of AM symbiosis in P-Zn antagonism. Finally, we assessed how P supply affects Zn transporters and Zn uptake in extraradical hyphae within a three-compartment system. Elevated P levels led to a significant reduction in maize Zn concentration across the population, correlating with a marked decline in AM symbiosis, thus elucidating the P-Zn antagonism. We also identified ZmPht1;6 is crucial for AM symbiosis and confirmed that P-Zn antagonistic uptake is dependent on AM symbiosis. Moreover, we found that high P suppressed the expression of the fungal RiZRT1 and RiZnT1 genes, potentially impacting hyphal Zn uptake. We conclude that high P exerts systemic regulation over root and AM hyphae-mediated Zn uptake in maize. These findings hold implications for breeding Zn deficiency-tolerant maize varieties.

Neurodegenerative diseases pose a significant health challenge for the elderly. The escalating presence of toxic metals and chemicals in the environment is a potential contributor to central nervous system dysfunction and the onset of neurodegenerative conditions. Transition metals play a crucial role in various pathophysiological mechanisms associated with prevalent neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer\'s and Parkinson\'s. Given the ubiquitous exposure to metals from diverse sources in everyday life, the workplace, and the environment, most of the population faces regular contact with different forms of these metals. Disturbances in the levels and homeostasis of certain transition metals are closely linked to the manifestation of neurodegenerative disorders. Oxidative damage further exacerbates the progression of neurological consequences. Presently, there exists no curative therapy for individuals afflicted by neurodegenerative diseases, with treatment approaches primarily focusing on alleviating pathological symptoms. Within the realm of biologically active compounds derived from plants, flavonoids and curcuminoids stand out for their extensively documented antioxidant, antiplatelet, and neuroprotective properties. The utilization of these compounds holds the potential to formulate highly effective therapeutic strategies for managing neurodegenerative diseases. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the impact of abnormal metal levels, particularly copper, iron, and zinc, on the initiation and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Additionally, it aims to elucidate the potential of fisetin and curcumin to inhibit or decelerate the neurodegenerative process.

OBJECTIVE: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common metabolic disorder in overweight and obese children, and its etiology and pathogenesis remain unclear, lacking effective preventive and therapeutic measures. This study aims to explore the association between whole blood copper, zinc, calcium, magnesium and iron levels and NAFLD in overweight and obese children aged 6 to 17 years, providing a scientific basis for the prevention and intervention of early NAFLD in overweight and obese children.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was used to collect relevant data from overweight and obese children who visited the Hunan Children\'s Hospital from January 2019 to December 2021 through questionnaire surveys. Fasting blood samples were collected from the subjects, and various indicators such as blood glucose, blood lipid, and mineral elements were detected. All children were divided into an overweight group (n=400) and a NAFLD group (n=202). The NAFLD group was divided into 2 subgroups according to the ALT level: A non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) group and a non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) group. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between minerals (copper, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and iron) and NAFLD, NAFL and NASH.
RESULTS: A total of 602 subjects were included, of whom 73.6% were male, with a median age of 10 (9, 11) years, and a body mass index (BMI) of 24.9 (22.7, 27.4) kg/m2. The intergroup comparison results showed that compared with the overweight group, the NAFLD group had higher levels of age, BMI, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL), alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lower level of high density lipoprotein (HDL). The NAFL group had higher levels of age, BMI, DBP, SBP, ALT, and AST, and lower levels of HDL compared with the overweight group. The levels of age, BMI, DBP, SBP, TG, LDL, ALT, and AST of NASH were higher than those in the overweight group, while the level of HDL was lower than that in overweight group (all P<0.017). After adjusting for a variety of confounders, the OR of NAFLD for the highest quantile of iron was 1.79 (95% CI 1.07 to 3.00) compared to the lowest quantile, and no significant association was observed between copper, zinc, calcium, and magnesium, and NAFLD. The subgroup analysis of NAFLD showed that the OR for the highest quantile of iron in children with NAFL was 2.21 (95% CI 1.26 to 3.88), while no significant association was observed between iron level and NASH. In addition, no significant associations were observed between copper, zinc, calcium, and magnesium levels and NAFL or NASH.
CONCLUSIONS: High iron level increases the risk of NAFLD (more likely NAFL) in overweight and obese children, while copper, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and other elements are not associated with the risk of NAFLD in overweight and obese children.
目的: 非酒精性脂肪肝病(non-alcoholic fatty liver disease，NAFLD)是超重肥胖儿童中常见的一种代谢性疾病，其病因和发病机制尚未阐明，缺乏有效的预防和治疗手段。本研究旨在分析6~17岁超重肥胖儿童全血铜、锌、钙、镁、铁与NAFLD的关联，为超重肥胖儿童NAFLD的预防和早期干预提供依据。方法: 采用横断面研究设计，通过问卷调查收集于2019年1月至2021年12月在湖南省儿童医院就诊的超重肥胖儿童的相关资料，采集受试者凌晨空腹血并检测血糖、血脂、微量元素等指标。将超重肥胖儿童分为单纯超重肥胖组(n=400)和NAFLD组(n=202)；根据ALT水平，将NAFLD组划分为单纯性脂肪肝(non-alcoholic fatty liver，NAFL)组和非酒精性脂肪性肝炎(non-alcoholic steatohepatitis，NASH)组2个亚组。采用Logistic回归分析全血铜、锌、钙、镁、铁与NAFLD、NAFL和NASH之间的关联。结果: 共纳入602名研究对象，其中73.6%为男性，年龄为10(9，11)岁，体重指数(body mass index，BMI)为24.9(22.7，27.4) kg/m2。组间比较结果显示：NAFLD组的年龄、BMI、舒张压(diastolic blood pressure，DBP)、收缩压(systolic blood pressure，SBP)、甘油三酯(triglyceride，TG)、低密度脂蛋白(low density lipoprotein，LDL)、谷丙转氨酶(alanine transaminase，ALT)、谷草转氨酶(aspartate aminotransferase，AST)均高于单纯超重肥胖组，高密度脂蛋白(high density lipoprotein，HDL)低于单纯超重肥胖组；NAFL组的年龄、BMI、DBP、SBP、ALT、AST均高于单纯超重肥胖组，HDL低于单纯超重肥胖组；NASH组的年龄、BMI、DBP、SBP、TG、LDL、ALT、AST均高于单纯超重肥胖组，HDL低于单纯超重肥胖组(均P<0.017)。根据各微量元素水平划分为四分位组，在调整混杂因素年龄、性别、BMI、血压、TG、HDL、LDL后，与最低分位组相比，铁元素最高分位组NAFLD的OR值为1.79(95% CI 1.07~3.00)，铜、锌、钙、镁元素与NAFLD均不存在关联。NAFLD亚组分析结果显示：在调整混杂因素后，铁元素最高分位组NAFL的OR值为2.21(95% CI 1.26~3.88)，未发现铁与NASH以及铜、锌、钙、镁与NAFL或NASH之间的关联。结论: 铁水平过高增加超重肥胖儿童NAFLD(更有可能是NAFL)的患病风险，而铜、锌、钙、镁等与超重肥胖儿童NAFLD的患病风险无关。.

Zn2+ is an essential metal required by approximately 850 human transcription factors. How these proteins acquire their essential Zn2+ cofactor and whether they are sensitive to changes in the labile Zn2+ pool in cells remain open questions. Using ATAC-seq to profile regions of accessible chromatin coupled with transcription factor enrichment analysis, we examined how increases and decreases in the labile zinc pool affect chromatin accessibility and transcription factor enrichment. We found 685 transcription factor motifs were differentially enriched, corresponding to 507 unique transcription factors. The pattern of perturbation and the types of transcription factors were notably different at promoters versus intergenic regions, with zinc-finger transcription factors strongly enriched in intergenic regions in elevated Zn2+ To test whether ATAC-seq and transcription factor enrichment analysis predictions correlate with changes in transcription factor binding, we used ChIP-qPCR to profile six p53 binding sites. We found that for five of the six targets, p53 binding correlates with the local accessibility determined by ATAC-seq. These results demonstrate that changes in labile zinc alter chromatin accessibility and transcription factor binding to DNA.

Long-term alcohol overconsumption impairs intestinal and hepatic structure and function, along with dysregulation of zinc homeostasis. We previously found that zinc-glutathione (Zn-GSH) complex effectively suppressed alcohol-induced liver injury in mice. This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that Zn-GSH suppresses alcohol-induced liver injury by modulating intestinal zinc transporters. Mice were subjected to long-term ethanol feeding, as per the NIAAA model, with groups receiving either an ethanol diet alone or an ethanol diet supplemented with Zn-GSH. Treatment groups were carefully monitored for alcohol consumption and subjected to a final binge drinking treatment. The results showed that Zn-GSH increased the survival rate and decreased the recovery time from binge drinking-induced drunkenness. Histopathological analyses demonstrated a reduction in liver steatosis and the preservation of intestinal integrity by Zn-GSH. It was observed that Zn-GSH prevented the reduction of Zn and GSH levels while increasing alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase in both liver and intestine. Importantly, the expression and protein abundance of zinc transporters ZnT-1, ZIP-1, ZIP-4, ZIP-6, and ZIP-14, all of which are critically involved in intestinal zinc transport and homeostasis, were significantly increased or preserved by Zn-GSH in response to alcohol exposure. This study thus highlights the critical role of Zn-GSH in maintaining intestinal zinc homeostasis by modulating zinc transporters, thereby preventing alcohol-induced intestinal and hepatic injury.

Rising global temperatures and critical energy shortages have spurred researches into CO2 fixation and conversion within the realm of energy storage such as Zn-CO2 batteries. However, traditional Zn-CO2 batteries employ double-compartment electrolytic cells with separate carriers for catholytes and anolytes, diverging from the \"rocking chair\" battery mechanism. The specific energy of these conventional batteries is constrained by the solubility of discharge reactants/products in the electrolyte. Additionally, H2O molecules tend to trigger parasitic reactions at the electrolyte/electrode interfaces, undermining the long-term stability of Zn anodes. In this report, we introduce an innovative \"rocking chair\" type Zn-CO2 battery that utilizes a weak-acidic Zn(OTf)2 aqueous electrolyte compatible with both cathode and anode. This design minimizes side reactions on the Zn surface and leverages the high catalytic activity of the cathode material, allowing the battery to achieve a substantial discharge capacity of 6734 mAh g-1 and maintain performance over 65 cycles. Moreover, the successful production of pouch cells demonstrates the practical applicability of Zn-CO2 batteries. Electrode characterizations confirm superior electrochemical reversibility, facilitated by solid discharge products of ZnCO3 and C. This work advances a \"rocking chair\" Zn-CO2 battery with enhanced specific energy and a reversible pathway, providing a foundation for developing high-performance metal-CO2 batteries.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a gram-negative bacterium well known for its multidrug resistance and connection to nosocomial infections under ESKAPE pathogens. This opportunistic pathogen is ubiquitously associated with nosocomial infections, posing significant threats within healthcare environments. Its critical clinical symptoms, namely, meningitis, urinary tract infections, bloodstream infections, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and pneumonia, catalyze the imperative demand for innovative therapeutic interventions. The proposed research focuses on delineating the role of Zinc, a crucial metallo-binding protein and micronutrient integral to bacterial metabolism and virulence, to enhance understanding of the pathogenicity of A. baumannii. RNA sequencing and subsequent DESeq2 analytical methods were used to identify differential gene expressions influenced by zinc exposure. Exploiting the STRING database for functional enrichment analysis has demonstrated the complex molecular mechanisms underlying the enhancement of pathogenicity prompted by Zinc. Moreover, hub genes like gltB, ribD, AIL77834.1, sdhB, nuoI, acsA_1, acoC, accA, accD were predicted using the cytohubba tool in Cytoscape. This investigation underscores the pivotal role of Zinc in the virulence of A. baumannii elucidates the underlying molecular pathways responsible for its pathogenicity. The research further accentuates the need for innovative therapeutic strategies to combat A. baumannii infections, particularly those induced by multidrug-resistant strains.

A new eco-friendly sensor, 3-((6-((4-chlorobenzylidene)amino)pyridin-2-yl)imino)indolin-2-one (CBAPI) was synthesized and well characterized. The CBAPI sensor was employed for detecting Zn2+ and Fe3+ ions. It exhibited a low limit of detection at pH 6.0, with values of 2.90, for Zn2+ and 3.59 nmol L-1 for Fe3+ ions. The sensor demonstrated high selectivity over other interfering cations. Additionally, the high binding constants reflect the great affinity of sensor towards Zn2+ and Fe3+ ions. To further validate its quantification ability for Zn2+ ions, the synthesized CBAPI sensor was used to determine Zn levels in human hair samples, and the results were confirmed using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). The AGREE metric tool was used to assess the method\'s environmental impact and practical applicability. These positive outcomes indicated that the new method for detecting Zn2+ and Fe3+ ions is environmentally friendly and safe for humans. The developed CBAPI sensor represents a potential development in metal ion detection, combining sensitivity, selectivity, and rapidity.

UNASSIGNED: Zinc (Zn), an essential trace element, has an adverse influence on the prognosis of several cancers. However, the association between the preoperative serum Zn level and outcomes in patients with advanced esophageal cancer in the current neoadjuvant treatment era remains unclear.
UNASSIGNED: This study involved 185 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent R0 surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy from August 2017 to February 2021. We retrospectively investigated the relationship between the preoperative serum Zn level and the patients\' outcomes.
UNASSIGNED: The patients were divided into a low Zn group (<64 μg/dL) and a high Zn group (≤64 μg/dL) according to the mean preoperative serum Zn level. Low Zn had significantly worse overall survival (OS) (2-year OS rate: 76.2% vs. 83.3% in low vs. high Zn; p = 0.044). A low Zn in pathological non-responders (Grade ≤ 1a) was significantly associated with a shorter 2-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate (39.6% vs. 64.1% in low vs. high Zn; p = 0.032). The multivariate analysis identified low BMI and Zn level among preoperative nutritional status indices as an independent risk factor for worse RFS in non-responders. Compared with responders, pathological non-responders comprised significantly more males and a performance status of ≥1, and there was no difference in Zn level according to pathological response.
UNASSIGNED: A preoperative low Zn level had a negative impact on early recurrence in esophageal cancer patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. This suggests the need to administer Zn supplementation to patients with esophageal cancer who have preoperative Zn deficiency.

Soil salinity is a major nutritional challenge with poor agriculture production characterized by high sodium (Na+) ions in the soil. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and biochar have received attention as a sustainable strategy to reduce biotic and abiotic stress. However, there is a lack of information regarding the incorporation of ZnO NPs with biochar to ameliorate the salinity stress (0, 50,100 mM). Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the potentials of ZnO NPs application (priming and foliar) alone and with a combination of biochar on the growth and nutrient availability of spinach plants under salinity stress. Results demonstrated that salinity stress at a higher rate (100 mM) showed maximum growth retardation by inducing oxidative stress, resulted in reduced photosynthetic rate and nutrient availability. ZnO NPs (priming and foliar) alone enhanced growth, chlorophyll contents and gas exchange parameters by improving the antioxidant enzymes activity of spinach under salinity stress. While, a significant and more pronounced effect was observed at combined treatments of ZnO NPs with biochar amendment. More importantly, ZnO NPs foliar application with biochar significantly reduced the Na+ contents in root 57.69%, and leaves 61.27% of spinach as compared to the respective control. Furthermore, higher nutrient contents were also found at the combined treatment of ZnO NPs foliar application with biochar. Overall, ZnO NPs combined application with biochar proved to be an efficient and sustainable strategy to alleviate salinity stress and improve crop nutritional quality under salinity stress. We inferred that ZnO NPs foliar application with a combination of biochar is more effectual in improving crop nutritional status and salinity mitigation than priming treatments with a combination of biochar.