Abstract
Plasma copper and zinc concentrations were measured in 58 patients with a laboratory-confirmed primary or secondary immunodeficiency. Patients with severe combined immunodeficiency, collagen vascular disease with depressed cell-mediated immunity, and acquired or congenital acrodermatitis enteropathica had mean plasma zinc concentrations substantially below the lower limit of normal. In contrast, patients with primary humoral and polymorphonuclear leukocyte defects had normal plasma zinc concentrations. Patients with primary polymorphonuclear leukocyte defects had a mean plasma copper concentration substantially above the upper limit of normal. Those subjects with primary humoral immunity defects also had significantly elevated plasma copper concentrations in comparison to controls. Plasma copper concentrations in patients with severe combined immunodeficiency or acrodermatitis enteropathica were normal. Cutis laxa patients had low plasma zinc and copper concentrations. These data demonstrate that zinc and copper homeostasis are altered in come immunodeficiency disorders and may be important factors in host defenses. Since it is known that cellular immunity is impaired by zinc deficiency, patients with primary and secondary immunodeficiency states with appropriately documented mild or severe zinc deficiency should receive zinc supplements.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
R. A. Good, G. Fernandes, and A. West,Clin. Bull. 9, 3 (1979).
R. K. Chandra,Nutr. Rev. 39, 225 (1981).
W. R. Beisel,Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 35, 417 (1982).
W. L. Weston, J. C. Huff, J. R. Humbert, K. M. Hambidge, K. H. Weldner, and P. A. Walravens,Arch. Dermatol. 113, 422 (1977).
J. I. Allen, N. E. Kay, and C. J. McClain,Ann. Internal Med. 95, 154 (1981).
J. Duchateau, G. Delepresse, R. Vrijens, and H. Collet,Amer. J. Med. 70, 1001 (1981).
J. Duchateau, G. Delespresse, and P. Vereecke,Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 34, 88 (1981).
R. K. Chandra and B. Au,Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 33, 736 (1980).
R. K. Chandra,Pediatrics 66, 789 (1980).
M. H. Golden, B. E. Golden, P. S. Harland, and A. A. Jackson,Lancet 1226 (1978).
L. H. Schloen, G. Fernandes, J. A. Garofalo, and R. A. Good,Clin. Bull 9, 63 (1979).
E. F. Gorden, R. C. Gordon, and D. B. Passal,J. Pediatr. 99, 341 (1981).
B. Bjorksten, O. Back, K. H. Gustavson, G. Hallmans, B. Hagglof, and A. Tarnvik,Acta. Pediatr. Scand. 69, 183 (1980).
L. D. Antoniou, R. J. Shalhoub, and G. P. Schecter,Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 34, 1912 (1981).
E. Brummerstedt, A. Basse, A. T. Flagstad, and E. Andresen,Am. J. Pathol. 87, 725 (1977).
J. M. Oleske, M. L. Westphal, S. Shore, D. Gorden, J. D. Bogden, and A. Nahmias,Am. J. Dis. Child. 133, 915 (1979).
J. D. Bogden, J. M. Oleske, B. Weiner, L. G. Smith, Jr., L. G. Smith, and G. R. Najem,Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 33, 1088 (1980).
J. D. Bogden, D. I. Lintz, M. M. Joselow, J. Charles, and J. S. Salaki,Health Lab. Sci. 15, 38 (1978).
R. A. Good and D. Bergman, ed., inNational Foundation: Birth Defects Original Article Services, Vol. 4, No. 1, Baltimore, Williams and Wilkins Co., 1968.
D. Bergman, R. A. Good, J. Finstad, and N. Paul, eds.,National Foundation Birth Defects Original Article Services, Vol. II, No. 1, Sunderland, MA., Sinauer Associates, 1975.
N. Kapour, D. Kirkpatric, M. Blake, J. M. Oleske, M. Hilgartner, R. Chaganli, R. A. Good, and R. O'Reilly,Blood 52, 692 (1981).
A. dela Cruz, J. M. Oleske, J. M. LaBraico, R. Cooper, A. Minnefor, H. Ahdeih, R. Lin, and R. Garcia,Current Chemotherapy 1982, in press.
Y. Arkel, T. Kinchelow, J. M. Oleske, B. Searle, and F. Desposito,Amer. J. Pediatr. Hemoncol. 3, 27 (1981).
J. M. Oleske, M. H. Caleb, and S. E. Starr,Cutis 221, 297 (1978).
J. Versieck and R. Cornelis,Anal. Chim. Acta 116, 217 (1980).
J. D. Bogden, inZinc in the Environment, Part II, Health Effects, New York, Wiley-Interscience, 1980, pp. 137
J. M. Oleske, A. B. Minnefor, and J. Valentine,Health Lab. Sci. 12, 230 (1975).
J. R. Prohaska and O. A. Lukasewycz,Science 213, 559 (1981).
W. M. Dunlap, G. W. James, and D. M. Hume,Ann. Intern. Med. 80, 470 (1974).
B. L. Zider, R. K. Shadduck, Z. Zeigler, and A. Winkelstein,Am. J. Hematol. 3, 177 (1977).
P. H. Byers, R. C. Seigel, K. A. Holbroock, A. S. Narayanan, P. Bernstein, and J. G. Hall,New Engl. J. Med. 303, 61 (1980).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Oleske, J.M., Bogden, J.D., Garcia, R. et al. Plasma zinc and copper in primary and secondary immunodeficiency disorders. Biol Trace Elem Res 5, 189–194 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02916622
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02916622