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Zinc status and age-related changes in peripheral blood leukocyte subpopulations in healthy men and women aged 55–70 y: the ZENITH study

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 59, pages S63–S67 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To determine zinc status and age-related changes in the immune function of healthy late-middle-aged men and women (aged 55–70 y).

Design:

Observational study.

Setting:

Population of Northern Ireland.

Subjects:

Apparently healthy, free-living individuals (45 men, 48 women) aged 55–70 y.

Intervention:

Zinc status markers were analysed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry and commercially available kits. Immune function was assessed by flow cytometry.

Results:

Serum and erythrocyte zinc concentrations were 13.0 (s.d. 1.40) μmol/l and 222 (s.d. 48.2) μmol/l, respectively. Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) concentrations were 76.8 (s.d. 16.1) U/l; women showed significantly higher concentrations of ALP (P=0.011). Women demonstrated (1) a significant inverse correlation in naive T lymphocytes, specifically naive T-helper lymphocytes (% expression, r=−0.364, P=0.007 and absolute count, r=−0.275, P=0.036) with age and (2) a significant positive correlation between late activation of T lymphocytes (% expression, r=0.299, P=0.019 and absolute count, r=0.260, P=0.039) with advancing age. Men demonstrated a significant positive correlation in the % expression of (CD3−/CD16+/CD56+) natural killer (NK) cells with age (r=0.316, P=0.017).

Conclusions:

Between the ages of 55 and 70 y, healthy individuals experience significant alterations in immune function; however, such changes appear largely sex specific. Given the reported importance of adequate zinc status in maintaining optimal immune function, further studies are required to explore the effect of enhanced zinc status on emerging immune deficiencies in cell-mediated immunity in healthy 55–70 y olds.

Sponsorship:

European Commission ‘Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources’, Fifth Framework Program, Contract no. QLK1-CT-2001-00168, and the Department of Education and Learning (DELNI), UK.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr Liz Simpson, School of Psychology, University of Ulster, for her role in volunteer recruitment, and Professor Dennis Alexander, Department of Haematology, Belfast City Hospital, for his advice and assistance with flow cytometry. Thanks are also given to Dr Maud Andriollo and Dr J Arnaud, Hospital of Grenoble, France, for their role in the analysis of zinc status, and Dr Ian Bradbury for his assistance with statistical analysis. Support for this research was provided by the European Commission ‘Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources’, Fifth Framework Program, Contract no. QLK1-CT-2001-00168, and the Department of Education and Learning (DELNI), UK.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, UK

    C F Hodkinson, M Kelly, W S Gilmore, B M Hannigan, J M O'Connor, J J Strain & J M W Wallace

  2. Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d’Auvergne, Unité Maladies Métaboliques et Micro-nutriments INRA, Centre de Recherche de Clermont-Ferrand/ Theix, Saint Genès Champanelle, France

    C Coudray

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  1. C F Hodkinson
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  2. M Kelly
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  3. C Coudray
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Correspondence to J M W Wallace.

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Guarantor: JMW Wallace.

Contributors: CFH was responsible for study execution, data analysis, and preparation of this paper. MK helped with study execution. CC was the coordinator of the ZENITH study and was responsible for analysis of biological zinc indices. WSG assisted with preparation of this paper. BMH, JMO’C, JJS, and JMWW were responsible for study design, and assisted with study execution, data analysis, and preparation of this paper.

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Hodkinson, C., Kelly, M., Coudray, C. et al. Zinc status and age-related changes in peripheral blood leukocyte subpopulations in healthy men and women aged 55–70 y: the ZENITH study. Eur J Clin Nutr 59 (Suppl 2), S63–S67 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602301

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