Alterations of serum levels of zinc, copper and selenium trace elements in juvenile idiopathic arthritis and acute rheumatic fever: preliminary findings

Some trace elements such as zinc, copper and selenium [Zn, Cu and Se] are catalytic, structural and regulatory ions for enzymes, proteins and transcription factors, and is thus are critical in many homeostatic mechanisms of the body, including immune responses. Our knowledge about changes in Zn, Cu and Se elements in juvenile idiopathic arthritis [JIA] and acute rheumatic fever [ARF] is incomplete. We hypothesize that "development of JIA and ARF is associated with alterations of Zn, Cu and Se trace elements". To test this hypothesis and to fill this existing gap in literature. Serum level of Zn, Cu and Se was examined in healthy individuals [10.0 control cases], JIA and ARF [23 and 19 cases, respectively] using atomic spectrophotometric assays. Compared to the control group, there were a reduction of serum Se levels and Zn levels and elevation of Cu levels in JIA and ARF. These changes were more obvious with disease activity, polyarticular involvement [JIA] and presence of cardiac affection [ARF]. Meanwhile, there was a significant direct correlation among the activity indices and both serum Zn and Se levels. The significant alterations of some serum trace elements in JIA and ARF suggest possible roles for these elements in the development of these lesions. The diagnostic and prognostic ramifications of these findings are open for further investigations

Histological and biochemical study of the effects of cadmium alone or associated with selenium in the rat

This work was carried out to investigate the effect of cadmium [Cd] given alone in a subacute dose or in association with selenium [Se] on the structure of the rat liver, kidney, heart and cerebellum. In addition, the levels of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase [GBH-Px] and reduced glutathione [GSH]as lipid peroxidation were assessed biochemically in both cases. Ten days after Cd treatments, the effect extended to involve all the investigated organs. However, the liver was the least affected one. It showed clumping of the cellular organelles mitochondrial inclusions and accumulation of cytoplasmic fibrillar material. The effect on the kidney was highly destructive mainly involving the proximal convoluted tubules and to a lesser extent the distal convoluted tubules. The heart showed mitochondrial destruction and degeneration of the myofilaments. In the cerebellar cortex, there was loss of the organelles particularly in the peripheral part. These changes were correlated with the oxidative stress induced by Cd. This was confirmed by the marked depletion of GSH, reduction of GSH-Px and increased lipid peroxidation detected biochemically