Zinc, Copper, and Iron Nutriture and Immunity1,2

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Abstract

Inadequate nutriture of zinc, copper and iron alter immunocompetence in humans and experimental animals. For each of these minerals deficient status leads to increased susceptibility to infectious illnesses. Specific components of the immune response may be altered in a variety of patients and models. Although many generalized functions for these nutrients could lead to altered immune function, specific functions for these minerals in immunity have not yet been identified. For zinc, copper and iron the importance of adequate nutrition in maintaining immunocompetency cannot be understated.

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    1

    Presented as part of a symposium: History of Nutritional Immunology, given at the 75th Annual Meeting of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, Atlanta, GA, April 23,1991. The symposium was sponsored by the American Institute of Nutrition and the American Association of Immunologists, and was coordinated by Patricia B. Swan (Iowa State University). Guest editor for this symposium was W. R. Beisel, Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.

    2

    This is New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station publication number D-14150-1-92.

    3

    To whom correspondence should be addressed: Department of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers University, Cook College, P.O. Box 231, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0231

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