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Iron plays an especially crucial role
J Nutr. 2007 May;137(5):1334-7. Links
Host-pathogen interactions: can micronutrients tip the balance?
Prentice AM, Ghattas H, Cox SE.
MRC International Nutrition Group, London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
andrew.prentice@lshtm.ac.uk
Nutrients are essential to the human host and to its invading
pathogens. The purpose of this International Nutrition Council
symposium on Micronutrient Regulation of Host-Pathogen Interactions
held at Experimental Biology 2006 was to examine new knowledge about
the mechanisms by which certain limiting micronutrients can mediate
the balance of power between the human host and its numerous potential
pathogens. In this introductory article, we briefly review how
competition for nutrients is critical to the survival of both host and
pathogen and describe some of the evolved mechanisms by which each
attempts to gain supremacy over the other. We provide examples of how
the presence or absence of certain mechanisms for nutrient acquisition
can govern the niche specificity of organisms. We then describe some
of the extensive evidence suggesting that, of all the nutrients, iron
plays an especially crucial role in host-pathogen interactions. To
this end, we provide a reminder of early studies suggesting that
universal iron administration under conditions of high pathogen
exposure may lead to adverse consequences. Finally, we provide some
cautionary tales in the form of intervention studies in which the
administration of other micronutrients yielded unpredicted adverse
effects. These lessons emphasize the need to step back from an
unbalanced concentration of research funds on empirical trials (often
built on an inadequate theoretical basis) and toward a greater
concentration on integrated clinical research into nutrient effects on
host defenses and pathogen virulence.
PMID: 17449601 [PubMed - in process]
Who loves ya.
Tom
Jesus Was A Vegetarian!
* jesuswasavegetarian.7h . com
Man Is A Herbivore!
* tinyurl . com /a3cc3
DEAD PEOPLE WALKING
* tinyurl . com /zk9fk
Host-pathogen interactions: can micronutrients tip the balance?
Prentice AM, Ghattas H, Cox SE.
MRC International Nutrition Group, London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
andrew.prentice@lshtm.ac.uk
Nutrients are essential to the human host and to its invading
pathogens. The purpose of this International Nutrition Council
symposium on Micronutrient Regulation of Host-Pathogen Interactions
held at Experimental Biology 2006 was to examine new knowledge about
the mechanisms by which certain limiting micronutrients can mediate
the balance of power between the human host and its numerous potential
pathogens. In this introductory article, we briefly review how
competition for nutrients is critical to the survival of both host and
pathogen and describe some of the evolved mechanisms by which each
attempts to gain supremacy over the other. We provide examples of how
the presence or absence of certain mechanisms for nutrient acquisition
can govern the niche specificity of organisms. We then describe some
of the extensive evidence suggesting that, of all the nutrients, iron
plays an especially crucial role in host-pathogen interactions. To
this end, we provide a reminder of early studies suggesting that
universal iron administration under conditions of high pathogen
exposure may lead to adverse consequences. Finally, we provide some
cautionary tales in the form of intervention studies in which the
administration of other micronutrients yielded unpredicted adverse
effects. These lessons emphasize the need to step back from an
unbalanced concentration of research funds on empirical trials (often
built on an inadequate theoretical basis) and toward a greater
concentration on integrated clinical research into nutrient effects on
host defenses and pathogen virulence.
PMID: 17449601 [PubMed - in process]
Who loves ya.
Tom
Jesus Was A Vegetarian!
* jesuswasavegetarian.7h . com
Man Is A Herbivore!
* tinyurl . com /a3cc3
DEAD PEOPLE WALKING
* tinyurl . com /zk9fk
