Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology最新文献

{"title":"Titanium ion inhibits osteogenic ability of osteoblasts by up-regulating osteoblast Agt gene via macrophages","authors":"Mao Shan Wang ,&nbsp;Hai Feng Zhou ,&nbsp;Huan Li ,&nbsp;Li Na Gao ,&nbsp;Yao Feng ,&nbsp;Hongguang Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127839","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127839","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The pathological mechanism of poor osseointegration of implants caused by aseptic loosening of implants is unclear. This study investigated the changes in implant osseointegration induced by titanium ions and explored the relationship between titanium implants, immune cells and osseointegration and the underlying mechanism of aseptic loosening of titanium implants. In vitro, mouse osteoblasts and mouse macrophages were co-cultured in a titanium ion environment that did not affect osteogenic activity. The results showed that the presence of macrophages in this titanium ion environment caused a decrease in osteogenic capacity. In addition, titanium ions lead to M1 polarization of macrophages and the production of inflammatory mediators, the inflammatory response can affect the ability of osteoblasts. Through transcriptome sequencing analysis of osteoblasts, it was found that the angiotensinogen (<em>Agt)</em> was up-regulated in osteoblasts added to the titanium ion group and knockdown or overexpression of <em>Agt</em> could change the effect of titanium ions on osteoblasts through macrophages. These results indicate that the application of gene <em>Agt</em> may provide new ideas for solving aseptic loosening of implants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"94 ","pages":"Article 127839"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146230398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Is selenate a diabetogenic form of selenium? Evidence from a natural experiment in Northern Italy","authors":"Marco Vinceti ,&nbsp;Massimo Vicentini ,&nbsp;Marta Ottone ,&nbsp;Lauren A. Wise ,&nbsp;Francesca Leoni ,&nbsp;Marcella Malavolti ,&nbsp;Cinzia Gentile ,&nbsp;Paolo Giorgi Rossi ,&nbsp;Tommaso Filippini","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127838","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127838","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Consistent evidence from randomized controlled trials has shown that overexposure to selenium induces type 2 diabetes. However, uncertainties remain about the specific species and doses of selenium that trigger such diabetogenic effect.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We investigated the long-term effects of selenium exposure on diabetes risk using data from a natural experiment in Northern Italy. During 1974–1985, a small cohort of residents had been consuming drinking water with an unusually high content of inorganic hexavalent selenium, selenate (8–10 μg/L), close to the standard of the European Union and other countries of 10 μg/L. Using data from a population-based registry, we compared the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in 2013 in selenate-exposed (n = 1310) and unexposed residents (n = 56,251).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In December 2013, the prevalence of diabetes in exposed and unexposed cohorts was 9.85 % and 10.29 %, respectively, with a multivariable-adjusted prevalence ratio of 0.95 (95 % confidence interval 0.81–1.12). Results were similar after stratifying by sex, age, and country of birth.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Overall, these results do not support the hypothesis that consumption of water with inorganic hexavalent selenium levels close to the European limit increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. Null results could be due to non-differential outcome misclassification, other sources of bias, or the fact that selenate is a non-diabetogenic selenium species or that the dose of exposure was too low to elicit an adverse effect.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"94 ","pages":"Article 127838"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146138243","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Selenium supplementation and male fertility: Mechanistic insights and therapeutic potential","authors":"Neeraj Patel ,&nbsp;Riya Mishra ,&nbsp;Muhammad Afzal ,&nbsp;Surya Nath Pandey ,&nbsp;Haider Ali ,&nbsp;Nardev Singh ,&nbsp;Rakhi Mishra ,&nbsp;Mohd Imran","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127840","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127840","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>To comprehensively review the role of selenium (Se) in male reproductive health, placing this review above the previous reviews synthesizing selenium forms, mechanistic pathways, and actionable supplementation/monitoring strategies in clinical settings,focusing on its biochemical forms, antioxidant functions, and effects on sperm parameters, fertility outcomes, and interactions with other micronutrients.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A literature review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (2000–2025) to identify studies examining Se metabolism, selenoprotein activity (GPx1/4 and SELENOP), dose-response relationships, and co-supplementation with vitamin E and zinc. Data pertaining to selenium (Se) forms, modulation of antioxidant enzymes (such as superoxide dismutase and catalase), markers of oxidative stress (including malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species), sperm function, hormone synthesis, and toxicity thresholds were collected and synthesized.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Organic selenium (Se) demonstrated superior bioavailability and enhanced GPx4 and SELENOP activity, thereby reducing lipid peroxidation in germ cells. Animal research has found that dietary Se in the best concentrations (0.25–0.35 mg Se/kg in breeder roosters; 0.5–1.0 mg/kg in other models) maximizes the process of spermatogenesis, and elemental nano-selenium has the best effects relative to sodium selenite and seleno-yeast, whereas Se deficiency induces cell apoptosis via the PI3K/AKT pathway. Human trials revealed that a daily intake of 100 µg Se improved sperm motility (p = 0.023) and resulted in an 11 % increase in paternity. Se supplementation at concentrations of 2–5 μg/ml enhanced sperm viability; however, excessive intake of &gt; 300 µg/day impaired motility. Co-supplementation with vitamin E or zinc further enhanced the antioxidant defense.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Selenium plays a crucial role in male reproductive health through its dose-dependent antioxidant and endocrine function. Structured clinical trials are essential to determine the optimal form, dosage, and combination of selenium with other micronutrients to enhance fertility while mitigating the risk of U-shaped toxicity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"94 ","pages":"Article 127840"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146159883","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Aliquat 336-functionalized metal-organic frameworks: An innovative strategy for the removal of trace lead ions","authors":"Lavinia Lupa ,&nbsp;Nicoleta Plesu ,&nbsp;Adriana Popa ,&nbsp;Bianca Maranescu ,&nbsp;Valentin Maranescu ,&nbsp;Aurelia Visa","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127857","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127857","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Clean water is essential for all life, and lead (Pb) contamination continues to be a major concern due to its persistence, toxicity, and tendency to bioaccumulate. Effective and durable removal methods are required even at trace Pb(II) levels. For this, adsorption has become a straightforward, affordable, and efficient technique. utilizing hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP), zinc and copper phosphonate-based metal–organic frameworks (Zn HEDP and Cu HEDP) were created in this study utilizing environmentally friendly methods. The ionic liquid trioctylmethylammonium chloride (Aliquat 336) was then used to functionalize them, which were specifically referred to as Zn HEDP-US Aliq. and Cu HEDP-US Aliq., respectively. Aliquat 336 increased experimental maximum adsorption capacities by 40.8% for Zn HEDP and 27.65% for Cu HEDP by improving surface functionalization, charge density, and Pb(II) adsorption efficiency while maintaining the crystalline framework, according to structural characterisation. In addition to boosting porosity, adsorption capacity, and regeneration potential, ionic liquid functionalization added more active sites and enhanced surface homogeneity, allowing for stronger and more selective binding of Pb(II) even at low concentrations. According to UN SDG 6.3, these results show that ionic liquid-functionalized MOFs are effective, reusable, and sustainable adsorbents for trace metal remediation, promoting environmentally friendly water purification.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"94 ","pages":"Article 127857"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147385679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association between plasma trace metals and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among rural women in Southern China","authors":"Qiumei Liu ,&nbsp;Xiaolin Li ,&nbsp;Yufu Lu ,&nbsp;Kaisheng Teng ,&nbsp;Xiaoting Mo ,&nbsp;Linhai Zhao ,&nbsp;Songju Wu ,&nbsp;Jiahui Rong ,&nbsp;Qinyi Guan ,&nbsp;Lei Luo ,&nbsp;Tiantian Zhang ,&nbsp;Yujian Liang ,&nbsp;Xuexiu Wang ,&nbsp;Pengfeng Chen ,&nbsp;Liuyong Zhong ,&nbsp;Tian Qiu ,&nbsp;Jiansheng Cai ,&nbsp;You Li ,&nbsp;Junfeng (Jim) Zhang ,&nbsp;Jian Qin ,&nbsp;Zhiyong Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127830","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127830","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents a significant public health concern, ranking among the most critical liver diseases worldwide. The potential role of metals in the body in the development of NAFLD remains unclear. This study aims to explore potential associations between plasma metals and NAFLD odds among Chinese rural women.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In this cross-sectional study, 1988 rural women residing in southern China were measured for plasma concentrations of 22 metals and Fibrosis-4 scores representing the severity of liver fibrosis in patients with NAFLD. To address potential multicollinearity and identify the most relevant metals, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was first applied to select candidate metals for subsequent analyses. Logistic regression was then used to evaluate the associations between plasma metals and the odds of NAFLD and hepatic fibrosis. Nonlinear associations between plasma metals and NAFLD odds were explored using a restricted cubic splines (RCS) model.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Elevated plasma levels of nickel(Ni), selenium(Se), and antimony(Sb) were found to be associated with an increased odds of NAFLD after adjustment for covariates in logistic regression. In the RCS model, a nonlinear relationship with NAFLDwas shown for Ni and Co. Furthermore, plasma Ni was positively associated with the OR of hepatic fibrosis.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our findings indicate that four trace metals in the plasma (Ni, Se, Co, and Sb) were associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among rural women in Southern China. Future studies are recommended to see whether the findings are applicable to other populations and to examine biological mechanisms underlying the associations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"94 ","pages":"Article 127830"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146133732","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sodium pentaborate pentahydrate ameliorates inflammaging-like phenotypes by modulating redox status in a D-galactose-induced accelerated aging rat model","authors":"Serdar Bora Bayraktaroglu ,&nbsp;Pakize Neslihan TASLI ,&nbsp;Burcu Can ,&nbsp;Ferda Özkan ,&nbsp;İdil Temizkan ,&nbsp;Ece Bayraktar ,&nbsp;İlayda Hilal ,&nbsp;Habibe Goren ,&nbsp;Yavuz Yavuz ,&nbsp;Bayram Yılmaz ,&nbsp;Fikrettin Şahin","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127847","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127847","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Boron is a bioactive trace element that influences cellular signaling by forming ester complexes with ribose-containing molecules, such as NAD and S-adenosylmethionine. Age associated chronic low-grade inflammation ('inflammaging') and oxidative stress are pivotal contributors to functional decline. In this study, we evaluated the potential of sodium pentaborate pentahydrate (NaB) to mitigate accelerated aging-like phenotypes in a <span><span>D</span></span>-galactose (<span>D</span>-gal) rat model. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received <span>D</span>-gal (1000 mg/kg/day, subcutaneous) for 8 weeks to induce an oxidative dominant accelerated aging phenotype, followed by weight adjusted NaB (100 µg/kg/day, subcutaneous) or vehicle for 4 weeks. Multi organ endpoints included cognitive/locomotor assessments (NOR and open-field), histology, oxidative stress markers (ROS, CAT, GST), inflammatory cytokines, and senescence associated readouts (p16/p21, lipofuscin, and global DNA methylation). NaB administration improved recognition memory, reduced systemic ROS levels, restored antioxidant enzyme activity, and shifted cytokine profiles toward a less pro-inflammatory state. Furthermore, NaB attenuated senescence associated markers and partially normalized fatty acid composition in the brain and liver. As specific pathway level mediators (e.g., Nrf2/SIRT1 or NF-κB) were not directly quantified, these findings are interpreted as hypotheses consistent with the observed redox and cytokine modulations rather than definitive causal proof. While these results provide a preclinical proof-of-concept for the amelioration of <span><span>D</span></span>-galactose-induced aging-like phenotypes, further investigations are warranted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of boron-based interventions in broader physiological contexts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"94 ","pages":"Article 127847"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147313797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ayanin combats against barium sulphate nanoparticles induced hepatotoxicity via modulating SIRT1/FOXO3a and HO-1/ferritin pathways: A biochemical, histopathological and computational approaches","authors":"Di Zhu ,&nbsp;Yuanzhi Lu ,&nbsp;Salim Jamil ,&nbsp;Hafsa Ashfaq ,&nbsp;Ahmed Al-Emam ,&nbsp;Hesham M. Hassan","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127836","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127836","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Background&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Barium sulphate nanoparticles (BaSO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;NPs) are widely employed in different industrial applications and are reported to induce organ toxicities including hepatic impairments. Ayanin (AYN) is a naturally derived flavonoid that exhibits excellent pharmacological attributes.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objective&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The current investigation was executed to determine the hepatoprotective potential of AYN against BaSO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;NPs induced hepatotoxicity via assessing computational, biochemical, and histological parameters.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methodology&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Thirty-six Sprague Dawley rats were apportioned into four groups, i.e., control, BaSO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;NPs (5.8 mgkg&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;) group, BaSO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;NPs (5.8 mgkg&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;) + AYN (20 mgkg&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;) group, and AYN (20 mgkg&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;) alone treated group. Biochemical analyses were executed through standard assays and ELISA while mRNA expressions were determined through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). High output computational analyses were performed to evaluate the efficacy of AYN.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Findings&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Our findings revealed that BaSO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;NPs intoxication suppressed the gene expression of Sirtuin1 (SIRT1), heme-oxygenase-1 (HO-1), Forkhead box protein O3a (FOXO3a), and Ferritin Heavy Polypeptide1 (FTH1) while provoking the expression of Transferrin Receptor 1 (TfR1), tumor protein p53 (TP53) and tumor protein p21 (TP21). The enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GSR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), and contents of glutathione (GSH) were lowered while the concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were exacerbated following the BaSO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;NPs provision. Moreover, BaSO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;NPs exposure augmented the concentrations of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), while reducing the concentrations of hepcidin, albumin, hemojuvelin, and total proteins in serum samples. The levels of cysteine-aspartic acid protease-9 (Caspase-9), Bcl-2–associated X protein (Bax), and cysteine-aspartic acid protease-3 (Caspase-3) were promoted while the levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) were diminished after BaSO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;NPs administration. Hepatic tissues showed severe inflammation on BaSO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;NPs exposure which was evident by escalated concentrations of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Besides, BaSO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;NPs intoxication disrupted hepatic histology. Nonetheless, supplementation of AYN alleviated aforementioned hepatic impairments due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic attributes. Our findings are further strengthened by in-silico results that demonstrated the strong binding affinities of A","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"94 ","pages":"Article 127836"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146159909","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acute effects of physical exercise on biomarkers of the trace elements selenium, zinc, copper, and iron","authors":"Rebecca Simon ,&nbsp;Wiebke Röhr ,&nbsp;Maria Schwarz ,&nbsp;Hajo Haase ,&nbsp;Christian Puta ,&nbsp;Anna P. Kipp","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127828","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127828","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Physical activity is important for a healthy lifestyle but may have side effects, especially when performed in an excessive manner. This includes effects on the immune system but can also result in a higher need for certain micronutrients such as the trace elements selenium, zinc, copper, and iron.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to characterize short-term effects of a standardized 1-minute sit-to-stand-test (STST) on serum concentrations of these trace elements.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>20 healthy individuals performed the STST. Capillary blood samples were drawn 10 min before, immediately after, 30, and 60 min post-exercise. Lactate, glucose, and blood cell counts were determined together with the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). The trace element concentrations and the biomarkers free zinc (fZn), and selenoprotein P (SELENOP) were analysed. All values except for fZn and NLR were adjusted for hemoconcentration.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Immediately after the STST, the levels of copper and selenium decreased significantly, which subsequently returned to baseline values. SELENOP levels showed a similar pattern to that of total selenium concentrations but only increased significantly after 60 min, compared to immediately after exercise. In contrast, no changes were observed for total zinc concentrations. FZn increased significantly immediately after the STST, before decreasing. Iron levels were higher immediately after the STST and rose significantly after 60 min. The cellular inflammatory markers NLR and SII decreased significantly after exercise and then increased compared to pre-test values. However, this was only significant for NLR. In contrast, SIRI increased continuously after physical activity, reaching significantly higher values after 60 min.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Short-term acute physical exercise modulates serum trace element concentrations together with inflammatory parameters. Accordingly, these might be connected to each other which should be analyzed after more extensive, long-term or repeated exercise.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"94 ","pages":"Article 127828"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The dose-response relationship between seminal plasma metal mixtures and oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia: a hospital-based case-control study","authors":"Xiangxiang Liu ,&nbsp;Chen Chen ,&nbsp;Yiting Chen,&nbsp;Ye Xu,&nbsp;Juan Qi,&nbsp;Cuilian Jiang,&nbsp;Yajun Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127848","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127848","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia (OAT), a leading cause of male infertility, affects approximately 30 % of reproductive-aged men. While trace elements influence semen quality, prior investigations predominantly focused on single-element effects. Critical knowledge gaps persist regarding the combinatorial impacts of multi-element exposures on OAT pathogenesis.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Our study enrolled 743 OAT cases and 179 controls. The seminal plasma element concentrations were quantified via inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Analytical approaches mainly included restricted cubic splines (RCS) for dose-response modeling, and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression to evaluate joint effects and identify primary contributors.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The levels of seminal plasma calcium (Ca, <em>p</em> = 0.042), lithium (Li, <em>p</em> = 0.027), manganese (Mn, <em>p</em> = 0.009), cobalt (Co, <em>p</em> = 0.015), zinc (Zn, <em>p</em> = 0.021), and cadmium (Cd, <em>p</em> = 0.004) were significantly elevated in OAT patients. The dose-response relationships between OAT risks and seminal plasma metals were nonlinear for Li (<em>p</em> _{<em>for nonlinear</em>} = 0.042), and monotonic linear associations for Ca, Mn, Co, Zn, and Cd (all <em>p</em> _{<em>for nonlinear</em>} &gt; 0.05). BKMR and WQS regression models demonstrated a positive overall mixture effect on OAT risk with Cd, Li, and Mn as primary drivers.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study provided novel evidence that seminal plasma trace elements dyshomeostasis, particularly involving Cd, Li, and Mn, was intricately linked to OAT risk through complex mechanisms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"94 ","pages":"Article 127848"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174496","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Age-related redistribution of zinc and copper within human skin","authors":"Nishat Zakaria ,&nbsp;Alexander Griffiths ,&nbsp;Clarisse Ganier ,&nbsp;Magnus Lynch ,&nbsp;David Messenger ,&nbsp;Ranjit Bhogal ,&nbsp;Wolfgang Maret","doi":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127837","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127837","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The skin's natural functions rely on essential metals such as zinc and copper, which contribute to cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. With ageing, low-grade inflammation (inflammaging) develops, and zinc deficiency in skin becomes more common. Data on the distribution of these metals in human skin are limited and there is no information on how the distribution changes with age.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>Establishing the spatial distribution of zinc and copper in human skin is a first step towards addressing their functions in specific cell layers and skin structures.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was employed to map zinc (⁶⁶Zn) and copper (⁶³Cu) in human female Caucasian abdominal and facial skin from young, middle-aged, and older donors at 5–8 µm spatial resolution. A novel bespoke integration method with gelatine micro-droplet standards enabled semi-quantitative comparisons.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In facial skin, zinc concentrations are approximately three- to five-fold higher in the epidermis than in the dermis, whereas qualitative data from abdominal skin show a similar epidermis-enriched zinc signal and were used primarily for method development. In facial skin, copper levels remain relatively uniform between these layers. Facial skin samples from older donors demonstrate increased zinc accumulation in deeper layers, elevated copper levels, and altered copper-to-zinc ratios. Within skin structures, a significant age-related copper enrichment in hair follicles and eccrine sweat glands is observed.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The innovative approach not only pushes the technical limits of mass spectrometric metal imaging but also uncovers novel insights into age-dependent metal redistribution in human skin. Our investigation opens exciting avenues for developing metal-based biomarkers to improve skin health and combat skin ageing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49970,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology","volume":"94 ","pages":"Article 127837"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146133747","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}