Bioinorganic Chemistry of Zinc in Relation to the Immune System

Chembiochem. 2022 May 4;23(9):e202100554. doi: 10.1002/cbic.202100554. Epub 2021 Dec 29.

Abstract

Zinc is well-known to have a central role in human inflammation and immunity and is itself an anti-inflammatory and antiviral agent. Despite its massively documented role in such processes, the underlying chemistry of zinc in relation to specific proteins and pathways of the immune system has not received much focus. This short review provides an overview of this topic, with emphasis on the structures of key proteins, zinc coordination chemistry, and probable mechanisms involved in zinc-based immunity, with some focus points for future chemical and biological research.

Keywords: coordination chemistry; inflammation; protein structure; virus infections; zinc; zinc proteins; zinc-finger anti-viral proteins.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Chemistry, Bioinorganic*
  • Humans
  • Immune System / metabolism
  • Proteins
  • Zinc Fingers
  • Zinc* / chemistry

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Proteins
  • Zinc