Our Crucial Support in Times of Covid

COVID-19 and TXRF

Our Crucial Support in Times of Covid

COVID-19 and TXRF

SARS-CoV-2 infections cause the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and challenge the immune system with ongoing inflammation. Several redox-relevant micronutrients are known to contribute to an adequate immune response, including the essential trace elements zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se).
 

SARS-CoV-2 infections cause the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and challenge the immune system with ongoing inflammation. Several redox-relevant micronutrients are known to contribute to an adequate immune response, including the essential trace elements zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se).
The TXRF spectrometer S4 T-STAR and S2 PICOFOX installed at the Institute for Experimental Endocrinology, Charité Berlin, Germany are well established for a rapid quantification of trace elements in biological matrices.
In recent studies at the Charité Berlin applying the S4 T-STAR, serum samples of patients surviving COVID-19 and non-survivors were analyzed and compared with a healthy cohort. While the combined deficit of Zn and Se was observed in only 0,15% of healthy people, a deficit occurred in about 20% of surviving and 50% in non-surviving patients. In addition, the study indicates the first time that the decrease of the transporter selenoprotein P (SELENOP, the major storage of Se in biological systems) is a consequence of COVID-19.
It has been concluded that a personalized Se and Zn supplementation may support convalescence of COVID-19 patients. Further, sufficiently sized and well-controlled intervention studies are currently conducted.

The detailed studies are published here
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2020.101764
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu12072098

Recent webinars (2019)
https://www.bruker.com/events/webinars/do-it-yourself-metal-analysis-in-biological-and-medical-samples.html