Publications

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Metals such as iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) are believed to play an important role in MS pathogenesis and progression. Iron is an important element used by different cells of the body including those of the CNS, for various basic functions. In the brain, iron is a cofactor for diverse proteins and enzymes involved in the synthesis of neurotransmitters, mitochondrial respiration, myelin production, and nucleic acid repair. It is also needed for the proliferation of inflammatory cells, crucial players in MS. Moreover, its involvement in oxygen transport and glucose metabolism is very well established. Given its association with diverse functions in the human nervous system, alteration in its metabolism is accompanied with serious problems and impairments such as neurological disorders including MS ( Jouini et al., 2021; Knyszynska et al., 2020; Tai et al., 2020). On the other hand, zinc is an important trace element for all living beings as it is a cofactor for more than 300 enzymes and proteins including the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and the myelin basic protein (MBP). It is also abundantly present in the brain especially in presynaptic vesicles of neurons (Portbury & Adlard, 2017). Zinc levels perturbation has negative consequences on the nervous and immune system particularly (Sensi, Granzotto, Siotto, &Squitti, 2018) as high levels of zinc may induce neurotoxicity (Li, Du, & Ni, 2019) and low levels of zinc are able to promote neurons’ apoptosis (Seth et al., 2015). Hence, zinc and iron play crucial roles in the brain’s homeostasis and are crucial for human health (Bredholt & Frederiksen, 2016; Schweser et al., 2020).