Although prostate epithelium concentrates zinc for the purpose of promoting citrate secretion, it loses its capacity to import zinc while undergoing malignant transformation. This exclusion of zinc may be necessary for the viability of prostate cancer, as measures which increase the intracellular zinc content of prostate cancers lead to cell death, oxidative stress, and a marked reduction in ATP, suggestive of mitochondrial damage. The anti-fungal drug clioquinol, which can act as a zinc ionophore, can markedly slow the growth of human prostate cancer in nude mice, and has been proposed as a clinical therapy for prostate cancer. However, clioquinol is currently only available as a topical agent, as it was linked to subacute myelo-optic neuropathy with oral use. A more practical option for promoting zinc transport may be offered by the nutraceutical zinc dipicolinate, a stable chelate in which four coordination positions of zinc are occupied by two molecules of the tryptophan metabolite picolinic acid. Zinc dipicolinate is a highly effective supplemental source of zinc that has been shown to be more potent than soluble zinc salts for alleviating the symptoms of acrodermatitis enteropathica, a genetic zinc deficiency disorder reflecting homozygous loss of functional ZIP4 zinc importers in enterocytes. This suggests that the zinc dipicolinate complex is sufficiently stable and lipophilic to transfer zinc across cellular membranes. If so, it may have potential for “smuggling” zinc into prostate cancer cells. Hence, cell culture and rodent studies to evaluate the impact of zinc dipicolinate on human prostate cancer are warranted.
Saved this post for sure! I take Zinc 2x/day. This amplifies the oxidative stress to PCa cells. “It all works, but nothng works well” is my quote. Maybe, if we keep chipping away with multiple approaches we finally break the beast down. Death by a thousand cuts. Thanks,
Since PCa is a ZIP1-deficient malignancy, Zn uptake might be further enhanced with one of several Zn-ionophores, such as quercetin or epigallocatechin-gallate. TB
It was shown during Covid that HQC was a great zinc ionophore, and later also Ivermectin or for those who cannot get the rx, quercetin to a lesser degree. Although I have hundreds of unused HQC after I switched to Ivermectin as my prophylaxis, I might put that HQC to good use now.
It is a very interesting theoretical analysis of the cellular / mitochondrial mechanisms. But they have not yet done the experiment, not even in cell culture or mice, it appears. The experience with oral Clioquinol warns us that we are not just exposing the PC cells to more zinc, but also the entire body of non-cancerous cells, with unknown consequences. Perhaps it may be unwise to mess with Mother Nature’s mitochondria by a mechanism that probably increases Zinc levels in all cells. That is shown by the carefully regulated distribution of ZIP transporters in different tissues.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Xtandi can fuel spread of bone tumours in advanced prostate cancer?
Vitaman D and Prostate Cancer
Useful Prostate Cancer books
Can prostate cancer metastasis to liver?
Quercetin targets hnRNPA1 to overcome enzalutamide resistance in prostate cancer cells
