Evaluation of serum metallothionein-1, selenium, zinc, and copper in Ghanaian type 2 diabetes mellitus patients

Metabolic disturbances of trace elements may be implicated in the complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The aim of the study was to determine the level of Zinc (Zn), Selenium (Se), Copper (Cu) and the metal binding protein Metallothionein-1 (MT-1) in T2DM. Fifty-five (55) T2DM subjects and 30 Controls (C) were studied for, Se, Zn, Cu and MT-1. Zn, Se and Cu were analyzed using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. Mean FBG in the T2DM and C groups were 183 ± 5 mg/dl and 88 ± 5 mg/dl, respectively. Mean Se, Zn and Cu levels in the T2DM group were 204 ± 91 μg/l, 407 ± 117 μg/l and 1,337 ± 527 μg/l, respectively. The control group had Se, Zn and Cu levels of 123 ± 25 μg/l, 750 ± 190 μg/l and 989 ± 197 μg/l, respectively. While Zn levels in T2DM were half that of the C, Se levels were ≈ 2-fold. Se, Zn and Cu differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P = 0.000; P = 0.000, P = 0.000, respectively). The metabolic derailment of MT-1 in the T2DM group showed a wide variation with the T2DM having significantly lower MT-1 values (P = 0.000). A negative correlation was seen between Cu and Zn in the T2DM group (P = 0.022). A standardized canonical discriminant function was obtained as D = 0.823FBG-0.149MT-0.457Zn + 0.172Cu + 0.362Se with contributions of FBG > Zn > Se > Cu > MT-1. In conclusion, alterations in the levels of Zn, Se and Cu were observed in Ghanaian T2DM patients.