Differential expression of zinc transporters in functionally contrasting tissues involved in zinc homeostasis

Abstract

Zinc homeostasis is maintained by 24 tissue-specific zinc transporters which include ZnTs (ZnT1-10), ZIPs (ZIP1-14), in addition to metallothionein (MT). Current study aimed the role of zinc transporters in maintaining the basal levels of zinc in functionally contrasting tissue specific THP-1 (monocyte), RD (muscle), and Saos-2 (bone) cells. Zinc transporters expression was assessed by qRT-PCR. The mRNA levels of ZnTs (ZnT5-7 & ZnT9), ZIPs (ZIP6-10, ZIP13-14), and MT were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in Saos-2 compared to THP-1 and RD. The present study suggests that distinct expression pattern of zinc transporters and metallothionein might be responsible for the differential zinc assimilation.

Keywords:

• Zinc transporters
• MT
• SOCS-3
• THP-1
• RD
• Saos-2

Author contributions

Conceptualization, KPMN and SG; methodology, KA; software, KA and SG; validation, KPMN and SG; formal analysis, KA, KPMN, and SG; investigation, KA, KPMN, and SG; resources, KPMN and SG; data curation, KA, KPMN, and SG; writing—original draft preparation, KA; writing—review and editing, KPMN and SG; project administration, KPMN and SG; funding acquisition, KPMN.

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge CSIR-India for the financial assistance to Mr. Kiran Alluri for JRF and SRF (09/484/(0050)/2012-EMR-1).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by intramural grants to KPMN and by a grant to SG (5/9/1137/2014-NUT) from Indian Council of Medical Research, India.