Zinc and Zinc Transporter Regulation in Pancreatic Islets and the Potential Role of Zinc in Islet Transplantation

Review

Rev Diabet Stud, 2010, 7(4):263-274

DOI 10.1900/RDS.2010.7.263

Zinc and Zinc Transporter Regulation in Pancreatic Islets and the Potential Role of Zinc in Islet Transplantation

Mariea D. Bosco¹, Daisy M. Mohanasundaram¹, Chris J. Drogemuller¹, Carol J. Lang²^,³, Peter D. Zalewski²^,³, P. Toby Coates¹^,²^,⁴

¹Central Northern Adelaide Renal and Transplantation Service, Renal and Transplantation Immunology Lab, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia 5000
²School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, South Australia
³Chronic Inflammatory Disease Research Group, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, South Australia
⁴Centre for Stem Cell Research, University of Adelaide, South Australia
Address correspondence to: P. Toby Coates, e-mail: toby.coates@health.sa.gov.au

Manuscript submitted January 8, 2011; resubmitted January 18, 2011; accepted January 25, 2011.

Keywords: type 1 diabetes; pancreatic islet; beta-cell; zinc transporter; oxidative stress; apoptosis; ZnT; ZIP; insulin secretion; transplantation

Abstract

The critical trace element zinc is essential for normal insulin production, and plays a central role in cellular protection against apoptosis and oxidative stress. The regulation of zinc within the pancreas and β-cells is controlled by the zinc transporter families ZnT and ZIP. Pancreatic islets display wide variability in the occurrence of these molecules. The zinc transporter, ZnT8 is an important target for autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes. Gene polymorphisms of this transporter confer sensitivity for immunosuppressive drugs used in islet transplantation. Understanding the biology of zinc transport within pancreatic islets will provide insight into the mechanisms of β-cell death, and may well reveal new pathways for improvement of diabetes therapy, including islet transplantation. This review discusses the possible roles of zinc in β-cell physiology with a special focus on islet transplantation.

Fulltext: HTML , PDF (559KB)

This article has been cited by other articles:

Ultrastructural analysis, zinc transporters, glucose transporters and hormones expression in New world primate (Callithrix jacchus) and human pancreatic islets

Mohanasundaram D, Drogemuller C, Brealey J, Jessup CF, Milner C, Murgia C, Lang CJ, Milton A, Zalewski PD, Russ GR, Coates PT

Gen Comp Endocrinol 2011. 174(2):71-79