title: SLC39A14, a LZT protein, is induced in adipogenesis and transports zinc.
abstract: During adipocyte differentiation, there is an underlying complex series of gene expressions. We have previously isolated many genes whose expression levels are quickly elevated by the addition of inducers to mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells. Here we report the isolation and characterization of SLC39A14, a member of the LZT proteins, one of the subfamilies of ZIP transporters. The expression of the SLC39A14 gene was strongly and rapidly induced at the early stages of differentiation. Moreover, it was highly restricted to the potential differentiation state of 3T3-L1 cells and the expression level was quite low in the nonadipogenic NIH-3T3 cells, indicating a dominant expression in adipocyte differentiation. The zinc uptake assay revealed that SLC39A14 functions as a zinc transporter. Taken together, these results suggest that SLC39A14 plays a role as a zinc transporter during the early stages of adipogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tominaga
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kagata
authors.forename: Yoshikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Johmura
authors.forename: Tomoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hishida
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishizuka
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imagawa
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D051379:Mice; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D027682:Cation Transport Proteins; C497524:SLC39A14 protein, human; C500556:SLC39A14 protein, mouse; D015032:Zinc