title: Zinc-transporter genes in human visceral and subcutaneous adipocytes: lean versus obese.
abstract: Zinc ions influence adipose tissue metabolism by regulating leptin secretion and by promoting free fatty acid release and glucose uptake. The mechanisms controlling zinc metabolism in adipose tissue are unknown. We therefore examined the gene-expression levels of a number of zinc-transporting proteins in adipose tissue, comparing subcutaneous fat with visceral fat from lean and obese humans. Both ZnT-proteins responsible for zinc transport from cytosol to extracellular compartments and intracellular vesicles and Zip-proteins responsible for zinc transport to the cytoplasm were expressed in all samples. This suggests that zinc metabolism in adipocytes is actively controlled by zinc-transporters. The expression levels were different in lean and obese subjects suggesting a role for these proteins in obesity. Furthermore, the expression levels were different from subcutaneous fat to intra-abdominal fat suggesting that the metabolic activity in adipocytes is to some extent dependent upon zinc and the activity of zinc-transporting proteins or vice versa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Aarhus, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kamille
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Smidt
authors.forename: Steen B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Birgitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brock
authors.forename: Ole
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Schmitz
authors.forename: Sanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fisker
authors.forename: Jørgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bendix
authors.forename: Lise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wogensen
authors.forename: Jørgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rungby
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000378:metabolism*; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D005227:Fatty Acids; D020738:Leptin; C017800:zinc-binding protein; D005947:Glucose; D015032:Zinc