Diabetes-linked zinc transporter ZnT8 is a homodimeric protein expressed by distinct rodent endocrine cell types in the pancreas and other glands.
OBJECTIVE
Zinc is abundant in pancreas, being required by endocrine islet cells for hormone secretion and by exocrine acinar cells as pancreatic juice component. ZnT8 is a member of the SLC30A family of zinc transporters whose overexpression in cultured pancreatic beta cells leads to increased insulin secretion in response to glucose, suggesting a possible role in regulating glycemia. ZnT8 was therefore proposed as a therapeutic target for diabetes, and recent genome-wide association studies identified polymorphisms in the ZNT8 gene conferring increased type 2 diabetes risk.


RESULTS
As limited information was available on the biochemical properties of ZnT8 and on its endogenous expression, we have raised a specific polyclonal antibody and immunostained protein extracts, cell lines and tissue sections. We show that ZnT8 forms a very stable dimer that requires biological membranes to properly assemble. We demonstrate localization of murine ZnT8 to the secretory granules in pancreatic beta and alpha islet cells. Moreover, we show that ZnT8 is also expressed in other secretory cell types, namely the cubical epithelium that lines thyroid follicles and the cortex of the adrenal gland, suggesting a more widespread role in endocrine secretion.


CONCLUSIONS
We provide novel insights into the features of the ZnT8 transporter, of special relevance in light of its proposed role as therapeutical target for diabetes treatment.
Murgia
C
C
INRAN, National Research Institute on Food and Nutrition, Via Ardeatina 546, Roma 00178, Italy.
Devirgiliis
C
C
Mancini
E
E
Donadel
G
G
Zalewski
P
P
Perozzi
G
G
D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000378:metabolism*; D004285:Dogs; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism*; D055503:Protein Multimerization; D051381:Rats; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D000075703:Zinc Transporter 8
D027682:Cation Transport Proteins; C516348:Slc30a8 protein, mouse; C542071:Slc30a8 protein, rat; D000075703:Zinc Transporter 8