Zinc Transporters and Insulin Resistance: Therapeutic Implications for Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic Disease

Overview

Journal J Biomed Sci

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Biology

Date 2017 Nov 22

PMID 29157234

Citations 27

Authors

Shaghayegh Norouzi

John Adulcikas

Sukhwinder Singh Sohal

Stephen Myers

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Zinc is a metal ion that is essential for growth and development, immunity, and metabolism, and therefore vital for life. Recent studies have highlighted zinc's dynamic role as an insulin mimetic and a cellular second messenger that controls many processes associated with insulin signaling and other downstream pathways that are amendable to glycemic control.

Main Body: Mechanisms that contribute to the decompartmentalization of zinc and dysfunctional zinc transporter mechanisms, including zinc signaling are associated with metabolic disease, including type 2 diabetes. The actions of the proteins involved in the uptake, storage, compartmentalization and distribution of zinc in cells is under intense investigation. Of these, emerging research has highlighted a role for several zinc transporters in the initiation of zinc signaling events in cells that lead to metabolic processes associated with maintaining insulin sensitivity and thus glycemic homeostasis.

Conclusion: This raises the possibility that zinc transporters could provide novel utility to be targeted experimentally and in a clinical setting to treat patients with insulin resistance and thus introduce a new class of drug target with utility for diabetes pharmacotherapy.

Citing Articles

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A New Concept in Antidiabetic Therapeutics: A Concerted Removal of Labile Iron and Intracellular Deposition of Zinc.

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