A role for ZnT-1 in regulating cellular cation influx

The ZnTs are a growing family of proteins involved in lowering or sequestration of cellular zinc. Using fluorescent measurements of zinc transport we have addressed the mechanism of action of the most ubiquitously expressed member of this family, ZnT-1. This protein has been shown to lower levels of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biochemical and biophysical research communications 2004-10, Vol.323 (4), p.1145-1150
Main Authors: Segal, Dror, Ohana, Ehud, Besser, Limor, Hershfinkel, Michal, Moran, Arie, Sekler, Israel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Calcium Channels, L-Type - metabolism
Cation Transport Proteins
Cations
Cell Line
Homeostasis
Humans
Ion Channel Gating
Ion homeostasis
Kidney - embryology
Kidney - metabolism
L-type calcium channel
Membrane Proteins - metabolism
Neuronal zinc toxicity
PC12 Cells
Rats
Recombinant Proteins - metabolism
Zinc - metabolism
Zinc efflux
Zinc transporter
ZnT-1
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Summary:The ZnTs are a growing family of proteins involved in lowering or sequestration of cellular zinc. Using fluorescent measurements of zinc transport we have addressed the mechanism of action of the most ubiquitously expressed member of this family, ZnT-1. This protein has been shown to lower levels of intracellular zinc though the mechanism has remained elusive. The rate of zinc efflux in HEK293 cells expressing ZnT-1 was not accelerated in comparison to control cells, suggesting that ZnT-1 may be involved in regulating influx rather than efflux of zinc. Co-expression of the L-type calcium channel, a major route for zinc influx, and ZnT-1 resulted in a 3-fold reduction in the rate of zinc influx in HEK293 and PC-12 cells, indicating that ZnT-1 modulates zinc permeation through this channel. Immunoblot analysis indicates that ZnT-1 expression does not modulate LTCC expression. Our findings therefore indicate that ZnT-1 modulates the permeation of cations through LTCC, thereby, regulating cation homeostasis through this pathway. Furthermore, ZnT-1 may play a role in cellular ion homeostasis and thereby confer protection against pathophysiological events linked to cellular Ca 2+ or Zn 2+ permeation and cell death.
ISSN:0006-291X
1090-2104
DOI:10.1016/j.bbrc.2004.08.211