Slc39a13/Zip13: A Crucial Zinc Transporter Involved in Tooth Development and Inherited Disorders

• Fukada Toshiyuki

  Laboratory of Cytokine Signaling, RIKEN Research Center for Allergy and Immunology Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University

• Asada Yoshinobu

  Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Tsurumi University School of Dental Medicine

• Mishima Kenji

  Department of Pathology, Tsurumi University School of Dental Medicine

• Shimoda Shinji

  Department of Anatomy-1, Tsurumi University School of Dental Medicine

• Saito Ichiro

  Department of Pathology, Tsurumi University School of Dental Medicine

Abstract

Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace element and it plays indispensable roles in cellular processes for embryonic and postnatal development in mammals. Zn deficiency causes growth retardation, reduced bone volume, dental decay, skin diseases, and other conditions. Zn homeostasis is tightly controlled by the action of Zn transporters and metallothioneins, which together intricately regulate the Zn concentration and distribution in cells. We recently investigated the role of the Zn transporter Slc39a13/Zip13 in mice and humans. Mice deficient in Zip13 show changes in the tooth, bone, and connective tissues, and impairments in BMP and TGF-β signaling. A unique variant of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) with hypodontia was found, in which Zip13 possesses a loss-of-function mutation, indicating that Zip13-mediated Zn homeostasis is crucial for tooth, bone and connective tissue development in mice and humans. In this review, we describe how Zn affects biological events especially in tooth development, with recent progress uncovering the roles of the Zn transporter Zip13 in mammalian health and diseases.

Journal

• Journal of Oral Biosciences

  Journal of Oral Biosciences 53 (1), 1-12, 2011

  Japanese Association for Oral Biology

Keywords

• Zinc transporter
• Slc39a13
• Zip13
• BMP
• TGF-β
• Smad
• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

Details

• CRID: 1390282680190671232
• NII Article ID: 130004475726
• DOI: 10.2330/joralbiosci.53.1
• COI: 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3MXltFartLo%3D
• ISSN: 18803865
• ISSN: 13490079
• Text Lang: en
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • Crossref
  • CiNii Articles
  • KAKEN
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed