Alzahrani Ahmed M, Taylor Kathryn M
Department of Biochemistry, Al-Qunfudah Medical College, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24382, Saudi Arabia.
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3NB, UK.
Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Aug 21;26(16):8080. doi: 10.3390/ijms26168080.
Zinc is an essential trace element involved in critical physiological functions such as gene expression, immune regulation, and cellular proliferation. This review explores the link between zinc homeostasis and cancer, with a specific focus on LIV-1 zinc transporters and their potential relevance to cancer research and treatment priorities in Saudi Arabia, as informed by global data. Zinc homeostasis is maintained by two major transporter families: ZIP (SLC39A) and ZnT (SLC30A). The dysregulation of specific ZIP transporters, particularly ZIP4, ZIP7, ZIP6, and ZIP10, has been implicated in cancer progression. Bioinformatic analyses revealed the significant overexpression of ZIP4, ZIP7, and ZIP6 in breast cancer and ZIP4 in colorectal cancer, which are the most common cancers among Saudi women and men, respectively. Notably, ZIP4 and ZIP7 upregulation correlated with poorer clinical outcomes, whereas ZIP6 was positively associated with survival in breast cancer. These findings underscore the potential of zinc transporters as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Despite the substantial global evidence, research on zinc transporters in the Saudi population remains limited. Considering the Kingdom's rising cancer burden and unique genetic, environmental, and dietary factors, understanding zinc metabolism in this context is important. Targeted research may support precision medicine strategies and improve outcomes in line with Saudi Arabia's healthcare transformation goals.
锌是一种必需的微量元素，参与基因表达、免疫调节和细胞增殖等关键生理功能。本综述探讨锌稳态与癌症之间的联系，特别关注LIV-1锌转运蛋白及其与沙特阿拉伯癌症研究和治疗重点的潜在相关性，这些信息来自全球数据。锌稳态由两个主要的转运蛋白家族维持：ZIP（SLC39A）和ZnT（SLC30A）。特定ZIP转运蛋白的失调，特别是ZIP4、ZIP7、ZIP6和ZIP10，与癌症进展有关。生物信息学分析显示，ZIP4、ZIP7和ZIP6在乳腺癌中显著过表达，ZIP4在结直肠癌中显著过表达，而乳腺癌和结直肠癌分别是沙特女性和男性中最常见的癌症。值得注意的是，ZIP4和ZIP7的上调与较差的临床结果相关，而ZIP6与乳腺癌患者的生存率呈正相关。这些发现强调了锌转运蛋白作为预后生物标志物和治疗靶点的潜力。尽管有大量的全球证据，但沙特人群中锌转运蛋白的研究仍然有限。考虑到沙特王国不断上升的癌症负担以及独特的遗传、环境和饮食因素，在这种背景下了解锌代谢非常重要。有针对性的研究可能支持精准医学策略，并根据沙特阿拉伯的医疗保健转型目标改善治疗结果。
