Alternative titles; symbols
HGNC Approved Gene Symbol: SLC39A3
Cytogenetic location: 19p13.3 Genomic coordinates (GRCh38): 19:2,732,524-2,740,076 (from NCBI)
By database searching with the sequences of fungal and plant zinc transporters, Gaither and Eide (2000) identified 3 human members of the ZIP superfamily: ZIP1 (SLC39A1; 604740), ZIP2 (SLC39A2; 612166), and ZIP3 (SLC39A3). The 3 deduced human proteins share greater than 49% similarity.
Gross (2017) mapped the SLC39A3 gene to chromosome 19p13.3 based on an alignment of the SLC39A3 sequence (GenBank BC005869) with the genomic sequence (GRCh38).
Desouki et al. (2007) noted that normal human prostate glandular epithelium has the unique function of accumulating high levels of zinc and that in prostate cancer this capability is lost as an early event in the development of the malignant cells. By immunohistochemistry analysis of human normal and malignant prostate tissue sections, they determined that, like SLC39A1, both SLC39A2 and SLC39A3 are downregulated in malignant cells in situ along with the depletion of zinc levels. SLC39A2 and SLC39A3 were localized predominantly at the apical cell membrane, which is in contrast to the SLC39A1 localization at the basolateral membrane. Desouki et al. (2007) suggested that SLC39A1 is important for the extraction of zinc from circulation as the primary source of cellular zinc, whereas SLC39A2 and SLC39A3 are important for retention of the zinc in the cellular compartment. They proposed that zinc is a tumor suppressor agent and that SLC39A1, SLC39A2, and SLC39A3 are tumor suppressor genes.
Desouki, M. M., Geradts, J., Milon, B., Franklin, R. B., Costello, L. C. hZip2 and hZip3 zinc transporters are down regulated in human prostate adenocarcinomatous glands. Molec. Cancer 6: 37, 2007. Note: Electronic Article. [PubMed: 17550612] [Full Text: https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-4598-6-37]
Gaither, L. A., Eide, D. J. Functional expression of the human hZIP2 zinc transporter. J. Biol. Chem. 275: 5560-5564, 2000. [PubMed: 10681536] [Full Text: https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.275.8.5560]
Gross, M. B. Personal Communication. Baltimore, Md. 10/25/2017.