Zinc nutritional status influences ZnT1 and ZIP4 gene expression in children with a high risk of zinc deficiency

Bruna Zavarize Reis; Diva Aliete Dos Santos Vieira; Dayanne da Costa Maynard; Danielle Góes da Silva; Raquel Simões Mendes-Netto; Silvia Maria Franciscato Cozzolino

doi:10.1016/j.jtemb.2020.126537

Zinc nutritional status influences ZnT1 and ZIP4 gene expression in children with a high risk of zinc deficiency

J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2020 Apr 22:61:126537. doi: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2020.126537. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Bruna Zavarize Reis¹, Diva Aliete Dos Santos Vieira², Dayanne da Costa Maynard³, Danielle Góes da Silva⁴, Raquel Simões Mendes-Netto⁵, Silvia Maria Franciscato Cozzolino⁶

Affiliations

¹ Postgraduate Program in Applied Human Nutrition (PRONUT), Department of Food and Experimental Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 580, Bloco 14, Butantã, 05508-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: brunareis@usp.br.
² Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Sergipe, Av. Universitária Marcelo Deda Chagas, 13. Jardim Campo Novo, 49400-000. Lagarto, SE, Brazil. Electronic address: diva.nutricao@gmail.com.
³ Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Sergipe, Av. Marechal Rondon s/n. Jardim Rosa Elze, 49100-000, São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil. Electronic address: day_nut@yahoo.com.br.
⁴ Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Sergipe, Av. Marechal Rondon s/n. Jardim Rosa Elze, 49100-000, São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil. Electronic address: dayanne.maynard@ceub.edu.br.
⁵ Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Sergipe, Av. Marechal Rondon s/n. Jardim Rosa Elze, 49100-000, São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil. Electronic address: raquel@ufs.br.
⁶ Postgraduate Program in Applied Human Nutrition (PRONUT), Department of Food and Experimental Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 580, Bloco 14, Butantã, 05508-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: smfcozzo@usp.br.

PMID: 32388102
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2020.126537

Abstract

Introduction: Subclinical deficiency of zinc is associated with impairment of immune system function, growth, and cognitive development in children. Although plasma zinc is the best available biomarker of the risk of zinc deficiency in populations, its sensitivity for early detection of deficiency is limited. Therefore, we aimed to investigate zinc deficiency among preschool children and its relationship with whole blood gene expression of zinc transporters ZIP4 and ZnT1.

Material and methods: This cross-sectional study included 139 children aged 32-76 months enrolled in philanthropic day-care centers. We performed an anthropometric evaluation, weighed food record and dietary record for dietary assessment, blood sample collection for zinc, and whole blood gene expression analyses of ZnT1 (SLC30A1) and ZIP4 (SLC39A4).

Results: Zinc deficiency was observed in 26.6 % of the children despite adequate zinc intake and a phytate:zinc molar ratio < 18. Usual zinc intake did not affect whole blood gene expression of zinc transporters, but zinc status influenced ZnT1 and ZIP4 whole blood mRNA. Children with zinc deficiency exhibited 37.1 % higher ZnT1 expression and 45.3 % lower ZIP4 expression than children with adequate zinc (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Children with plasma zinc deficiency exhibited higher expression of ZnT1 and lower expression of ZIP4 in whole blood mRNA, reinforcing the existence of strong regulation of mineral homeostasis according to the nutritional status, indicating that this analysis may be useful in the evaluation of dietary interventions.

Keywords: Phytate:zinc molar ratio; Preschool children; SLC30A1; SLC39A4; Zinc deficiency.