Correlation between ZIP2 messenger RNA expression and zinc level in rat lateral prostate
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Updated: Jul 19, 2026
Atomic Absorbance Spectroscopy to Measure Intracellular Zinc Pools in Mammalian Cells
Published on: May 16, 2019
Kazuhiro Iguchi1, Takashi Otsuka, Shigeyuki Usui
1Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Mitahora-higashi, Gifu, Gifu 502-8585, Japan.
Abstract:
Zinc content in rat lateral prostate (LP) is higher compared with the other tissues, but the zinc retention system in the prostate remains unclear. In the present study, we examined the expression of ZRT, a IRT-like protein (ZIP) family transporter in rat prostate. The zinc level in rat LP was higher compared with the ventral (VP) and dorsal prostate (DP). The predicted ZIP2 mRNA was really expressed in LP at a high level. The expression was decreased in LP from castrated rats, associated with a decrease in zinc level, and these changes were prevented by testosterone replacement. Moreover, ZIP2 expression levels in LP positively correlated with the zinc levels. These findings strongly suggest that ZIP2 is involved in zinc homeostasis of rat prostate.
