Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2025

Atomic Absorbance Spectroscopy to Measure Intracellular Zinc Pools in Mammalian Cells
Published on: May 16, 2019
Roles of zinc in cancers: From altered metabolism to therapeutic applications
Mohamed Bendellaa1, Pierre Lelièvre1, Jean-Luc Coll1
1Grenoble Alpes University, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Grenoble, France.
Abstract:
Zinc (Zn) is a crucial trace element involved in various cellular processes, including oxidative stress, apoptosis and immune response, contributing to cellular homeostasis. Dysregulation of Zn homeostasis occurs in certain cancers. This review discusses the role of Zn in cancer and its associated components, such as Zn-related proteins, their potential as biomarkers and the use of Zn-based strategies for tumor treatment. ZIP and ZnT proteins regulate Zn metabolism under normal conditions, but their expression is aberrant in cancer. These Zn proteins can serve as prognostic or diagnostic biomarkers, aiding in early cancer detection and disease monitoring. Moreover, targeting Zn and its pathways offers potential therapeutic approaches for cancer treatment. Modulating Zn biodistribution within cells using metal-binding agents allows for the control of downstream signaling pathways. Direct utilization of zinc as a therapeutic agent, including Zn supplementation or Zn oxide nanoparticle administration, holds promise for improving the prognosis of cancer patients.
More Related Videos
07:55Author Spotlight: Exploring Cellular Zinc Regulation Through ZnT1 Functionality
Published on: June 2, 2023
11:04Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry Techniques for Determining the Structure and Mechanisms of Metal Ion Recognition and Redox Activity of Metal Binding Oligopeptides
Published on: September 7, 2019
Related Concept Videos
Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
Electron Transport Chain: Complex I and II
ROS generation is regulated and maintained at moderate levels necessary...
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...