[4S05Am] 21. Open Topics in Biotechnology - Part 2

10:50 AM - 11:05 AM JST(1:50 AM - 2:05 AM UTC)

[4Open-04] Genetic Polymorphism in SLC30A8 (ZnT8) and Its Association with Dietary Zinc Intake and Serum Zinc Levels in Type-2-Diabetic Patients from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

○Laiba Iqbal¹, Iqbal Munir², Fazia Ghaffar¹, Aqib Iqbal³, Maaz Iqbal² (1. University Of Peshawar (Pakistan), 2. Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (Pakistan), 3. Abdul Wali Khan University (Pakistan))

Keywords:

Type 2 diabetes mellitus,zinc transporter 8 (ZnT8),metabolic disorder,Genetic polymorphism,zinc homeostasis

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a multifactorial metabolic disorder influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Zinc plays a critical role in insulin synthesis, storage, and secretion, while the SLC30A8 gene encodes zinc transporter 8 (ZnT8), which regulates zinc transport in pancreatic β-cells. Variations in this gene may disrupt zinc homeostasis and contribute to diabetes risk, particularly in populations with inadequate dietary zinc intake. However, data from South Asian populations remain limited. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, University of Agriculture Peshawar, in collaboration with Northwest General Hospital. A total of 100 participants were enrolled, including 68 T2DM patients and 32 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Dietary zinc intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Serum zinc levels were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Genotyping of the SLC30A8 rs13266634 (C/A) polymorphism was performed using PCR followed by gel electrophoresis. Statistical analyses included group comparisons and correlation assessments.Dietary zinc intake was significantly lower in T2DM patients (4.22 ± 0.28 mg/day) compared to controls (8.32 ± 1.43 mg/day), with notable sex-specific differences. Serum zinc levels were also significantly reduced in diabetic individuals (0.060 ± 0.007 mg/dL) compared to controls (0.080 ± 0.002 mg/dL). A positive correlation between dietary zinc intake and serum zinc levels was observed in both groups, although weaker in T2DM patients, suggesting impaired zinc utilization. Genotypic analysis revealed a lower frequency of the protective A allele and AA genotype among diabetic patients. The C allele and combined CC+CA genotypes were significantly associated with increased T2DM risk and altered zinc status (P<0.05).These findings suggest that dietary zinc deficiency, in combination with SLC30A8 genetic variation, may contribute to disrupted zinc metabolism and increased susceptibility to T2DM in this population. This study underscores the importance of population-specific nutritional genomics and highlights the potential for zinc-targeted dietary interventions in high-risk South Asian groups.