Several investigations in animal models demonstrate the protective role of MT in DM2 and its cardiovascular or renal complications, while a copious literature shows that a common polymorphism (R325W) in ZnT8, which affects the protein's zinc transport activity, is associated with increased DM2 risk.
The association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes encoding ZnT-8 and MT with DM2 has drawn attention to the relevance of Zn homeostasis for insulin secretory capacity and responsiveness.