SLC30A4 encodes a zinc transporter protein located on chromosome 15-q21 that functions as a proton-coupled zinc ion antiporter 1. The protein mediates zinc transport, likely functioning in vesicular zinc sequestration and homeostasis 23. SLC30A4 is highly expressed in mammary gland tissue and plays a role in zinc secretion into milk, similar to the murine lethal milk phenotype 43. The transporter localizes to intracellular compartments including late endosomes and lysosomes, consistent with vesicular zinc transport functions 4. Clinically, SLC30A4 dysfunction has been implicated in pathological zinc homeostasis. IL-4 activation triggers SLC30A4-dependent increases in intracellular labile zinc in macrophages, which intracellular pathogens exploit for survival 5. Additionally, SLC30A4-AS1, a long noncoding RNA, regulates periodontal ligament stem cell senescence in inflammatory environments through modulation of TP53BP1 alternative splicing 6. Altered expression of SLC30A4 and related zinc transporters has been associated with obesity and age-related changes in brain zinc homeostasis, with potential implications for neurodegenerative disease risk 7. However, SLC30A4 mutations were excluded as causative in acrodermatitis enteropathica and periodic catatonia 18.