Zinc Transporter 8 (ZnT8) Antibody
Other names: ZNT8 Antibodies
This test is mainly used to assist in the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus. For this purpose, it can be used alone or in combination with other antibody tests such as the glutamic acid decarboxylase-65 (GAD-65), insulinoma antigen-2 (IA-2), and insulin antibody tests.
The Zinc Transporter 8 (ZnT8) antibody is a marker of significant interest in the field of endocrinology, particularly in relation to diabetes.
ZnT8 is a protein that plays a critical role in the insulin secretion process within the pancreas. It is involved in the transport of zinc ions into insulin-containing secretory vesicles, a step that is essential for the proper storage and processing of insulin.
The presence of antibodies against ZnT8 is indicative of an autoimmune response, where the body's immune system mistakenly targets and attacks the cells that produce insulin, leading to the destruction of these cells. This autoimmune response is a hallmark of Type 1 diabetes, making the ZnT8 antibody a valuable biomarker for early detection and diagnosis of the disease. Identifying the presence of ZnT8 antibodies can help in distinguishing Type 1 diabetes from other types of diabetes, which is crucial for determining the most effective treatment strategy. Moreover, the detection of ZnT8 antibodies can also be used for identifying individuals at risk of developing Type 1 diabetes, allowing for early intervention and potentially delaying or preventing the onset of the disease.
What does it mean if your Zinc Transporter 8 (ZnT8) Antibody result is too high?
Zinc Transporter 8 (ZnT8) Antibodies and Type 1 Diabetes
Role of ZnT8 in Insulin Production
- ZnT8 protein is crucial for insulin production in the pancreas
- It transports zinc into insulin-secreting beta cells
- Essential for insulin maturation and release
Significance of Elevated ZnT8 Antibodies
- Indicates an autoimmune response against ZnT8 protein
- Most commonly associated with Type 1 diabetes
- Signifies immune system attack on insulin-producing beta cells
Diagnostic Importance
- Helps differentiate Type 1 from Type 2 or other forms of diabetes
- Useful in ambiguous cases where diabetes type is unclear
- Can indicate risk of developing Type 1 diabetes before symptom onset
Implications of Elevated ZnT8 Antibodies (with negative IA-2 and Anti-GAD 65 Antibodies)
- T1D Diagnosis:
- Significant marker for T1D (68.7% in recent-onset, 48.9% in longer duration)
- Increases sensitivity for β-cell autoimmunity from 67% to 76%
- Associated with autoimmune destruction of beta cells
- Early or Atypical T1D:
- Indicates T1D risk even with negative other antibodies
- May appear before other autoantibodies
- Associated with younger age at diagnosis and insulin deficiency features
- Specificity:
- Highly specific to autoimmune diabetes
- Reliable marker for β-cell autoimmunity
Management and Treatment
- No cure, but manageable through comprehensive treatment
- Strategies include:
- Blood glucose monitoring
- Insulin therapy
- Diet adjustments
- Regular physical activity
- Advanced management tools:
- Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)
- Closed-loop insulin delivery systems
Follow-Up and Monitoring
- For asymptomatic individuals: Regular glucose monitoring, HbA1c, C-peptide testing
- For symptomatic individuals: Supports autoimmune diabetes diagnosis
- Consultation with an endocrinologist or healthcare provider recommended
Future Prospects
- Ongoing research in immunotherapies and beta cell transplantation
- Potential for modifying autoimmune response or restoring beta cell function
Note: ZnT8A should be interpreted alongside other clinical and laboratory findings for comprehensive T1D assessment.
All Your Lab Results.
One Simple Dashboard.
Import, Track, and Share Your Lab Results Easily
Import, Track, and Share Your Lab Results
Import lab results from multiple providers, track changes over time, customize your reference ranges, and get clear explanations for each result. Everything is stored securely, exportable in one organized file, and shareable with your doctor—or anyone you choose.
Cancel or upgrade anytime
Laboratories
Bring All Your Lab Results Together — In One Place
We accept reports from any lab, so you can easily collect and organize all your health information in one secure spot.
Pricing Table
Gather Your Lab History — and Finally Make Sense of It
Finally, Your Lab Results Organized and Clear
Personal plans
$79/ year
Advanced Plan
Access your lab reports, explanations, and tracking tools.
- Import lab results from any provider
- Track all results with visual tools
- Customize your reference ranges
- Export your full lab history anytime
- Share results securely with anyone
- Receive 5 reports entered for you
- Cancel or upgrade anytime
$250/ once
Unlimited Account
Pay once, access everything—no monthly fees, no limits.
- Import lab results from any provider
- Track all results with visual tools
- Customize your reference ranges
- Export your full lab history anytime
- Share results securely with anyone
- Receive 10 reports entered for you
- No subscriptions. No extra fees.
$45/ month
Pro Monthly
Designed for professionals managing their clients' lab reports
- Import lab results from any provider
- Track lab results for multiple clients
- Customize reference ranges per client
- Export lab histories and reports
- Begin with first report entered by us
- Cancel or upgrade anytime
About membership
What's included in a Healthmatters membership
Import Lab Results from Any Source
See Your Health Timeline
Understand What Your Results Mean
Visualize Your Results
Data Entry Service for Your Reports
Securely Share With Anyone You Trust
Let Your Lab Results Tell the Full Story
Once your results are in one place, see the bigger picture — track trends over time, compare data side by side, export your full history, and share securely with anyone you trust.
Bring all your results together to compare, track progress, export your history, and share securely.
What Healthmatters Members Are Saying
Frequently asked questions
Healthmatters is a personal health dashboard that helps you organize and understand your lab results. It collects and displays your medical test data from any lab in one secure, easy-to-use platform.
- Individuals who want to track and understand their health over time.
- Health professionals, such as doctors, nutritionists, and wellness coaches, need to manage and interpret lab data for their clients.
With a Healthmatters account, you can:
- Upload lab reports from any lab
- View your data in interactive graphs, tables, and timelines
- Track trends and monitor changes over time
- Customize your reference ranges
- Export and share your full lab history
- Access your results anytime, from any device
Professionals can also analyze client data more efficiently and save time managing lab reports.
Healthmatters.io personal account provides in-depth research on 10000+ biomarkers, including information and suggestions for test panels such as, but not limited to:
- The GI Effects® Comprehensive Stool Profile,
- GI-MAP,
- The NutrEval FMV®,
- The ION Profile,
- Amino Acids Profile,
- Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones (DUTCH),
- Organic Acids Test,
- Organix Comprehensive Profile,
- Toxic Metals,
- Complete Blood Count (CBC),
- Metabolic panel,
- Thyroid panel,
- Lipid Panel,
- Urinalysis,
- And many, many more.
You can combine all test reports inside your Healthmatters account and keep them in one place. It gives you an excellent overview of all your health data. Once you retest, you can add new results and compare them.
If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.
We implement proven measures to keep your data safe.
At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.