In neuroblastoma cells, zinc-induced phosphorylation of p70 S6 kinase is associated with the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease,34 and in pancreatic cancer cells, ZIP4 overexpression results in CREB phosphorylation, which in turn induces cyclin D1 expression and thereby cell proliferation.35 Importantly, phosphorylation of CREB,36 GSK-3β,37 and p70 S638 have all been shown to contribute to cell proliferation and survival, linking ZIP7 to these major signalling pathways. This evidence concerns the gene GSK3B and familial pancreatic carcinoma.