SLC30A8 and type 1 diabetes mellitus: T1D is characterized by the infiltration of the pancreatic islets by lymphocytes and macrophages, the presence of autoantibodies to islet cell antigens (ICA), tyrosine phosphatase (IA2), glutamic acid decarboxylase-65 (GAD), insulin (IAA), and zinc transporter ZnT8 (Slc30A8), an increased prevalence of organ-specific autoimmune disorders in T1D, a preferential occurrence of T1D in persons carrying specific allelic combinations at immune response loci within the HLA gene complex.