The malfunction and genetic mutations of specific human ZIPs have been linked to diseases including ZIP4 in acrodermatitis enteropathica (AE)10, ZIP6 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC)11, ZIP10 in skin diseases12, ZIP12 in pulmonary hypertension13, and ZIP14 in cancer cachexia muscular atrophy14. This evidence concerns the gene SLC39A6 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.