SLC10A1
Description
The SLC10A1 (solute carrier family 10 member 1) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 14.
SLC10A1, also known as the sodium/bile acid cotransporter, Na+-taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP), or liver bile acid transporter (LBAT), is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SLC10A1 gene. It is an integral membrane glycoprotein containing 349 amino acids and has a mass of 56 kDa. SLC10A1 plays a vital role in the enterohepatic circulation of bile acids, working in conjunction with a homologous transporter that absorbs bile acids from the intestinal lumen, bile duct, and kidney. SLC10A1 is expressed in the basolateral membranes of hepatocytes and acts as a cotransporter, binding two sodium ions and one (conjugated) bile salt molecule to facilitate the hepatic influx of bile salts. Along with bile salts, it also transports steroid hormones, thyroid hormones, and various xenobiotics. Importantly, SLC10A1 serves as a cell surface receptor for hepatitis B and hepatitis D virus, and its entry mechanism is inhibited by various compounds including myrcludex B, cyclosporin A, progesterone, propranolol, bosentan, ezetimibe, bexarotene, as well as NTCP substrates like taurocholate, tauroursodeoxycholate, and bromosulfophthalein.
SLC10A1, also known as the sodium/bile acid cotransporter, is a key player in the enterohepatic circulation of bile salts. It facilitates the uptake of conjugated bile salts from plasma into hepatocytes. This process is essential for the solubilization and absorption of dietary fat and fat-soluble vitamins. SLC10A1 relies on the presence of extracellular sodium for its function and exhibits broad substrate specificity, transporting various bile acids, including taurocholate and cholate, as well as non-bile acid organic compounds such as estrone sulfate. It collaborates with other transporters, such as the ileal transporter (NTCP2), the organic solute transporter (OST), and the bile salt export pump (BSEP), to ensure efficient recycling of bile acids.
SLC10A1 is also known as FHCA2, NTCP.
