Top ▲
Members of the solute carrier family 6 (SLC6) of sodium- and (sometimes chloride-) dependent neurotransmitter transporters [1-3,5] are primarily plasma membrane located and may be divided into four subfamilies that transport monoamines, GABA, glycine and neutral amino acids, plus the related bacterial NSS transporters [6]. The members of this superfamily share a structural motif of 10 TM segments that has been observed in crystal structures of the NSS bacterial homolog LeuTAa, a Na+-dependent amino acid transporter from Aquiflex aeolicus [7] and in several other transporter families structurally related to LeuT [4].
* Key recommended reading is highlighted with an asterisk
Aragón C, López-Corcuera B. (2005) Glycine transporters: crucial roles of pharmacological interest revealed by gene deletion. Trends Pharmacol Sci, 26 (6): 283-6. [PMID:15925702]
* Bermingham DP, Blakely RD. (2016) Kinase-dependent Regulation of Monoamine Neurotransmitter Transporters. Pharmacol Rev, 68 (4): 888-953. [PMID:27591044]
Betz H, Gomeza J, Armsen W, Scholze P, Eulenburg V. (2006) Glycine transporters: essential regulators of synaptic transmission. Biochem Soc Trans, 34 (Pt 1): 55-8. [PMID:16417482]
Bridges TM, Williams R, Lindsley CW. (2008) Design of potent GlyT1 inhibitors: in vitro and in vivo profiles. Curr Opin Mol Ther, 10 (6): 591-601. [PMID:19051137]
Bröer S. (2006) The SLC6 orphans are forming a family of amino acid transporters. Neurochem Int, 48 (6-7): 559-67. [PMID:16540203]
Bröer S. (2008) Apical transporters for neutral amino acids: physiology and pathophysiology. Physiology (Bethesda), 23: 95-103. [PMID:18400692]
* Bröer S, Gether U. (2012) The solute carrier 6 family of transporters. Br J Pharmacol, 167 (2): 256-78. [PMID:22519513]
Chen NH, Reith ME, Quick MW. (2004) Synaptic uptake and beyond: the sodium- and chloride-dependent neurotransmitter transporter family SLC6. Pflugers Arch, 447 (5): 519-31. [PMID:12719981]
Chiba P, Freissmuth M, Stockner T. (2014) Defining the blanks--pharmacochaperoning of SLC6 transporters and ABC transporters. Pharmacol Res, 83: 63-73. [PMID:24316454]
Christie DL. (2007) Functional insights into the creatine transporter. Subcell Biochem, 46: 99-118. [PMID:18652074]
Clausen RP, Madsen K, Larsson OM, Frølund B, Krogsgaard-Larsen P, Schousboe A. (2006) Structure-activity relationship and pharmacology of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transport inhibitors. Adv Pharmacol, 54: 265-84. [PMID:17175818]
* Colas C. (2020) Toward a Systematic Structural and Functional Annotation of Solute Carriers Transporters-Example of the SLC6 and SLC7 Families. Front Pharmacol, 11: 1229. [PMID:32973497]
Dai W, Vinnakota S, Qian X, Kunze DL, Sarkar HK. (1999) Molecular characterization of the human CRT-1 creatine transporter expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Arch Biochem Biophys, 361 (1): 75-84. [PMID:9882430]
Dalby NO. (2003) Inhibition of gamma-aminobutyric acid uptake: anatomy, physiology and effects against epileptic seizures. Eur J Pharmacol, 479 (1-3): 127-37. [PMID:14612144]
Daws LC. (2009) Unfaithful neurotransmitter transporters: focus on serotonin uptake and implications for antidepressant efficacy. Pharmacol Ther, 121 (1): 89-99. [PMID:19022290]
Dohi T, Morita K, Kitayama T, Motoyama N, Morioka N. (2009) Glycine transporter inhibitors as a novel drug discovery strategy for neuropathic pain. Pharmacol Ther, 123 (1): 54-79. [PMID:19393690]
Eulenburg V, Armsen W, Betz H, Gomeza J. (2005) Glycine transporters: essential regulators of neurotransmission. Trends Biochem Sci, 30 (6): 325-33. [PMID:15950877]
Foster JD, Cervinski MA, Gorentla BK, Vaughan RA. (2006) Regulation of the dopamine transporter by phosphorylation. Handb Exp Pharmacol, (175): 197-214. [PMID:16722237]
Gadea A, López-Colomé AM. (2001) Glial transporters for glutamate, glycine, and GABA: II. GABA transporters. J Neurosci Res, 63 (6): 461-8. [PMID:11241581]
Gasnier B. (2004) The SLC32 transporter, a key protein for the synaptic release of inhibitory amino acids. Pflugers Arch, 447 (5): 756-9. [PMID:12750892]
Gether U, Andersen PH, Larsson OM, Schousboe A. (2006) Neurotransmitter transporters: molecular function of important drug targets. Trends Pharmacol Sci, 27 (7): 375-83. [PMID:16762425]
Gomeza J, Armsen W, Betz H, Eulenburg V. (2006) Lessons from the knocked-out glycine transporters. Handb Exp Pharmacol, (175): 457-83. [PMID:16722246]
Gonzalez-Burgos G. (2010) GABA transporter GAT1: a crucial determinant of GABAB receptor activation in cortical circuits?. Adv Pharmacol, 58: 175-204. [PMID:20655483]
Han X, Patters AB, Jones DP, Zelikovic I, Chesney RW. (2006) The taurine transporter: mechanisms of regulation. Acta Physiol (Oxf), 187 (1-2): 61-73. [PMID:16734743]
Harsing LG, Juranyi Z, Gacsalyi I, Tapolcsanyi P, Czompa A, Matyus P. (2006) Glycine transporter type-1 and its inhibitors. Curr Med Chem, 13 (9): 1017-44. [PMID:16611082]
Harvey RJ, Topf M, Harvey K, Rees MI. (2008) The genetics of hyperekplexia: more than startle!. Trends Genet, 24 (9): 439-47. [PMID:18707791]
Harvey RJ, Yee BK. (2013) Glycine transporters as novel therapeutic targets in schizophrenia, alcohol dependence and pain. Nat Rev Drug Discov, 12 (11): 866-85. [PMID:24172334]
Hashimoto K. (2011) Glycine transporter-1: a new potential therapeutic target for schizophrenia. Curr Pharm Des, 17 (2): 112-20. [PMID:21355838]
Horstmann S, Binder EB. (2009) Pharmacogenomics of antidepressant drugs. Pharmacol Ther, 124 (1): 57-73. [PMID:19563827]
Høg S, Greenwood JR, Madsen KB, Larsson OM, Frølund B, Schousboe A, Krogsgaard-Larsen P, Clausen RP. (2006) Structure-activity relationships of selective GABA uptake inhibitors. Curr Top Med Chem, 6 (17): 1861-82. [PMID:17017962]
Javitt DC. (2009) Glycine transport inhibitors for the treatment of schizophrenia: symptom and disease modification. Curr Opin Drug Discov Devel, 12 (4): 468-78. [PMID:19562643]
* Joncquel-Chevalier Curt M, Voicu PM, Fontaine M, Dessein AF, Porchet N, Mention-Mulliez K, Dobbelaere D, Soto-Ares G, Cheillan D, Vamecq J. (2015) Creatine biosynthesis and transport in health and disease. Biochimie, 119: 146-65. [PMID:26542286]
Kanner BI. (2006) Structure and function of sodium-coupled GABA and glutamate transporters. J Membr Biol, 213 (2): 89-100. [PMID:17417704]
Karunakaran S, Umapathy NS, Thangaraju M, Hatanaka T, Itagaki S, Munn DH, Prasad PD, Ganapathy V. (2008) Interaction of tryptophan derivatives with SLC6A14 (ATB0,+) reveals the potential of the transporter as a drug target for cancer chemotherapy. Biochem J, 414 (3): 343-55. [PMID:18522536]
Kempson SA, Zhou Y, Danbolt NC. (2014) The betaine/GABA transporter and betaine: roles in brain, kidney, and liver. Front Physiol, 5: 159. [PMID:24795654]
Kristensen AS, Andersen J, Jørgensen TN, Sørensen L, Eriksen J, Loland CJ, Strømgaard K, Gether U. (2011) SLC6 neurotransmitter transporters: structure, function, and regulation. Pharmacol Rev, 63 (3): 585-640. [PMID:21752877]
Kulig K, Szwaczkiewicz M. (2008) The role of structure activity relationship studies in the search for new GABA uptake inhibitors. Mini Rev Med Chem, 8 (12): 1214-23. [PMID:18855736]
Lechner SM. (2006) Glutamate-based therapeutic approaches: inhibitors of glycine transport. Curr Opin Pharmacol, 6 (1): 75-81. [PMID:16376148]
* Lohr KM, Masoud ST, Salahpour A, Miller GW. (2017) Membrane transporters as mediators of synaptic dopamine dynamics: implications for disease. Eur J Neurosci, 45 (1): 20-33. [PMID:27520881]
Madsen KK, White HS, Schousboe A. (2010) Neuronal and non-neuronal GABA transporters as targets for antiepileptic drugs. Pharmacol Ther, 125 (3): 394-401. [PMID:20026354]
Mazei-Robinson MS, Blakely RD. (2006) ADHD and the dopamine transporter: are there reasons to pay attention?. Handb Exp Pharmacol, (175): 373-415. [PMID:16722244]
Millan MJ. (2006) Multi-target strategies for the improved treatment of depressive states: Conceptual foundations and neuronal substrates, drug discovery and therapeutic application. Pharmacol Ther, 110 (2): 135-370. [PMID:16522330]
Moltzen EK, Bang-Andersen B. (2006) Serotonin reuptake inhibitors: the corner stone in treatment of depression for half a century--a medicinal chemistry survey. Curr Top Med Chem, 6 (17): 1801-23. [PMID:17017959]
Penmatsa A, Wang KH, Gouaux E. (2013) X-ray structure of dopamine transporter elucidates antidepressant mechanism. Nature, 503 (7474): 85-90. [PMID:24037379]
Ramamoorthy S, Shippenberg TS, Jayanthi LD. (2011) Regulation of monoamine transporters: Role of transporter phosphorylation. Pharmacol Ther, 129 (2): 220-38. [PMID:20951731]
Reynolds GP, McGowan OO, Dalton CF. (2014) Pharmacogenomics in psychiatry: the relevance of receptor and transporter polymorphisms. Br J Clin Pharmacol, 77 (4): 654-72. [PMID:24354796]
Richerson GB, Wu Y. (2004) Role of the GABA transporter in epilepsy. Adv Exp Med Biol, 548: 76-91. [PMID:15250587]
Rudnick G. (2011) Cytoplasmic permeation pathway of neurotransmitter transporters. Biochemistry, 50 (35): 7462-75. [PMID:21774491]
Rudnick G, Krämer R, Blakely RD, Murphy DL, Verrey F. (2014) The SLC6 transporters: perspectives on structure, functions, regulation, and models for transporter dysfunction. Pflugers Arch, 466 (1): 25-42. [PMID:24337881]
Runyon SP, Carroll FI. (2006) Dopamine transporter ligands: recent developments and therapeutic potential. Curr Top Med Chem, 6 (17): 1825-43. [PMID:17017960]
Saier MH, Yen MR, Noto K, Tamang DG, Elkan C. (2009) The Transporter Classification Database: recent advances. Nucleic Acids Res, 37 (Database issue): D274-8. [PMID:19022853]
Sarup A, Larsson OM, Schousboe A. (2003) GABA transporters and GABA-transaminase as drug targets. Curr Drug Targets CNS Neurol Disord, 2 (4): 269-77. [PMID:12871037]
Sałat K, Kulig K. (2011) GABA transporters as targets for new drugs. Future Med Chem, 3 (2): 211-22. [PMID:21428816]
Schousboe A, Madsen KK, White HS. (2011) GABA transport inhibitors and seizure protection: the past and future. Future Med Chem, 3 (2): 183-7. [PMID:21428813]
Schousboe A, Sarup A, Bak LK, Waagepetersen HS, Larsson OM. (2004) Role of astrocytic transport processes in glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission. Neurochem Int, 45 (4): 521-7. [PMID:15186918]
Schousboe A, Sarup A, Larsson OM, White HS. (2004) GABA transporters as drug targets for modulation of GABAergic activity. Biochem Pharmacol, 68 (8): 1557-63. [PMID:15451399]
* Schumann-Gillett A, Blyth MT, O'Mara ML. (2019) Is protein structure enough? A review of the role of lipids in SLC6 transporter function. Neurosci Lett, 700: 64-69. [PMID:29758303]
Semyanov A, Walker MC, Kullmann DM, Silver RA. (2004) Tonically active GABA A receptors: modulating gain and maintaining the tone. Trends Neurosci, 27 (5): 262-9. [PMID:15111008]
Soudijn W, van Wijngaarden I. (2000) The GABA transporter and its inhibitors. Curr Med Chem, 7 (10): 1063-79. [PMID:10911018]
Supplisson S, Roux MJ. (2002) Why glycine transporters have different stoichiometries. FEBS Lett, 529 (1): 93-101. [PMID:12354619]
Sur C, Kinney GG. (2007) Glycine transporter 1 inhibitors and modulation of NMDA receptor-mediated excitatory neurotransmission. Curr Drug Targets, 8 (5): 643-9. [PMID:17504107]
Torres GE, Gainetdinov RR, Caron MG. (2003) Plasma membrane monoamine transporters: structure, regulation and function. Nat Rev Neurosci, 4 (1): 13-25. [PMID:12511858]
Vandenberg RJ, Ju P, Aubrey KR, Ryan RM, Mitrovic AD. (2004) Allosteric modulation of neurotransmitter transporters at excitatory synapses. Eur J Pharm Sci, 23 (1): 1-11. [PMID:15324920]
Vandenberg RJ, Ryan RM, Carland JE, Imlach WL, Christie MJ. (2014) Glycine transport inhibitors for the treatment of pain. Trends Pharmacol Sci, 35 (8): 423-30. [PMID:24962068]
Wang CI, Lewis RJ. (2010) Emerging structure-function relationships defining monoamine NSS transporter substrate and ligand affinity. Biochem Pharmacol, 79 (8): 1083-91. [PMID:19954741]
Williams JM, Galli A. (2006) The dopamine transporter: a vigilant border control for psychostimulant action. Handb Exp Pharmacol, (175): 215-32. [PMID:16722238]
Wolkenberg SE, Sur C. (2010) Recent progress in the discovery of non-sarcosine based GlyT1 inhibitors. Curr Top Med Chem, 10 (2): 170-86. [PMID:20166956]
Zafra F, Giménez C. (2008) Glycine transporters and synaptic function. IUBMB Life, 60 (12): 810-7. [PMID:18798526]
Zhong H, Sánchez C, Caron MG. (2012) Consideration of allosterism and interacting proteins in the physiological functions of the serotonin transporter. Biochem Pharmacol, 83 (4): 435-42. [PMID:21983034]
1. Alexander SPH, Kelly E, Mathie A, Peters JA, Veale EL, Armstrong JF, Faccenda E, Harding SD, Pawson AJ, Sharman JL et al.. (2019) THE CONCISE GUIDE TO PHARMACOLOGY 2019/20: Transporters. Br J Pharmacol, 176 Suppl 1: S397-S493. [PMID:31710713]
2. Bröer S. (2006) The SLC6 orphans are forming a family of amino acid transporters. Neurochem Int, 48 (6-7): 559-67. [PMID:16540203]
3. Chen NH, Reith ME, Quick MW. (2004) Synaptic uptake and beyond: the sodium- and chloride-dependent neurotransmitter transporter family SLC6. Pflugers Arch, 447 (5): 519-31. [PMID:12719981]
4. Forrest LR, Rudnick G. (2009) The rocking bundle: a mechanism for ion-coupled solute flux by symmetrical transporters. Physiology (Bethesda), 24: 377-86. [PMID:19996368]
5. Kristensen AS, Andersen J, Jørgensen TN, Sørensen L, Eriksen J, Loland CJ, Strømgaard K, Gether U. (2011) SLC6 neurotransmitter transporters: structure, function, and regulation. Pharmacol Rev, 63 (3): 585-640. [PMID:21752877]
6. Saier MH, Yen MR, Noto K, Tamang DG, Elkan C. (2009) The Transporter Classification Database: recent advances. Nucleic Acids Res, 37 (Database issue): D274-8. [PMID:19022853]
7. Yamashita A, Singh SK, Kawate T, Jin Y, Gouaux E. (2005) Crystal structure of a bacterial homologue of Na+/Cl--dependent neurotransmitter transporters. Nature, 437 (7056): 215-23. [PMID:16041361]
Database page citation (select format):
Concise Guide to PHARMACOLOGY citation:
Alexander SPH, Kelly E, Mathie A, Peters JA, Veale EL, Armstrong JF, Faccenda E, Harding SD, Pawson AJ, Sharman JL, Southan C, Davies JA; CGTP Collaborators. (2019) The Concise Guide to PHARMACOLOGY 2019/20: Transporters. Br J Pharmacol. 176 Issue S1: S397-S493.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License