SLC22A12
SLC22A12, also known as URAT1, hURAT1, OAT4L, RST and UAT, is an electroneutral urate-anion exchanger of the solute carrier family 22. It sits in the apical membrane of renal proximal tubular cells and helps set blood uric acid levels. Browse Assay Genie's current range of SLC22A12 research reagents below, or read on for the biology behind the target.
SLC22A12 is an electroneutral antiporter that translocates urate across the apical membrane of proximal tubular cells in exchange for monovalent organic or inorganic anions. It is involved in the renal reabsorption of urate and helps maintain blood levels of uric acid. Urate uptake occurs by exchange with organic anions such as (S)-lactate and nicotinate, and with the inorganic anion chloride. Bromide, iodide and nitrate may also act as counteranions that exchange for urate.
The SLC22A12 protein also mediates orotate tubular uptake coupled with nicotinate efflux, and to a lesser extent lactate efflux, suggesting a potential role in orotate renal reabsorption. This orotate transport is chloride-dependent. The protein belongs to the major facilitator superfamily and the organic cation transporter family, and is an integral membrane protein found primarily in epithelial cells of the kidney proximal tubule. In the HGNC classification it sits in the solute carrier family 22 group. Mouse and rat orthologs are both named Slc22a12.
The SLC22A12 gene is described by NCBI as a member of the organic anion transporter (OAT) family, which explains the alias OAT4L; HGNC previous names refer to an organic anion/urate transporter. Elevated serum urate, or hyperuricemia, is associated with increased incidence of gout, while mutations in this gene cause renal hypouricemia type 1. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants.
SLC22A12 mediates urate reabsorption across the apical membrane of proximal tubular cells, making it central to studies of how the kidney regulates blood uric acid.
Elevated serum urate is associated with increased incidence of gout, so SLC22A12 is studied as a regulator of urate levels in blood.
Mutations in the SLC22A12 gene cause renal hypouricemia type 1, providing a defined genetic link between transporter function and urate homeostasis.
SLC22A12 exchanges urate for lactate, nicotinate and chloride, and handles orotate, offering a model for studying anion antiport in renal epithelia.
SLC22A12 is an electroneutral antiporter that moves urate across the apical membrane of proximal tubular cells in exchange for monovalent anions such as lactate, nicotinate and chloride. This contributes to renal urate reabsorption and helps maintain blood uric acid levels. It also mediates chloride-dependent orotate uptake.
Yes. URAT1 and hURAT1 are aliases of SLC22A12. Other names are OAT4L, RST and UAT. Earlier HGNC names described it as a solute carrier family 22 organic anion/cation or organic anion/urate transporter, member 12, so literature may use any of these terms.
Mutations in the SLC22A12 gene cause renal hypouricemia type 1, and raised serum urate is associated with gout. Orthologs are annotated in mouse and rat, both named Slc22a12; check the datasheet of any product for its validated reactivity.
Other solute carrier transporters, including anion exchangers and renal tubular transport proteins, with products at Assay Genie.
Gene and protein annotations from HGNC, NCBI Gene and UniProt Q96S37; product specifications from Assay Genie datasheets.