{{.infobox .infobox-gene}}
| Symbol | SLC13A1 |
| Full Name | Solute Carrier Family 13 Member 1 (Na+-dependent sulfate transporter) |
| Chromosome | 7p14 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 6565 |
| OMIM | 611021 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000135569 |
| UniProt ID | Q9BZG9 |
| Associated Diseases | Potential role in brain sulfation |
Na+-dependent sulfate transporter (NaS1). Mediates sulfate uptake in intestine and kidney. Sulfate is essential for sulfation of neurotransmitters and brain metabolites.
SLC13A1 (Solute Carrier Family 13 Member 1) is a human gene encoding a sodium-dependent sulfate transporter (NaS1). This page covers the gene's normal function, disease associations, expression patterns, and key research findings relevant to neurodegeneration.
SLC13A1 mediates the uptake of sulfate ions coupled to sodium transport across the plasma membrane[1]. Sulfate is an essential anion required for the sulfation (detoxification) of neurotransmitters, hormones, and xenobiotics in the brain[2]. The sodium gradient driving sulfate uptake is maintained by the Na+/K+-ATPase[3].
SLC13A1 is primarily expressed in the intestinal epithelium and renal proximal tubules, with lower expression in various tissues including brain[4]. In the brain, sulfate transporters play a critical role in maintaining cerebrospinal fluid sulfate levels necessary for neural sulfation reactions[5].
Sulfate metabolism is relevant to neurodegeneration through several mechanisms:
Targeting sulfate transport represents a potential therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases[8]. Enhancing sulfate delivery to the brain through transporter modulation may improve detoxification capacity and neurotransmitter metabolism.
The SLC13A1 gene is associated with:
Markovich D. Sodium sulfate cotransporters: from kidney to brain. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2011. ↩︎
K. H. S. Sulfation of neurotransmitters in the central nervous system. J Neurochem. 1985. ↩︎ ↩︎
Xie B, Zhou JF, Lu Q, et al. Sodium gradient-dependent sulfate transport in renal brush border membrane vesicles. Kidney Int. 1997. ↩︎
Lee HJ, Balasingham B, B. F. Distribution of NaS1 mRNA in mouse tissues by in situ hybridization. J Histochem Cytochem. 2003. ↩︎
Constantinescu V, Z. P. Cerebrospinal fluid sulfate metabolism in brain disorders. Neurochem Res. 2004. ↩︎
Do KQ, E. B. Sulfate content in cerebrospinal fluid in neurodegenerative diseases. J Neurol Sci. 1992. ↩︎
C. R. Sulfation and detoxification in brain. Drug Metab Rev. 1995. ↩︎
G. H. Therapeutic potential of sulfate transport modulation in neurodegeneration. Curr Drug Targets. 2015. ↩︎