SLC22A4

Polyspecific organic cation transporters in the liver, kidney, intestine, and other organs are critical for elimination of many endogenous small organic cations as well as a wide array of drugs and environmental toxins. The encoded protein is an organic cation transporter and plasma integral membrane protein containing eleven putative transmembrane domains as well as a nucleotide-binding site motif. Transport by this protein is at least partially ATP-dependent. [provided by RefSeq]

Full Name

solute carrier family 22 (organic cation/ergothioneine transporter), member 4

Function

Sodium-ion dependent transporter of various organic cationic compounds. A key substrate of this transporter is ergothioneine (ET) (PubMed:15795384).
Able to transport carnitine, probably moving one sodium ion with one molecule of carnitine. Also transports tetraethylammonium (TEA) without the involvement of sodium.

Biological Process

Biological Process amino acid import across plasma membraneManual Assertion Based On ExperimentIDA:ARUK-UCL
Biological Process carnitine metabolic processIEA:Ensembl
Biological Process carnitine transportManual Assertion Based On ExperimentIDA:MGI
Biological Process quaternary ammonium group transportManual Assertion Based On ExperimentIDA:ARUK-UCL
Biological Process sodium ion transportIEA:UniProtKB-KW
Biological Process triglyceride metabolic processIEA:Ensembl
Biological Process xenobiotic transportManual Assertion Based On ExperimentIDA:ARUK-UCL

Cellular Location

Membrane

Involvement in disease

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA):
An inflammatory disease with autoimmune features and a complex genetic component. It primarily affects the joints and is characterized by inflammatory changes in the synovial membranes and articular structures, widespread fibrinoid degeneration of the collagen fibers in mesenchymal tissues, and by atrophy and rarefaction of bony structures.