SNATs

Sodium-dependent Neutral Amino Acid Transporters (SNATs; SLC38 family) mediate the uptake of neutral amino acids in a sodium-dependent manner and play important roles in amino acid homeostasis and cellular metabolism. Several SNAT family members are expressed in the brain, where they contribute to neuronal and astrocytic amino acid transport.

Among the best-characterized members are the system A transporters (SNAT1, SNAT2, and SNAT4), which exhibit broad substrate specificity, and the system N transporters (SNAT3, SNAT5, and SNAT7), which transport a more restricted range of amino acids. In the brain, SNAT1 and SNAT2 are predominantly expressed in neurons, whereas SNAT3 and SNAT5 are mainly found in astrocytes.

The cell-specific expression of SNAT transporters offers exciting opportunities for intra-brain drug delivery. By exploiting neuronal and astrocytic transport systems, it may be possible to achieve selective delivery of therapeutic agents to specific brain cell populations.

Our research focuses on understanding SNAT transport mechanisms and evaluating their potential as carriers for brain- and cell-targeted drug delivery. Through computational and experimental approaches, we aim to support the rational design of SNAT-utilizing drugs and prodrugs.

Selected Publications

Huttunen, J.; Kronenberger, T.; Montaser, A. B.; Králová, A.; Terasaki, T.; Poso, A.; Huttunen, K.M. Sodium-dependent Neutral Amino Acid Transporter 2 (SNAT2) Can Serve As Tertiary Carriers for L-Type Amino Acid Transporter 1 (LAT1)-Utilizing Prodrugs. Molecular Pharmaceutics, 2023, 20(2): 1331-1346. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.2c00948