Advance in study of glutamine transporter asct2 / 中国药理学通报

ABSTRACT

Glutamine plays a significant role in metabolism of protein and energy in cells. However, glutamine must be transported into cells to be utilized via the specific vector on cell membrane. The most important transporter is the Na ∗ dependent glutamine vector alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 2 (ASCT2). The regulation of ASCT2 biological function is closely related to human health. The ASCT2 is not only broadly expressed in normal tissues and organs but increases its expression in cancer to fulfill the augmented glutamine demand. Interactions with proteins and post-translational modifications regulate ASCT2 stability and transport activity. Two asparagine residues, namely N163 and N212, are the sites of glycosylation that have responsibility for the definitive localization into the plasma membrane. However, it has little effect on the intrinsic transport function of ASCT2. This review summarizes the regulation of biological function of ASCT2 and its significance in the treatment of disease.