Solute Carrier Organic Anion Transporter Family, Member 4A1 (SLCO4A1)

By searching EST databases for sequences similar to OATP (SLCO1A2), followed by RT-PCR of adult lung RNA and screening a kidney cDNA library, Tamai et al. (2000) cloned SLCO4A1, which they designated OATPE. The deduced 722-amino acid protein has 12 potential transmembrane regions and several phosphorylation and N-glycosylation sites. RT-PCR detected OATPE expression in all adult and fetal tissues examined except adult spleen and peripheral blood leukocytes.Tamai et al. (2000) overexpressed OATPE in HEK293 cells and found that it mediated transport of estrone-3-sulfate and, more weakly, prostaglandin E2.By radiation hybrid analysis, Tamai et al. (2000) mapped the SLCO4A1 gene to chromosome 20, between marker D20S173 and 20qter.