Solute carrier family 35 member B4 (SLC35B4)

Solute carrier family 35 member B4 (SLC35B4) is a membrane transporter of the solute carrier family, specifically responsible for transporting the nucleotide sugars UDP-xylose and UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) from the cytoplasm into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus[1][2][5]. This transporter is essential for enabling glycosylation reactions catalyzed by glycosyltransferases, impacting the synthesis of glycoproteins, glycolipids, and proteoglycans[1][5]. SLC35B4 has been implicated in the regulation of cell proliferation and survival in cancers such as gastric carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma, where its overexpression correlates with poor prognosis[1][2]. Mechanistically, SLC35B4 promotes oncogenic processes by facilitating O-GlcNAcylation of key proteins (e.g., c-Myc) that stabilize them and drive tumorigenesis[2]. Human diseases associated with mutations or dysfunction of SLC35B4 include congenital disorder of glycosylation type IIC and Schneckenbecken dysplasia[5]. Therapeutically, it represents a plausible target, though no drugs directly targeting it are clinically available. Due to its central role in glycosylation, systemic inhibition poses considerable safety and developmental concerns[1][2][5].

Other names

Nucleotide sugar transporter SLC35B4YEA4PSEC0055FLJ14697UDP-xylose and UDP-N-acetylglucosamine transporterYEA4 homologUDP-Xylose/N-Acetylglucosamine transporter

Drugs targeting SLC35B4 would theoretically inhibit or alter nucleotide sugar transport, affecting glycosylation and potentially destabilizing oncogenic proteins like c-Myc via reduced O-GlcNAcylation