Structural characterization of human urea transporters UT-A and UT-B and their inhibition

Sci Adv. 2023 Sep 29;9(39):eadg8229. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adg8229. Epub 2023 Sep 29.

Abstract

In this study, we present the structures of human urea transporters UT-A and UT-B to characterize them at molecular level and to detail the mechanism of UT-B inhibition by its selective inhibitor, UTBinh-14. High-resolution structures of both transporters establish the structural basis for the inhibitor's selectivity to UT-B, and the identification of multiple binding sites for the inhibitor will aid with the development of drug lead molecules targeting both transporters. Our study also discovers phospholipids associating with the urea transporters by combining structural observations, native MS, and lipidomics analysis. These insights improve our understanding of urea transporter function at a molecular level and provide a blueprint for a structure-guided design of therapeutics targeting these transporters.

MeSH terms

  • Binding Sites
  • Humans
  • Membrane Transport Proteins* / metabolism
  • Urea Transporters
  • Urea* / metabolism
  • Urea* / pharmacology

Substances

  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Urea