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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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SLC6A15
solute carrier family 6 member 15
Chromosome 12 · 12q21.31
NCBI Gene: 55117Ensembl: ENSG00000072041.18HGNC: HGNC:13621UniProt: A0A7P0T8I1
74PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Transporter
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
neutral L-amino acid:sodium symporter activitybranched-chain amino acid:sodium symporter activitymembraneprotein bindingchronic hepatitishair colorlymphatic system diseasevein disorder
✦AI Summary

SLC6A15 (solute carrier family 6 member 15) is a sodium-dependent neutral amino acid transporter that mediates saturable, pH-sensitive cotransport of branched-chain amino acids (leucine, valine, isoleucine) and other neutral amino acids including methionine, alanine, phenylalanine, and proline 1. Unlike other neurotransmitter transporters, SLC6A15 operates independently of chloride ions. The transporter functions across multiple organ systems including the central nervous system, kidneys, and intestines, where it facilitates amino acid absorption and supplies neurotransmitter precursors to neurons 1. In the blood-brain barrier, SLC6A15 (designated B0AT2) cooperates with LAT1 and other transporters to mediate L-leucine uptake 2. Disease relevance encompasses psychiatric and metabolic conditions. Altered SLC6A15 expression associates with depression and stress-related disorders 1, with genetic polymorphisms affecting resting-state brain function in major depressive disorder patients, particularly in the corpus callosum and cingulum 3. SLC6A15 acts as a tumor suppressor in papillary thyroid cancer, where downregulation correlates with metastatic potential 4. The transporter also regulates melanogenesis through phenylalanine transport, with UVB exposure upregulating SLC6A15 to enhance pigmentation 5. Additionally, SLC6A15 gene variants associate with insulin resistance in metabolic syndrome 6, and reduced expression occurs in lymphedema-associated adipose tissue 7. Therapeutically, SLC6A15 inhibition shows promise for psychiatric disorder treatment 1.

Sources cited
1
SLC6A15 functions as a sodium-dependent neutral amino acid transporter mediating transport of branched-chain amino acids and neurotransmitter precursors; altered expression associates with depression/stress-related disorders; inhibition shows therapeutic promise in psychiatric disorders
PMID: 37940347
2
SLC6A15 gene polymorphism rs1545843 affects resting-state brain function in major depressive disorder patients, with associations in corpus callosum, cingulum, and frontal/parietal/temporal lobes
PMID: 28915082
3
SLC6A15 acts as a tumor suppressor in papillary thyroid cancer, with downregulation related to metastatic potential and ectopic overexpression impairing cell migration and invasion
PMID: 33690923
4
SLC6A15 mediates phenylalanine transport to promote melanogenesis; UVB exposure upregulates SLC6A15 and SLC6A15 silencing abrogates UVB-induced pigmentation
PMID: 41352278
5
SLC6A15 gene variants associate with insulin resistance in metabolic syndrome and branched-chain amino acid metabolism
PMID: 30913280
6
SLC6A15 mRNA is downregulated in lymphedema-induced adipose tissue with reduced branched-chain amino acid valine levels
PMID: 39394863
7
SLC6A15 (B0AT2) functions as a sodium-dependent amino acid transporter at the blood-brain barrier cooperating with LAT1 and other transporters for L-leucine uptake
PMID: 34427144
Disease Associationsⓘ20
chronic hepatitisOpen Targets
0.33Weak
hair colorOpen Targets
0.32Weak
lymphatic system diseaseOpen Targets
0.23Weak
vein disorderOpen Targets
0.23Weak
neurodegenerative diseaseOpen Targets
0.22Weak
restless legs syndromeOpen Targets
0.16Weak
frozen shoulderOpen Targets
0.16Weak
atopic eczemaOpen Targets
0.15Weak
atopic marchOpen Targets
0.15Weak
childhood onset asthmaOpen Targets
0.15Weak
ovarian dysfunctionOpen Targets
0.13Weak
ovarian neoplasmOpen Targets
0.13Weak
Liver abscessOpen Targets
0.13Weak
placental retentionOpen Targets
0.11Weak
smoking initiationOpen Targets
0.10Weak
open-angle glaucomaOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
major depressive disorderOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
insomniaOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
Abnormal mastoid morphologyOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
middle ear disorderOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
SLC6A12Shared pathway44%SLC38A4Shared pathway44%SLC6A19Shared pathway40%SLC43A2Shared pathway40%SLC6A16Shared pathway38%SLC43A1Shared pathway38%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Brain
100%
Ovary
2%
Lung
0%
Bone Marrow
0%
Liver
0%
Heart
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
SLC6A15SLC6A12SLC38A4SLC6A19SLC43A2SLC6A16SLC43A1
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt Q8IXG2
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
0.60Moderately Constrained
pLIⓘ
0.16Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.42 [0.30–0.60]
RankingsWhere SLC6A15 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #6,431of 20,598
    Most Researched74
  • #4,067of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)0.60 · top quartile
Genes detectedSLC6A15
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
The SLC6A15-SLC6A20 Neutral Amino Acid Transporter Subfamily: Functions, Diseases, and Their Therapeutic Relevance.
PMID: 37940347
Pharmacol Rev · 2023
1.00
2
SLC6A15 acts as a tumor suppressor to inhibit migration and invasion in human papillary thyroid cancer.
PMID: 33690923
J Cell Biochem · 2021
0.90
3
A Combined Study of SLC6A15 Gene Polymorphism and the Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in First-Episode Drug-Naive Major Depressive Disorder.
PMID: 28915082
Genet Test Mol Biomarkers · 2017
0.80
4
Genomic landscape of TCRαβ and TCRγδ T-large granular lymphocyte leukemia.
PMID: 35015834
Blood · 2022
0.70
5
UVB enhances SLC6A15-mediated phenylalanine transport to promote melanogenesis.
PMID: 41352278
J Photochem Photobiol B · 2026
0.60