Solute carrier membrane transporters: emerging targets in CNS disorders

Prominent members of the solute carrier (SLC) superfamily of membrane transporters are established targets of central nervous system (CNS) drugs, including the blockbuster neurotransmitter reuptake inhibitors. Numerous other SLC transporters exhibit dysregulated expression in the CNS relative to other tissues, many of which have been genetically or functionally linked to neurological disorders and may therefore represent tractable therapeutic targets. As key regulators of metabolite and ion fluxes, SLCs shape developmental programmes and cellular states associated with epilepsy, neurodegeneration and autism spectrum disorders. Recent advances in assigning biochemical and cellular functions to previously uncharacterized SLCs, together with emerging chemical strategies to increase or decrease transporter abundance, are expanding the therapeutic landscape and positioning SLC biology at the forefront of next-generation CNS drug discovery.