近日，意昂2平台基礎醫學院楊寶學教授和美國Emory大學醫學院Jeff Sands教授共同主編的《Urea Transporters》一書由Springer出版社正式出版發行🫅🏽。該書是尿素通道蛋白（Urea Transporters）研究領域的第一本專著🤾🏻，Springer出版社特邀該研究領域的國際知名學者參與撰寫，系統介紹了最近20年中尿素通道蛋白的發現歷程、表達調控👳🏼‍♂️、生理功能🫵🏿、與疾病的關系和藥理學研究進展。由美國國家健康研究所（NIH）腎臟領域資深專家Mark Knepper博士為該書作序。

　　尿素通道蛋白（UT）是一組特異性通透尿素的膜通道蛋白。目前已成功克隆了7個尿素通道蛋白成員，分別屬於UT-A和UT-B兩個亞家族。UT-A1~6由同一基因（Slc14a2）經不同啟動子調控和轉錄後剪切產生。UT-B由Slc14a1基因編碼產生。UT-A1~4在腎臟的不同部位表達👨🏻‍🎨，介導腎內尿素循環特定部位的尿素通透性🙋🏿‍♀️，在腎內尿素循環過程中起重要作用，參與尿濃縮機製。UT-B廣泛表達於腎臟、紅細胞、腦、心臟、血管、脾臟、膀胱、輸尿管、睾丸等多個組織器官🎅🏿。UT-B基因敲除小鼠表現出輕度抑郁樣行為及雄性生殖系統早熟。流行病學調查發現UT-B基因突變與膀胱癌的易感性相關🪮。

　　利用UT基因敲除小鼠模型進行的腎臟生理學研究結果表明，選擇性敲除UT-A1/UT-A3👊🏼、UT-A2或UT-B可阻斷腎內尿素循環通路，降低尿濃縮能力👨‍👩‍👦‍👦，在不影響Na⁺🤾‍♂️、K⁺、Cl^-排泄率的情況下，產生“尿素選擇性利尿”作用，提示尿素通道蛋白可作為新的利尿藥作用靶點，其抑製劑可研發成為新型利尿藥。尿素通道抑製劑利尿作用的優點是不影響體液電解質平衡，適合高血壓、心衰和水腫等慢性病患者長期使用⚽️🙍‍♂️。以尿素通道蛋白為靶點的藥物發現近年來正逐步成為該領域的研發熱點，新的作用機製和新的化合物亦都在不斷發展之中👳🏽‍♀️。

　　延伸閱讀🪬：

　　施普林格（Springer）出版社是全球最大的學術與科技圖書出版社👩‍👧‍👧，全球三大學術期刊出版社之一。從1971年起出版的《Subcellular Biochemistry》系列叢書，始終專註於介紹和推廣細胞生物學及其相關領域的最新研究進展👮🏻‍♂️🧏🏿‍♀️。所有章節均收錄於MEDLINE/Pubmed🚑。《Urea Transporters》為該系列的第73卷。全書共分14章，其內容包括尿素通道的發現與分子克隆、尿素通道蛋白基因結構、尿素通道蛋白晶體構象🧚🏼、尿素通道蛋白的組織分布、尿素通道蛋白表達調控、尿素通道蛋白轉運尿素的數學模型🚃、尿素通道的生理功能🦧、尿素通道蛋白與疾病的關系🍰、尿素通道抑製劑的利尿作用👨🏽‍🌾、主動運轉尿素通道，以及參與尿素轉運的水通道蛋白。

　　出版社對該書的介紹原文

　　·About this book

　　·Covers research advances in the study of urea transporter over the past 20 years

　　·Provides a systematic and comprehensive insight into urea transporters

　　·Introduces clinical and pharmaceutical aspects of urea and urea transporters, linking the bench work to the bedside

　　·Written by experts in this field

　　The mechanisms and physiological functions of urea transport across biological membranes are subjects of long-standing interest. Recent advances in the molecular biology and physiology of urea transport have yielded new insights into how and why urea moves across cell membranes. In the last two decades, seven facilitated urea transporters (UT-A1-6 and UT-B) have been cloned, and their gene organization, protein crystal structure, expression localization and physiological functions in the tissues have been described. In recent years, the studies in urea transporter knockout mouse models suggest that urea transporters may be useful targets for drug discovery of selective inhibitors. The modulation of urea transport activity by pharmacological agents may provide novel treatments for hypertension, congestive heart failure and other fluid-retaining states. However, although urea represents about 40% of all urinary solutes in normal human urine, the handling of this solute in the tissues has been largely neglected in the past, and few clinical or experimental studies now report data about urea. Most recent physiological textbooks include chapters on water and electrolyte physiology but not a single chapter on urea. Our aim in writing this book is to stimulate further research in new directions by providing novel and provocative insights into further mechanisms and the physiological significance of urea metabolism and transport in mammals.

　　The book provides a state-of-the-art report on the latest findings on urea transport and where the field is going. Although some older work is cited, the main focus is on advances made over the past 20 years with regard to the biophysics, genetics, protein structure, molecular biology, physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacology of urea transport in mammalian cell membranes. These aspects are especially valid, as advances in our understanding of urea transporting mechanisms and physiology promise to yield new insights into biology and medicine.

　　Keywords   Membrane channel - Transporter protein - Urea - Urea transporter - Urine concentration

　　Related subjects    Cell Biology- Human Genetics- Human Physiology- Pharmacology & Toxicology

（藥理學系）

編輯：玉潔