Role of nutrient transporters in lifestyle-related diseases

Abstract

Nutrient transporters play significant roles in physiological hormonal and cellular functions as well as in the maintenance of nutrient metabolism. Lifestyle-related disease can be defined as caused by a disturbance in nutrient metabolism as found in diabetes, dyslipidemia, arteriosclerosis, etc. Therefore, deterioration of nutrient transporters by a genetic mutation or abnormal regulation would cause various lifestyle-related diseases. For instance, dysregulation of muscular glucose transport causes hyperglycemia, and impairment of pancreatic glucose transport can be related to inadequate insulin secretion. These deleterious changes in glucose transport can be a cause of diabetes mellitus. Here, we introduce some examples that indicate the relationship between impairment of nutrient transporters and development of lifestyle-related diseases.

Keywords

• transporter
• nutrient homeostasis
• polymorphism
• lifestyle-related disease