SLC23A2

The protein encoded by SLC23A2 is solute carrier family 23 member 2, commonly known as sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter 2 (SVCT2). It mediates active, Na+-dependent transport of ascorbic acid across cell membranes, critical for maintaining intracellular vitamin C levels in tissues like the brain, placenta, and retina—tissues that cannot synthesize vitamin C de novo.
Dysregulation of SVCT2 links to neurodegenerative disorders (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease) via impaired brain vitamin C uptake, and its altered expression in tumors affects proliferation and oxidative stress responses. Drug development includes SVCT2 agonists for neuroprotection and targeted modulators to exploit tumor cells’ high vitamin C demand for therapeutic cell death induction.