🎓Monocarboxylate Transporters in Ketone Body Trafficking

Ketone bodies, such as 3-hydroxy-n-butyrate and acetoacetate, are vital energy sources during fasting, physical activity, or low-carbohydrate intake. Their production and utilization are well understood, but the transport of these molecules remains largely unclear. Certain monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) are believed to be key players in this process. The project investigates how genetic variants affect MCT function, substrate transport, and cellular localization. Experimental approaches include assay development and studies in mammalian cellular systems, Xenopus oocytes and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, structural modeling, and gene editing techniques. A deeper understanding of MCTs may reveal new insights into metabolic regulation and contribute to the understanding of diseases such as certain types of cancer, inherited metabolic disorders, and neurodegenerative conditions.