# SLC6A4

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/slc6a4/  
OnCo record `slc6a4` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

SLC6A4 (Sodium-dependent serotonin transporter) is a gene. The public catalogues list it as a drug target, and an approved or late-stage drug is recorded against it.

## Summary

Serotonin transporter that cotransports serotonin with one Na(+) ion in exchange for one K(+) ion and possibly one proton in an overall electroneutral transport cycle. Transports serotonin across the plasma membrane from the extracellular compartment to the cytosol thus limiting serotonin intercellular signalling. Essential for serotonin homeostasis in the central nervous system.

Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.53 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes literature 0.71, animal model 0.28, genetic association 0.00, clinical 0.83).

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: solute carrier family 6 member 4; Sodium-dependent serotonin transporter; 5-HTT; SERT1; OCD1
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: SLC6A4
- Class: other
- Biology: Serotonin transporter that cotransports serotonin with one Na(+) ion in exchange for one K(+) ion and possibly one proton in an overall electroneutral transport cycle. Transports serotonin across the plasma membrane from the extracellular compartment to the cytosol thus limiting serotonin intercellular signalling. Essential for serotonin homeostasis in the central nervous system. In the developing somatosensory cortex, acts in glutamatergic neurons to control serotonin uptake and its trophic functions accounting for proper spatial organisation of cortical neurons and elaboration of sensory circuits. In the mature cortex, acts primarily in brainstem raphe neurons to mediate serotonin uptake from the synaptic cleft back into the pre-synaptic terminal thus terminating serotonin signalling at the synapse. Modulates mucosal serotonin levels in the gastrointestinal tract through uptake and clearance of serotonin in enterocytes. Location: Cell membrane; Endomembrane system; Endosome membrane; Synapse (UniProt). Locus 17q11.2 (HGNC).

## Notes

- Written by scripts/fetch-cancer-genes.ts from CIViC, Open Targets, IntOGen, HGNC and UniProt; the function text is UniProt's, condensed and in UK spelling. Roles: Open Targets known-drug datatype score 0.83. Evidence tier "approved-drug" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:11050: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:11050
- UniProt P31645: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P31645/entry
- NCBI Gene 6532: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/6532
- Ensembl ENSG00000108576: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000108576

## Connected records

- collections: [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/slc6a4.json