A creatine efflux transporter in oligodendrocytes. (PubMed, FEBS J)
Single-cell RNA sequencing data substantiate the hypothesis that SLC22A15 depends on high intracellular creatine concentrations: high SLC22A15 counts, as in oligodendrocytes and macrophages, correlate with high counts of the creatine synthesis enzymes AGAT and GAMT in both humans and mice, whereas in proximal tubular cells and hepatocytes, AGAT counts are high, but SLC22A15 is absent. Our findings establish SLC22A15 as the pivotal transporter for controlled creatine release from oligodendrocytes, filling a critical gap in understanding creatine metabolism in the brain.