The sodium/glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) is a protein

Protein

Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...

 that in humans is encoded by the SLC5A2 (solute carrier family 5 (sodium/glucose cotransporter)) gene

Gene

A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...

.

Function

SGLT2 is a member of the sodium glucose cotransporter family

Sodium-glucose transport proteins

Sodium-dependent glucose cotransporters are a family of glucose transporter found in the intestinal mucosa of the small intestine and the proximal tubule of the nephron . They contribute to renal glucose reabsorption...

 which are sodium-dependent glucose

Glucose

Glucose is a simple sugar and an important carbohydrate in biology. Cells use it as the primary source of energy and a metabolic intermediate...

 transport proteins. SGLT2 is the major cotransporter involved in glucose reabsorption in the kidney.

SGLT2 inhibitors for diabetes

dapagliflozin

Dapagliflozin

Dapagliflozin is an experimental drug being studied by Bristol-Myers Squibb in partnership with AstraZeneca as a potential treatment for type 1 and 2 diabetes...

, Canagliflozin

Canagliflozin

Canagliflozin is an experimental drug being developed by Johnson & Johnson for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. It is an inhibitor of subtype 2 sodium-glucose transport protein , which is responsible for at least 90% of the glucose reabsorption in the kidney. Blocking this transporter causes...

, ASP-1941, and six other SGLT2 inhibitors are in clinical trials for diabetes.