Ucp2 (rat, P56500) - manual literature synthesis

No deep-research provider API was available; this synthesis was compiled manually from the
cached publications in publications/, the UniProt record (Ucp2-uniprot.txt) and the
existing human UCP2 review (genes/human/UCP2).

Identity and family

• Rat uncoupling protein 2 (Ucp2, SLC25A8), 309 aa, UniProt P56500. Member of the mitochondrial
  carrier family, six transmembrane helices in three Mito_carr repeats (Pfam PF00153; PANTHER
  PTHR45618) [file:rat/Ucp2/Ucp2-uniprot.txt "Belongs to the mitochondrial carrier (TC 2.A.29) family."].
• Location: inner mitochondrial membrane [file:rat/Ucp2/Ucp2-uniprot.txt "Mitochondrion inner membrane"].

Molecular function

• Biochemistry established with the human orthologue: reconstituted UCP2 is a C4-metabolite/phosphate
  antiporter PMID:24395786, which
  limits glucose oxidation and favours glutaminolysis PMID:24395786.
• Proton conductance: in rat kidney mitochondria superoxide activated a nucleotide-sensitive proton
  conductance attributed to UCP2 PMID:12372827; this model was later disputed (UniProt CAUTION).
  In rat INS-1E cells UCP2 contributes to proton leak PMID:21172424.

Rat-specific cell biology (INS-1E beta cells)

• UCP2 is of low abundance; levels hundreds-fold below UCP1 in BAT PMID:18692019.
• Translational control by glutamine PMID:18692019
  and induction by high glucose PMID:18692019.
• Rapid turnover PMID:18692019.
• Insulin secretion: UCP2 knockdown improves GSIS, an effect abolished by antioxidant
  PMID:21172424.

Physiology and expression studies in rat

• Hypothalamus: antisense knockdown worsens TNF-alpha-induced damage PMID:18703058.
• Expression changes (IEP-level evidence only): adipocytes, glucose/fatty acids/insulin/T3 PMID:18079609;
  heart, hypoxia PMID:17704287; regenerating liver PMID:19104935; placenta, dexamethasone PMID:20393169;
  hippocampus/PC12, lead PMID:33576715.
• Cold adaptation (mouse): UCP2 favours fatty-acid use in BAT PMID:28130074.