Ileal sodium/bile acid cotransporter

Ileal sodium/bile acid cotransporter, also known as apical sodium–bile acid transporter (ASBT) and ileal bile acid transporter (IBAT), is a bile acid:sodium symporter protein that in humans is encoded by the SLC10A2 gene.

ASBT/IBAT is most highly expressed in the ileum, where it is found on the brush border membrane of enterocytes. It is responsible for the initial uptake of bile acids, particularly conjugated bile acids, from the intestine as part of their enterohepatic circulation.

As a drug target
Several medications to inhibit IBAT are under development. They include elobixibat, under development for the treatment of constipation and irritable bowel syndrome, and volixibat, under development for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.