Natural resistance-associated macrophage protein 1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SLC11A1 gene. This gene is a member of the solute carrier family 11 (proton-coupled divalent metal ion transporters) family and encodes a multi-pass membrane protein. The protein functions as a divalent transition metal (iron and manganese) transporter involved in iron metabolism and host resistance to certain pathogens. Mutations in this gene have been associated with susceptibility to infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and leprosy, and inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn disease. Alternatively spliced variants that encode different protein isoforms have been described but the full-length nature of only one has been determined. [provided by RefSeq]. Publication Note: This RefSeq record includes a subset of the publications that are available for this gene. Please see the Gene record to access additional publications.
Divalent transition metal (iron and manganese) transporter involved in iron metabolism and host resistance to certain pathogens. Macrophage-specific membrane transport function. Controls natural resistance to infection with intracellular parasites. Pathogen resistance involves sequestration of Fe(2+) and Mn(2+), cofactors of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic catalases and superoxide dismutases, not only to protect the macrophage against its own generation of reactive oxygen species, but to deny the cations to the pathogen for synthesis of its protective enzymes.