[Recent progress and prospects for research on urate efflux transporter ABCG2].

ABCG2 is a high-capacity urate exporter. Two frequent variants, Q126X and Q141K are a nonfunctional and half-functional variant, respectively. The estimated ABCG2 dysfunction based on the combination of Q126X and Q141K haplotype raises gout/hyperuricemia risk. ABCG2 dysfunction accounts for about 80% of gouty patients. Severe ABCG2 dysfunction particularly increased the risk of early-onset gout. Hyperuricemia has been clinically classified into urate 'overproduction type' and/or 'underexcretion type' based solely on renal urate excretion, without considering an extra-renal pathway. A major cause of'overproduction' hyperuricemia is not true overproduction of urate but rather'extra-renal urate underexcretion' by common ABCG2 dysfunction. As ABCG2 dysfunction is a main cause of gout, ABCG2 research will provide a new approach for prevention and treatment of gout.