Hypoxia reduces expression and function of system A amino acid transporters in cultured term human trophoblasts

2003 ◽  
Vol 284 (2) ◽  
pp. C310-C315 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Nelson ◽  
S. D. Smith ◽  
T. C. Furesz ◽  
Y. Sadovsky ◽  
V. Ganapathy ◽  
...  

We tested the hypothesis that hypoxia diminishes the expression and transport of neutral amino acids by system A in full-term human trophoblasts. Cytotrophoblasts from normal human placentas were cultured in standard conditions of 20% O2 or in 1% and 3% O2 for 24 h before assay. Neutral amino acid transport for systems A, ASC, and L was assayed at 24 and 72 h by the cluster-tray technique. Hypoxia during the initial 24 h of culture reduced system A transport by 82% in 1% O2 and by 37% in 3% O2 ( P < 0.01) compared with standard conditions. Hypoxia during the latter 24 h of the 72 h in culture reduced system A transport by 55% in 1% O2 and by 20% in 3% O2 ( P < 0.05) compared with standard conditions at 72 h. Hypoxia (1% O2) also reduced total amino acid transport by 40% in the more differentiated syncytiotrophoblasts present at 72 h. Northern analysis of trophoblasts in standard conditions showed that subtypes of human amino acid transporter A (hATA1 and hATA2) were each expressed in cytotrophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblasts. Hypoxia decreased expression of hATA1 and hATA2 in both trophoblast phenotypes. We conclude that hypoxia downregulates system A transporter expression and activity in cultured human trophoblasts.

2004 ◽  
Vol 287 (6) ◽  
pp. R1369-R1379 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. E. Champion ◽  
S. J. Mann ◽  
J. D. Glazier ◽  
C. J. P. Jones ◽  
J. M. Rawlings ◽  
...  

There is no knowledge of the transport mechanisms by which solutes cross the cat placenta or any other endotheliochorial placenta. Here, we investigated whether the amino acid transport systems β and A are present in the cat placenta using a placental fragment uptake technique. Data were compared with studies in the human placenta, in which the presence of these two transport systems has been well established. A time course of [3H]taurine (substrate for system β) and [14C]MeAIB (nonmetabolizable substrate for system A) uptake was determined in the term cat and human placental fragments in the presence and absence (choline substituted) of Na+, and further studies were carried out over 15 min. Taurine uptake into both cat and human placenta fragments was found to be Na+ and Cl− dependent, and Na+-dependent taurine uptake was blocked by excess β-alanine. MeAIB uptake was found to be Na+ dependent, and Na+-dependent MeAIB uptake was blocked by excess MeAIB or glycine. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry performed on cat and human placenta showed expression of TAUT and ATA2 (SNAT2), proteins associated with system β and system A activity, respectively. This study therefore provides the first evidence of the presence of amino acid transport systems β and A in the cat placenta.


2020 ◽  
Vol 128 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Owen. R. Vaughan ◽  
Fredrick Thompson ◽  
Ramón. A. Lorca ◽  
Colleen G. Julian ◽  
Theresa L. Powell ◽  
...  

Women residing at high altitudes deliver infants of lower birth weight than at sea level. Birth weight correlates with placental system A-mediated amino acid transport capacity, and severe environmental hypoxia reduces system A activity in isolated trophoblast and the mouse placenta. However, the effect of high altitude on human placental amino acid transport remains unknown. We hypothesized that microvillous membrane (MVM) system A and system L amino acid transporter activity is lower in placentas of women living at high altitude compared with low-altitude controls. Placentas were collected at term from healthy pregnant women residing at high altitude (HA; >2,500 m; n = 14) or low altitude (LA; <1,700 m; n = 14) following planned, unlabored cesarean section. Birth weight, but not placenta weight, was 13% lower in HA pregnancies (2.88 ± 0.11 kg) compared with LA (3.30 ± 0.07 kg, P < 0.01). MVM erythropoietin receptor abundance, determined by immunoblot, was greater in HA than in LA placentas, consistent with lower placental oxygen levels at HA. However, there was no effect of altitude on MVM system A or L activity, determined by Na+-dependent [14C]methylaminoisobutyric acid uptake and [3H]leucine uptake, respectively. MVM abundance of glucose transporters (GLUTs) 1 and 4 and basal membrane GLUT4 were also similar in LA and HA placentas. Low birth weights in the neonates of women residing at high altitude are not a consequence of reduced placental amino acid transport capacity. These observations are in general agreement with studies of IUGR babies at low altitude, in which MVM system A activity is downregulated only in growth-restricted babies with significant compromise. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Babies born at high altitude are smaller than at sea level. Birth weight is dependent on growth in utero and, in turn, placental nutrient transport. We determined amino acid transport capacity in placentas collected from women resident at low and high altitude. Altitude did not affect system A amino acid transport across the syncytiotrophoblast microvillous membrane, suggesting that impaired placental amino acid transport does not contribute to reduced birth weight in this high-altitude population.


2004 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell Hyde ◽  
Eric Hajduch ◽  
Darren J. Powell ◽  
Peter M. Taylor ◽  
Harinder S. Hundal

2021 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 587-599
Author(s):  
Akane Sato ◽  
Takumi Kimura ◽  
Kana Hondo ◽  
Miyuki Kawano-Kawada ◽  
Takayuki Sekito

ABSTRACT In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Avt4 exports neutral and basic amino acids from vacuoles. Previous studies have suggested that the GATA transcription factors, Gln3 and Gat1, which are key regulators that adapt cells in response to changes in amino acid status, are involved in the AVT4 transcription. Here, we show that mutations in the putative GATA-binding sites of the AVT4 promoter reduced AVT4 expression. Consistently, a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay revealed that Gat1-Myc13 binds to the AVT4 promoter. Previous microarray results were confirmed that gln3∆gat1∆ cells showed a decrease in expression of AVT1 and AVT7, which also encode vacuolar amino acid transporters. Additionally, ChIP analysis revealed that the AVT6 encoding vacuolar acidic amino acid exporter represents a new direct target of the GATA transcription factor. The broad effect of the GATA transcription factors on the expression of AVT transporters suggests that vacuolar amino acid transport is integrated into cellular amino acid homeostasis.


2001 ◽  
Vol 283 (1) ◽  
pp. 174-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberta R. Alfieri ◽  
Pier-Giorgio Petronini ◽  
Mara A. Bonelli ◽  
Alessandro E. Caccamo ◽  
Andrea Cavazzoni ◽  
...  

1995 ◽  
Vol 268 (6) ◽  
pp. C1321-C1331 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Moe

Normal fetal growth and development depend on a continuous supply of amino acids from the mother to the fetus. The placenta is responsible for the transfer of amino acids between the two circulations. The human placenta is hemomonochorial, meaning that the maternal and fetal circulations are separated by a single layer of polarized epithelium called the syncytiotrophoblast, which is in direct contact with maternal blood. Transport proteins located in the microvillous and basal membranes of the syncytiotrophoblast are the principal mechanism for transfer from maternal blood to fetal blood. Knowledge of the function and regulation of syncytiotrophoblast amino acid transporters is of great importance in understanding the mechanism of placental transport and potentially improving fetal and newborn outcomes. The development of methods for the isolation of microvillous and basal membrane vesicles from human placenta over the past two decades has contributed greatly to this understanding. Now a primary cultured trophoblast model is available to study amino acid transport and regulation as the cells differentiate. The types of amino acid transporters and their distribution between the syncytiotrophoblast microvillous and basal membranes are somewhat unique compared with other polarized epithelia. These differences may reflect the unusual circumstance of this epithelium that is exposed to blood on both sides. The current state of knowledge as to the types of transport systems present in syncytiotrophoblast, their regulation, and the effects of maternal consumption of drugs on transport are discussed.


2002 ◽  
Vol 364 (3) ◽  
pp. 767-775 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine WOLF ◽  
Annette JANZEN ◽  
Nicole VÉKONY ◽  
Ursula MARTINÉ ◽  
Dennis STRAND ◽  
...  

Member 4 of human solute carrier family 7 (SLC7A4) exhibits significant sequence homology with the SLC7 subfamily of human cationic amino acid transporters (hCATs) [Sperandeo, Borsani, Incerti, Zollo, Rossi, Zuffardi, Castaldo, Taglialatela, Andria and Sebastio (1998) Genomics 49, 230–236]. It is therefore often referred to as hCAT-4 even though no convincing transport activity has been shown for this protein. We expressed SLC7A4 in Xenopus laevis oocytes, but could not detect any transport activity for cationic, neutral or anionic amino acids or for the polyamine putrescine. In addition, human glioblastoma cells stably overexpressing a fusion protein between SLC7A4 and the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) did not exhibit an increased transport activity for l-arginine. The lack of transport activity was not due to a lack of SLC7A4 protein expression in the plasma membrane, as in both cell types SLC7A4-EGFP exhibited a similar subcellular localization and level of protein expression as functional hCAT-EGFP proteins. The expression of SLC7A4 can be induced in NT2 teratocarcinoma cells by treatment with retinoic acid. However, also for this endogenously expressed SLC7A4, we could not detect any transport activity for l-arginine. Our data demonstrate that the expression of SLC7A4 in the plasma membrane is not sufficient to induce an amino acid transport activity in X. laevis oocytes or human cells. Therefore, SLC7A4 is either not an amino acid transporter or it needs additional (protein) factor(s) to be functional.


1988 ◽  
Vol 255 (3) ◽  
pp. 963-969 ◽  
Author(s):  
A R Quesada ◽  
J D McGivan

A rapid method for the functional reconstruction of amino acid transport from liver plasma-membrane vesicles using the neutral detergent decanoyl-N-glucamide (‘MEGA-10’) is described. The method is a modification of that previously employed in this laboratory for reconstitution of amino acid transport systems from kidney brush-border membranes [Lynch & McGivan (1987) Biochem. J. 244, 503-508]. The transport activities termed ‘System A’, ‘System N’, and ‘System L’ are all reconstituted. The reconstitution procedure is rapid and efficient and is suitable as an assay for transport activity in studies involving membrane fractionation. By using this reconstitution procedure, System A transport activity was partially purified by lectin-affinity chromatography.


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