scholarly journals Synthetic Glucocorticoid Reduces Human Placental System A Transport in Women Treated With Antenatal Therapy

2014 ◽  
Vol 99 (11) ◽  
pp. E2226-E2233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie C. Audette ◽  
John R. G. Challis ◽  
Rebecca L. Jones ◽  
Colin P. Sibley ◽  
Stephen G. Matthews
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Mrna Expression ◽  
Fetal Growth ◽  
Preterm Labor ◽  
Developmental Programming ◽  
Amino Acid Transporter ◽  
Acid Uptake ◽  
System A ◽  
Acid Transporter

Context: Synthetic glucocorticoids (sGCs) are routinely given to women with threatened preterm labor and have been linked to fetal growth restriction and developmental programming. Reductions in fetal growth are likely to be mediated by placental dysfunction, including altered nutrient transport. sGCs modify the system A neutral amino acid transporter in vitro, but there are no in vivo comparable data in human placenta. Objective: Because ∼30% of women who receive sGCs carry to term, our objective was to examine the short- and longer-term consequences of antenatal sGCs on placental system A transport. Methods and Patients: Placental tissue was collected from women treated with sGCs between 24 hours and 14 days before delivery (24h-14d), 14 days after treatment but before term (14d-term), or at term, compared with healthy term (control) deliveries to measure system A-mediated activity (Na+-dependent [14C]methylaminoisobutyric acid uptake per gram placenta) and mRNA expression. Results: After sGC treatment, system A activity was significantly reduced at term compared with both sGC placentas delivered 24h-14d and compared with controls. Placentae from women treated with sGCs who delivered between 14d-term also had significantly reduced system A activity compared with 24h-14d placentas. SLC38A1 and SLC38A2 mRNA expression was unaffected. However, SLC38A4 was significantly reduced by sGCs at term compared with placentas delivered between 14d-term. Conclusion: We conclude that women who are at risk of preterm labor and receive sGCs but deliver at term have significantly reduced placental system A amino acid transporter activity. Altered placental transporter function could affect fetal growth and may contribute to developmental programming reported in both animal and clinical studies.

Regulation of placental amino acid transporter activity by mammalian target of rapamycin

2009 ◽  
Vol 296 (1) ◽  
pp. C142-C150 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Roos ◽  
Y. Kanai ◽  
P. D. Prasad ◽  
T. L. Powell ◽  
T. Jansson
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Protein Expression ◽  
Mrna Expression ◽  
Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
Amino Acid Transporter ◽  
Amino Acid Transporters ◽  
Mtor Inhibition ◽  
System A ◽  
System L ◽  
Acid Transporter

The activity of placental amino acid transporters is decreased in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), but the underlying regulatory mechanisms have not been established. Inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway has been shown to decrease the activity of the system L amino acid transporter in human placental villous fragments, and placental mTOR activity is decreased in IUGR. In the present study, we used cultured primary trophoblast cells to study mTOR regulation of placental amino acid transporters in more detail and to test the hypothesis that mTOR alters amino acid transport activity by changes in transporter expression. Inhibition of mTOR by rapamycin significantly reduced the activity of system A (−17%), system L (−28%), and taurine (−40%) amino acid transporters. mRNA expression of isoforms of the three amino acid transporter systems in response to mTOR inhibition was measured using quantitative real-time PCR. mRNA expression of l-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1; a system L isoform) and taurine transporter was reduced by 13% and 50%, respectively; however, mTOR inhibition did not alter the mRNA expression of system A isoforms (sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporter-1, -2, and -4), LAT2, or 4F2hc. Rapamycin treatment did not significantly affect the protein expression of any of the transporter isoforms. We conclude that mTOR signaling regulates the activity of key placental amino acid transporters and that this effect is not due to a decrease in total protein expression. These data suggest that mTOR regulates placental amino acid transporters by posttranslational modifications or by affecting transporter translocation to the plasma membrane.

Physiological importance of system A-mediated amino acid transport to rat fetal development

2002 ◽  
Vol 282 (1) ◽  
pp. C153-C160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart Cramer ◽  
Mark Beveridge ◽  
Michael Kilberg ◽  
Donald Novak
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Fetal Growth ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
Amino Acid Transporter ◽  
Fetal Weight ◽  
Control Group ◽  
System A ◽  
Acid Transporter ◽  
The Impact

Fetal growth and development are dependent on the delivery of amino acids from maternal amino acid pools to the fetal blood. This is accomplished via transfer across the apical and basal plasma membrane of the placental syncytiotrophoblast. The aim of this study was to determine whether inhibition of system A (amino acid transporter) was associated with a decrease in fetal weight in the rat. System A is a ubiquitous Na+-dependent amino acid transporter that actively transports small zwitterionic amino acids. In brief, system A was inhibited by infusing a nonmetabolizable synthetic amino acid analog, 2-(methylamino)isobutyric acid from days 7–20 of gestation. On day 20, the rats were killed and tissues (maternal liver, fetuses, and placentas) were collected for analysis. The degree of system A inhibition was determined, as was the impact of said inhibition on fetal and maternal weights, system A-mediated placental transport, and placental system A-mediated transporter expression. Our results suggest that when system A is inhibited, fetal weight is diminished [control group: −3.55 ± 0.04 g ( n = 113), experimental group: −3.29 ± 0.04 g ( n = 128)], implying an integral role for system A transport in fetal growth and development in the rat.

scholarly journals Leptin Stimulates the Activity of the System A Amino Acid Transporter in Human Placental Villous Fragments

2003 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 1205-1211 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Jansson ◽  
S. L. Greenwood ◽  
B. R. Johansson ◽  
T. L. Powell ◽  
T. Jansson
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Hormonal Regulation ◽  
Experimental System ◽  
Amino Acid Uptake ◽  
Amino Acid Transporter ◽  
Acid Uptake ◽  
Hormone Production ◽  
System A ◽  
Acid Transporter

The activity and expression of placental nutrient transporters are primary determinants for the supply of nutrients to the fetus, and these nutrients in turn regulate fetal growth. We developed an experimental system to assess amino acid uptake in single primary villous fragments to study hormonal regulation of the amino acid transporter system A in term human placenta. Validation of the method, using electron microscopy and studies of hormone production, indicated that fragments maintained ultrastructural and functional integrity for at least 3 h. The activity of system A was measured as the Na+-dependent uptake of methylaminoisobutyric acid (MeAIB), and the effect of 1 h incubation in various hormones was investigated. Uptake of MeAIB into villous fragments in the presence of Na+ was linear up to at least 30 min. Insulin (300 ng/ml, n = 14) increased system A activity by 56% (P < 0.05). This effect was also present at insulin concentrations in the physiological range (+47% at 0.6 ng/ml, n = 10, P < 0.05). Leptin (500 ng/ml, n = 14) increased Na+-dependent MeAIB uptake by 37% (P < 0.05). System A activity increased in a concentration-dependent fashion in response to leptin (n = 10). However, neither epidermal GF (600 ng/ml), cortisol (340 ng/ml), nor GH (500 ng/ml) altered system A activity significantly (n = 14). We conclude that primary single isolated villous fragments can be used in studies of hormonal regulation of nutrient uptake into the syncytiotrophoblast. These data suggest that leptin regulates system A, a key amino acid transporter.

scholarly journals Identification and Characterization of Inhibitors of a Neutral Amino Acid Transporter, SLC6A19, Using Two Functional Cell-Based Assays

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjay J. Danthi ◽  
Beirong Liang ◽  
Oanh Smicker ◽  
Benjamin Coupland ◽  
Jill Gregory ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
Amino Acid Transporter ◽  
Neutral Amino Acid ◽  
Imaging Plate ◽  
Acid Uptake ◽  
Functional Assays ◽  
Neutral Amino Acid Transporter ◽  
Acid Transporter ◽  
Pharmacologically Active

SLC6A19 (B0AT1) is a neutral amino acid transporter, the loss of function of which results in Hartnup disease. SLC6A19 is also believed to have an important role in amino acid homeostasis, diabetes, and weight control. A small-molecule inhibitor of human SLC6A19 (hSLC6A19) was identified using two functional cell-based assays: a fluorescence imaging plate reader (FLIPR) membrane potential (FMP) assay and a stable isotope-labeled neutral amino acid uptake assay. A diverse collection of 3440 pharmacologically active compounds from the Microsource Spectrum and Tocriscreen collections were tested at 10 µM in both assays using MDCK cells stably expressing hSLC6A19 and its obligatory subunit, TMEM27. Compounds that inhibited SLC6A19 activity in both assays were further confirmed for activity and selectivity and characterized for potency in functional assays against hSLC6A19 and related transporters. A single compound, cinromide, was found to robustly, selectively, and reproducibly inhibit SLC6A19 in all functional assays. Structurally related analogs of cinromide were tested to demonstrate structure–activity relationship (SAR). The assays described here are suitable for carrying out high-throughput screening campaigns to identify modulators of SLC6A19.

scholarly journals Downregulation of Placental Amino Acid Transporter Expression and mTORC1 Signaling Activity Contributes to Fetal Growth Retardation in Diabetic Rats

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 1849
Author(s):  
Jie Xu ◽  
Jiao Wang ◽  
Yang Cao ◽  
Xiaotong Jia ◽  
Yujia Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Rat Model ◽  
Amino Acid Transporter ◽  
Amino Acid Transporters ◽  
Amino Acid Transport System ◽  
Intrauterine Growth ◽  
System L ◽  
Acid Transporter ◽  
Transporter Expression

Alterations in placental transport may contribute to abnormal fetal intrauterine growth in pregnancies complicated by diabetes, but it is not clear whether the placental amino acid transport system is altered in diabetic pregnancies. We therefore studied the changes in the expressions of placental amino acid transporters in a rat model of diabetes induced by streptozotocin, and tested the effects of hyperglycemia on trophoblast amino acid transporter in vitro. Our results showed that the expressions for key isoforms of system L amino acid transporters were significantly reduced in the placentas of streptozotocin-induced diabetic pregnant rats, which was associated with the decreased birthweight in the rats. A decreased placental efficiency and decreased placental mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) complex 1 (mTORC1) activity were also found in the rat model. In addition, hyperglycemia in vitro could inhibit amino acid transporter expression and mTORC1 activity in human trophoblast. Inhibition of mTORC1 activity led to reduced amino acid transporter expression in placental trophoblast. We concluded that reduced placental mTORC1 activity during pregnancy resulted in decreased placental amino acid transporter expression and, subsequently, contributed to fetal intrauterine growth restriction in pregnancies complicated with diabetes.

scholarly journals Characterization of the amino acid response element within the human sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporter 2 (SNAT2) System A transporter gene

2006 ◽  
Vol 395 (3) ◽  
pp. 517-527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stela S. Palii ◽  
Michelle M. Thiaville ◽  
Yuan-Xiang Pan ◽  
Can Zhong ◽  
Michael S. Kilberg
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Amino Acid Transporter ◽  
Neutral Amino Acid ◽  
System A ◽  
Neutral Amino Acid Transporter ◽  
Acid Transporter ◽  
Amino Acid Response

The neutral amino acid transport activity, System A, is enhanced by amino acid limitation of mammalian cells. Of the three gene products that encode System A activity, the one that exhibits this regulation is SNAT2 (sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporter 2). Fibroblasts that are deficient in the amino acid response pathway exhibited little or no induction of SNAT2 mRNA. Synthesis of SNAT2 mRNA increased within 1–2 h after amino acid removal from HepG2 human hepatoma cells. The amino acid responsive SNAT2 genomic element that mediates the regulation has been localized to the first intron. Increased binding of selected members of the ATF (activating transcription factor) and C/EBP (CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein) families to the intronic enhancer was established both in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, there was no significant association of these factors with the SNAT2 promoter. Expression of exogenous individual ATF and C/EBP proteins documented that specific family members are associated with either activation or repression of SNAT2 transcription. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis established in vivo that amino acid deprivation led to increased RNA polymerase II recruitment to the SNAT2 promoter.

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