A systems-level analysis of bile acids effects on rat colon epithelial cells

Bile acid diarrhoea is a chronic condition caused by increased delivery of bile acids to the colon. The underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. To investigate genes involved in bile acid diarrhoea, systems-level analyses were employed on a rat bile acid diarrhoea model. Twelve male Wistar Munich rats, housed in metabolic cages, were fed either control or bile acid-mixed (1% w/w) diets for ten days. Food intake, water intake, urine volume, bodyweight and faecal output were monitored daily. After euthanasia, colonic epithelial cells were isolated using calcium-chelation and processed for systems-level analyses, i.e. RNA-sequencing transcriptomics and mass spectrometry proteomics. Bile acid-fed rats suffered diarrhoea, indicated by increased drinking, faeces weight and faecal water content compared with control rats. Urine output was unchanged. With bile acid-feeding, RNA-sequencing revealed 204 increased and 401 decreased mRNAs; mass spectrometry 183 increased and 111 decreased proteins. Among the altered genes were genes associated with electrolyte and water transport (including Slc12a7, Clca4 and Aqp3) and genes associated with bile acid transport (Slc2b1, Abcg2, Slc51a, Slc51b and Fabps). Correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation (Pearson's r=0.28) between changes in mRNA-expression and changes in protein-expression. However, caution must be exercised in making a direct correlation between experimentally determined transcriptomes and proteomes. Genes associated with bile acid transport responded to bile acid-feeding, suggesting that colonic bile acid transport also occur by regulated protein facilitated mechanisms in addition to passive diffusion. In summary, the study provides annotated rat colonic epithelial cell transcriptome and proteome with response to bile acid-feeding.

Mutational Analysis of the GXXXG/A Motifs in the Human Na+/Taurocholate Co-Transporting Polypeptide NTCP on Its Bile Acid Transport Function and Hepatitis B/D Virus Receptor Function

Homodimerization is essential for plasma membrane sorting of the liver bile acid transporter NTCP and its function as Hepatitis B/D Virus (HBV/HDV) receptor. However, the protein domains involved in NTCP dimerization are unknown. NTCP bears two potential GXXXG/A dimerization motifs in its transmembrane domains (TMDs) 2 and 7. The present study aimed to analyze the role of these GXXXG/A motifs for the sorting, function, and dimerization of NTCP. The NTCP mutants G60LXXXA64L (TMD2), G233LXXXG237L (TMD7) and a double mutant were generated and analyzed for their interaction with wild-type NTCP using a membrane-based yeast-two hybrid system (MYTH) and co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP). In the MYTH system, the TMD2 and TMD7 mutants showed significantly lower interaction with the wild-type NTCP. In transfected HEK293 cells, membrane expression and bile acid transport activity were slightly reduced for the TMD2 mutant but were completely abolished for the TMD7 and the TMD2/7 mutants, while co-IP experiments still showed intact protein-protein interactions. Susceptibility for in vitro HBV infection in transfected HepG2 cells was reduced to 50% for the TMD2 mutant, while the TMD7 mutant was not susceptible for HBV infection at all. We conclude that the GXXXG/A motifs in TMD2 and even more pronounced in TMD7 are important for proper folding and sorting of NTCP, and so indirectly affect glycosylation, homodimerization, and bile acid transport of NTCP, as well as its HBV/HDV receptor function.

Selective hepatitis B and D virus entry inhibitors from the group of pentacyclic lupane-type betulin-derived triterpenoids

Current treatment options against hepatitis B and D virus (HBV/HDV) infections have only limited curative effects. Identification of Na+/taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide (NTCP) as the high-affinity hepatic receptor for both viruses in 2012 enables target-based development of HBV/HDV cell-entry inhibitors. Many studies already identified appropriate NTCP inhibitors. However, most of them interfere with NTCP’s physiological function as a hepatic bile acid transporter. To overcome this drawback, the present study aimed to find compounds that specifically block HBV/HDV binding to NTCP without affecting its transporter function. A novel assay was conceptualized to screen for both in parallel; virus binding to NTCP (measured via binding of a preS1-derived peptide of the large HBV/HDV envelope protein) and bile acid transport via NTCP. Hits were subsequently validated by in vitro HDV infection studies using NTCP-HepG2 cells. Derivatives of the birch-derived pentacyclic lupane-type triterpenoid betulin revealed clear NTCP inhibitory potency and selectivity for the virus receptor function of NTCP. Best performing compounds in both aspects were 2, 6, 19, and 25. In conclusion, betulin derivatives show clear structure–activity relationships for potent and selective inhibition of the HBV/HDV virus receptor function of NTCP without tackling its physiological bile acid transport function and therefore are promising drug candidates.