Characterization of a rat Na+-dicarboxylate cotransporter

Cryo-EM structures of the human NaS1 and NaDC1 transporters revealed the elevator transport and allosteric regulation mechanism

The solute carrier 13 (SLC13) family comprises electrogenic sodium ion-coupled anion cotransporters, segregating into sodium ion-sulfate cotransporters (NaSs) and sodium ion-di- and-tricarboxylate cotransporters (NaDCs). NaS1 and NaDC1 regulate sulfate homeostasis and oxidative metabolism, respectively. NaS1 deficiency affects murine growth and fertility, while NaDC1 affects urinary citrate and calcium nephrolithiasis. Despite their importance, the mechanisms of substrate recognition and transport remain insufficiently characterized. In this study, we determined the cryo-electron microscopy structures of human NaS1, capturing inward-facing and combined inward-facing/outward-facing conformations within a dimer both in apo and sulfate-bound states. In addition, we elucidated NaDC1's outward-facing conformation, encompassing apo, citrate-bound, and N-(p-amylcinnamoyl) anthranilic acid (ACA) inhibitor-bound states. Structural scrutiny illuminates a detailed elevator mechanism driving conformational changes. Notably, the ACA inhibitor unexpectedly binds primarily anchored by transmembrane 2 (TM2), Loop 10, TM11, and TM6a proximate to the cytosolic membrane. Our findings provide crucial insights into SLC13 transport mechanisms, paving the way for future drug design.

Breaking the Cycle of Recurrent Calcium Stone Disease

Calcium stones are common and recurrent in nature, yet few therapeutic tools are available for secondary prevention. Personalized approaches for stone prevention have been informed by 24-hour urine testing to guide dietary and medical interventions. However, current evidence is conflicting about whether an approach guided by 24-hour urine testing is more effective than a generic one. The available medications for stone prevention, namely thiazide diuretics, alkali, and allopurinol, are not always prescribed consistently, dosed correctly, or tolerated well by patients. New treatments on the horizon hold the promise of preventing calcium oxalate stones by degrading oxalate in the gut, reprogramming the gut microbiome to reduce oxalate absorption, or knocking down expression of enzymes involved in hepatic oxalate production. New treatments are also needed to target Randall's plaque, the root cause of calcium stone formation.

Thermostability-based binding assays reveal complex interplay of cation, substrate and lipid binding in the bacterial DASS transporter, VcINDY

The divalent anion sodium symporter (DASS) family of transporters (SLC13 family in humans) are key regulators of metabolic homeostasis, disruption of which results in protection from diabetes and obesity, and inhibition of liver cancer cell proliferation. Thus, DASS transporter inhibitors are attractive targets in the treatment of chronic, age-related metabolic diseases. The characterisation of several DASS transporters has revealed variation in the substrate selectivity and flexibility in the coupling ion used to power transport. Here, using the model DASS co-transporter, VcINDY from Vibrio cholerae, we have examined the interplay of the three major interactions that occur during transport: the coupling ion, the substrate, and the lipid environment. Using a series of high-throughput thermostability-based interaction assays, we have shown that substrate binding is Na⁺-dependent; a requirement that is orchestrated through a combination of electrostatic attraction and Na⁺-induced priming of the binding site architecture. We have identified novel DASS ligands and revealed that ligand binding is dominated by the requirement of two carboxylate groups in the ligand that are precisely distanced to satisfy carboxylate interaction regions of the substrate-binding site. We have also identified a complex relationship between substrate and lipid interactions, which suggests a dynamic, regulatory role for lipids in VcINDY's transport cycle.

SLC26A6 and NADC‑1: Future direction of nephrolithiasis and calculus‑related hypertension research (Review)

Nephrolithiasis is the most common type of urinary system disease in developed countries, with high morbidity and recurrence rates. Nephrolithiasis is a serious health problem, which eventually leads to the loss of renal function and is closely related to hypertension. Modern medicine has adopted minimally invasive surgery for the management of kidney stones, but this does not resolve the root of the problem. Thus, nephrolithiasis remains a major public health issue, the causes of which remain largely unknown. Researchers have attempted to determine the causes and therapeutic targets of kidney stones and calculus‑related hypertension. Solute carrier family 26 member 6 (SLC26A6), a member of the well‑conserved solute carrier family 26, is highly expressed in the kidney and intestines, and it primarily mediates the transport of various anions, including OXa^2‑, HCO₃^‑, Cl^‑ and SO₄^2‑, amongst others. Na⁺‑dependent dicarboxylate‑1 (NADC‑1) is the Na⁺‑carboxylate co‑transporter of the SLC13 gene family, which primarily mediates the co‑transport of Na⁺ and tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates, such as citrate and succinate, amongst others. Studies have shown that Ca²⁺ oxalate kidney stones are the most prevalent type of kidney stones. Hyperoxaluria and hypocitraturia notably increase the risk of forming Ca²⁺ oxalate kidney stones, and the increase in succinate in the juxtaglomerular device can stimulate renin secretion and lead to hypertension. Whilst it is known that it is important to maintain the dynamic equilibrium of oxalate and citrate in the kidney, the synergistic molecular mechanisms underlying the transport of oxalate and citrate across kidney epithelial cells have undergone limited investigations. The present review examines the results from early reports studying oxalate transport and citrate transport in the kidney, describing the synergistic molecular mechanisms of SLC26A6 and NADC‑1 in the process of nephrolithiasis formation. A growing body of research has shown that nephrolithiasis is intricately associated with hypertension. Additionally, the recent investigations into the mediation of succinate via regulation of the synergistic molecular mechanism between the SLC26A6 and NADC‑1 transporters is summarized, revealing their functional role and their close association with the inositol triphosphate receptor‑binding protein to regulate blood pressure.

Solute Carrier Transporters as Potential Targets for the Treatment of Metabolic Disease

The solute carrier (SLC) superfamily comprises more than 400 transport proteins mediating the influx and efflux of substances such as ions, nucleotides, and sugars across biological membranes. Over 80 SLC transporters have been linked to human diseases, including obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). This observation highlights the importance of SLCs for human (patho)physiology. Yet, only a small number of SLC proteins are validated drug targets. The most recent drug class approved for the treatment of T2D targets sodium-glucose cotransporter 2, product of the SLC5A2 gene. There is great interest in identifying other SLC transporters as potential targets for the treatment of metabolic diseases. Finding better treatments will prove essential in future years, given the enormous personal and socioeconomic burden posed by more than 500 million patients with T2D by 2040 worldwide. In this review, we summarize the evidence for SLC transporters as target structures in metabolic disease. To this end, we identified SLC13A5/sodium-coupled citrate transporter, and recent proof-of-concept studies confirm its therapeutic potential in T2D and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Further SLC transporters were linked in multiple genome-wide association studies to T2D or related metabolic disorders. In addition to presenting better-characterized potential therapeutic targets, we discuss the likely unnoticed link between other SLC transporters and metabolic disease. Recognition of their potential may promote research on these proteins for future medical management of human metabolic diseases such as obesity, fatty liver disease, and T2D. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Given the fact that the prevalence of human metabolic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes has dramatically risen, pharmacological intervention will be a key future approach to managing their burden and reducing mortality. In this review, we present the evidence for solute carrier (SLC) genes associated with human metabolic diseases and discuss the potential of SLC transporters as therapeutic target structures.

Molecular features and physiological roles of K+-Cl- cotransporter 4 (KCC4)

A K⁺-Cl^- cotransport system was documented for the first time during the mid-seventies in sheep and goat red blood cells. It was then described as a Na⁺-independent and ouabain-insensitive ion carrier that could be stimulated by cell swelling and N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), a thiol-reacting agent. Twenty years later, this system was found to be dispensed by four different isoforms in animal cells. The first one was identified in the expressed sequence tag (EST) database by Gillen et al. based on the assumption that it would be homologous to the Na⁺-dependent K⁺-Cl^- cotransport system for which the molecular identity had already been uncovered. Not long after, the three other isoforms were once again identified in the EST databank. Among those, KCC4 has generated much interest a few years ago when it was shown to sustain distal renal acidification and hearing development in mouse. As will be seen in this review, many additional roles were ascribed to this isoform, in keeping with its wide distribution in animal species. However, some of them have still not been confirmed through animal models of gene inactivation or overexpression. Along the same line, considerable knowledge has been acquired on the mechanisms by which KCC4 is regulated and the environmental cues to which it is sensitive. Yet, it is inferred to some extent from historical views and extrapolations.

A general method for determining secondary active transporter substrate stoichiometry

The number of ions required to drive substrate transport through a secondary active transporter determines the protein’s ability to create a substrate gradient, a feature essential to its physiological function, and places fundamental constraints on the transporter’s mechanism. Stoichiometry is known for a wide array of mammalian transporters, but, due to a lack of readily available tools, not for most of the prokaryotic transporters for which high-resolution structures are available. Here, we describe a general method for using radiolabeled substrate flux assays to determine coupling stoichiometries of electrogenic secondary active transporters reconstituted in proteoliposomes by measuring transporter equilibrium potentials. We demonstrate the utility of this method by determining the coupling stoichiometry of VcINDY, a bacterial Na⁺-coupled succinate transporter, and further validate it by confirming the coupling stoichiometry of vSGLT, a bacterial sugar transporter. This robust thermodynamic method should be especially useful in probing the mechanisms of transporters with available structures.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.21016.001

SLC13A5 is a novel transcriptional target of the pregnane X receptor and sensitizes drug-induced steatosis in human liver

The solute carrier family 13 member 5 (SLC13A5) is a sodium-coupled transporter that mediates cellular uptake of citrate, which plays important roles in the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol. Recently, the pregnane X receptor (PXR, NR1I2), initially characterized as a xenobiotic sensor, has been functionally linked to the regulation of various physiologic processes that are associated with lipid metabolism and energy homeostasis. Here, we show that the SLC13A5 gene is a novel transcriptional target of PXR, and altered expression of SLC13A5 affects lipid accumulation in human liver cells. The prototypical PXR activator rifampicin markedly induced the mRNA and protein expression of SLC13A5 in human primary hepatocytes. Utilizing cell-based luciferase reporter assays, electrophoretic mobility shift assays, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, we identified and functionally characterized two enhancer modules located upstream of the SLC13A5 gene transcription start site that are associated with regulation of PXR-mediated SLC13A5 induction. Functional analysis further revealed that rifampicin can enhance lipid accumulation in human primary hepatocytes, and knockdown of SLC13A5 expression alone leads to a significant decrease of the lipid content in HepG2 cells. Overall, our results uncover SLC13A5 as a novel target gene of PXR and may contribute to drug-induced steatosis and metabolic disorders in humans.

Functional characterization of a Na+-dependent dicarboxylate transporter from Vibrio cholerae

VcINDY, a bacterial homolog of transporters implicated in lifespan in fruit flies and insulin resistance in mammals, is a high affinity, electrogenic, Na⁺-dependent dicarboxylate transporter.

The SLC13 transporter family, whose members play key physiological roles in the regulation of fatty acid synthesis, adiposity, insulin resistance, and other processes, catalyzes the transport of Krebs cycle intermediates and sulfate across the plasma membrane of mammalian cells. SLC13 transporters are part of the divalent anion:Na⁺ symporter (DASS) family that includes several well-characterized bacterial members. Despite sharing significant sequence similarity, the functional characteristics of DASS family members differ with regard to their substrate and coupling ion dependence. The publication of a high resolution structure of dimer VcINDY, a bacterial DASS family member, provides crucial structural insight into this transporter family. However, marrying this structural insight to the current functional understanding of this family also demands a comprehensive analysis of the transporter’s functional properties. To this end, we purified VcINDY, reconstituted it into liposomes, and determined its basic functional characteristics. Our data demonstrate that VcINDY is a high affinity, Na⁺-dependent transporter with a preference for C₄- and C₅-dicarboxylates. Transport of the model substrate, succinate, is highly pH dependent, consistent with VcINDY strongly preferring the substrate’s dianionic form. VcINDY transport is electrogenic with succinate coupled to the transport of three or more Na⁺ ions. In contrast to succinate, citrate, bound in the VcINDY crystal structure (in an inward-facing conformation), seems to interact only weakly with the transporter in vitro. These transport properties together provide a functional framework for future experimental and computational examinations of the VcINDY transport mechanism.

Localization of the calcium-regulated citrate transport process in proximal tubule cells

Urinary citrate is an important inhibitor of calcium-stone formation. Most of the citrate reabsorption in the proximal tubule is thought to occur via a dicarboxylate transporter NaDC1 located in the apical membrane. OK cells, an established opossum kidney proximal tubule cell line, transport citrate but the characteristics change with extracellular calcium such that low calcium solutions stimulate total citrate transport as well as increase the apparent affinity for transport. The present studies address several fundamental properties of this novel process: the polarity of the transport process, the location of the calcium-sensitivity and whether NaDC1 is present in OK cells. OK cells grown on permeable supports exhibited apical >basolateral citrate transport. Apical transport of both citrate and succinate was sensitive to extracellular calcium whereas basolateral transport was not. Apical calcium, rather than basolateral, was the predominant determinant of changes in transport. Also 2,3-dimethylsuccinate, previously identified as an inhibitor of basolateral dicarboxylate transport, inhibited apical citrate uptake. Although the calcium-sensitive transport process in OK cells is functionally not typical NaDC1, NaDC1 is present in OK cells by Western blot and PCR. By immunolocalization studies, NaDC1 was predominantly located in discrete apical membrane or subapical areas. However, by biotinylation, apical NaDC1 decreases in the apical membrane with lowering calcium. In sum, OK cells express a calcium-sensitive/regulated dicarboxylate process at the apical membrane which responds to variations in apical calcium. Despite the functional differences of this process compared to NaDC1, NaDC1 is present in these cells, but predominantly in subapical vesicles.

Sodium-coupled dicarboxylate and citrate transporters from the SLC13 family

The SLC13 family in humans and other mammals consists of sodium-coupled transporters for anionic substrates: three transporters for dicarboxylates/citrate and two transporters for sulfate. This review will focus on the di- and tricarboxylate transporters: NaDC1 (SLC13A2), NaDC3 (SLC13A3), and NaCT (SLC13A5). The substrates of these transporters are metabolic intermediates of the citric acid cycle, including citrate, succinate, and α-ketoglutarate, which can exert signaling effects through specific receptors or can affect metabolic enzymes directly. The SLC13 transporters are important for regulating plasma, urinary and tissue levels of these metabolites. NaDC1, primarily found on the apical membranes of renal proximal tubule and small intestinal cells, is involved in regulating urinary levels of citrate and plays a role in kidney stone development. NaDC3 has a wider tissue distribution and high substrate affinity compared with NaDC1. NaDC3 participates in drug and xenobiotic excretion through interactions with organic anion transporters. NaCT is primarily a citrate transporter located in the liver and brain, and its activity may regulate metabolic processes. The recent crystal structure of the Vibrio cholerae homolog, VcINDY, provides a new framework for understanding the mechanism of transport in this family. This review summarizes current knowledge of the structure, function, and regulation of the di- and tricarboxylate transporters of the SLC13 family.

Sodium-sulfate/carboxylate cotransporters (SLC13)

The SLC13 gene family is comprised of five sequence related proteins that are found in animals, plants, yeast and bacteria. Proteins encoded by the SLC13 genes are divided into the following two groups of transporters with distinct anion specificities: the Na(+)-sulfate (NaS) cotransporters and the Na(+)-carboxylate (NaC) cotransporters. Members of this gene family (in ascending order) are: SLC13A1 (NaS1), SLC13A2 (NaC1), SLC13A3 (NaC3), SLC13A4 (NaS2) and SLC13A5 (NaC2). SLC13 proteins encode plasma membrane polypeptides with 8-13 putative transmembrane domains, and are expressed in a variety of tissues. They are all Na(+)-coupled symporters with strong cation preference for Na(+), and insensitive to the stilbene 4, 4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2, 2'-disulphonic acid (DIDS). Their Na(+):anion coupling ratio is 3:1, indicative of electrogenic properties. They have a substrate preference for divalent anions, which include tetra-oxyanions for the NaS cotransporters or Krebs cycle intermediates (including mono-, di- and tricarboxylates) for the NaC cotransporters. This review will describe the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the biochemical, physiological and structural properties of the SLC13 gene family.

Demography and biochemistry of 2800 patients from a renal stones clinic

BACKGROUND

Because the causes of stones are uncertain, interventions to prevent recurrence have an insecure foundation. Progress depends on careful evaluation of stone formers.

METHODS

A descriptive retrospective database study of 1983 men and 816 women from the Southampton stones clinic from 1990 to March 2007. Anonymized data from the first attendance were analysed using non-parametric statistical tests.

RESULTS

Sex ratio (2.43:1), age (median 49 y, 2.5th-97.5th percentiles, 23-77 y men, 20-79 y women), recurrent stone formers (30%) and type of stone were similar to other centres. Women more often had a positive family history (24% versus 19% men), previous urinary infection (31% versus 5%) and structural urinary tract abnormality (14% versus 7%); more men had gout (5% versus 1%) and bladder outlet obstruction (3% versus <1%). Calcium, oxalate and uric acid excretion were increased in 43%, 17% and 22% respectively of men and 31%, 7% and 10% of women. Urinary calcium, oxalate and uric acid correlated significantly, r ranging from 0.149 to 0.311 for 24 h excretion and 0.510 to 0.695 for concentrations per litre. Twenty-two percent of men and 8% of women with normal parathyroid hormone had phosphaturia (excretion of phosphate corrected for glomerular filtration rate (TmPO4/GFR) < 0.70 mmol/L); 6% men and 1.6% women also had low plasma phosphate. Many variables correlated significantly but often weakly with age. Creatinine clearance, pH and (men) TmPO4/GFR decreased from 50 y, urine creatinine, calcium and citrate from 60 y.

CONCLUSIONS

Risk factors for stones differ between men and women, change with ageing and in some may have a genetic basis. The role of phosphaturia merits further exploration.

Glucose is a pH-dependent motor for sperm beat frequency during early activation

To reach the egg in the ampulla, sperm have to travel along the female genital tract, thereby being dependent on external energy sources and substances to maintain and raise the flagellar beat. The vaginal fluid is rich in lactate, whereas in the uterine fluid glucose is the predominant substrate. This evokes changes in the lactate content of sperm as well as in the intracellular pH (pH(i)) since sperm possess lactate/proton co-transporters. It is well documented that glycolysis yields ATP and that HCO(3)- is a potent factor in the increase of beat frequency. We here show for the first time a pathway that connects both parts. We demonstrate a doubling of beat frequency in the mere presence of glucose. This effect can reversibly be blocked by 2-deoxy-D-glucose, dichloroacetate and aminooxyacetate, strongly suggesting that it requires both glycolysis and mitochondrial oxidation of glycolytic end products. We show that the glucose-mediated acceleration of flagellar beat and ATP production are hastened by a pH(i) ≥7.1, whereas a pH(i) ≤7.1 leaves both parameters unchanged. Since we observed a diminished rise in beat frequency in the presence of specific inhibitors against carbonic anhydrases, soluble adenylyl cyclase and protein kinase, we suggest that the glucose-mediated effect is linked to CO(2) hydration and thus the production of HCO(3)- by intracellular CA isoforms. In summary, we propose that, in sperm, glycolysis is an additional pH(i)-dependent way to produce HCO(3)-, thus enhancing sperm beat frequency and contributing to fertility.

PITX2 is involved in stress response in cultured human trabecular meshwork cells through regulation of SLC13A3

PURPOSE

Mutations of the PITX2 gene cause Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS) and glaucoma. In this study, the authors investigated genes directly regulated by the PITX2 transcription factor to gain insight into the mechanisms underlying these disorders.

METHODS

RNA from nonpigmented ciliary epithelium cells transfected with hormone-inducible PITX2 and activated by mifepristone was subjected to microarray analyses. Data were analyzed using dCHIP algorithms to detect significant differences in expression. Genes with significantly altered expression in multiple microarray experiments in the presence of activated PITX2 were subjected to in silico and biochemical analyses to validate them as direct regulatory targets. One target gene was further characterized by studying the effect of its knockdown in a cell model of oxidative stress, and its expression in zebrafish embryos was analyzed by in situ hybridization.

RESULTS

Solute carrier family 13 sodium-dependent dicarboxylate transporter member 3 (SLC13A3) was identified as 1 of 47 potential PITX2 target genes in ocular cells. PITX2 directly regulates SLC13A3 expression, as demonstrated by luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Reduction of PITX2 or SLC13A3 levels by small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown augmented the death of transformed human trabecular meshwork cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide. Zebrafish slc13a3 is expressed in anterior ocular regions in a pattern similar to that of pitx2.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that SLC13A3 is a direct downstream target of PITX2 transcriptional regulation and that levels of PITX2 and SLC13A3 modulate responses to oxidative stress in ocular cells.

Calcium sensitivity of dicarboxylate transport in cultured proximal tubule cells

Urinary citrate is an important inhibitor of calcium nephrolithiasis and is primarily determined by proximal tubule reabsorption. The major transporter to reabsorb citrate is Na(+)-dicarboxylate cotransporter (NaDC1), which transports dicarboxylates, including the divalent form of citrate. We previously found that opossum kidney (OK) proximal tubule cells variably express either divalent or trivalent citrate transport, depending on extracellular calcium. The present studies were performed to delineate the mechanism of the effect of calcium on citrate and succinate transport in these cells. Transport was measured using isotope uptake assays. In some studies, NaDC1 transport was studied in Xenopus oocytes, expressing either the rabbit or opossum ortholog. In the OK cell culture model, lowering extracellular calcium increased both citrate and succinate transport by more than twofold; the effect was specific in that glucose transport was not altered. Citrate and succinate were found to reciprocally inhibit transport at low extracellular calcium (<60 μM), but not at normal calcium (1.2 mM); this mutual inhibition is consistent with dicarboxylate transport. The inhibition varied progressively at intermediate levels of extracellular calcium. In addition to changing the relative magnitude and interaction of citrate and succinate transport, decreasing calcium also increased the affinity of the transport process for various other dicarboxylates. Also, the affinity for succinate, at low concentrations of substrate, was increased by calcium removal. In contrast, in oocytes expressing NaDC1, calcium did not have a similar effect on transport, indicating that NaDC1 could not likely account for the findings in OK cells. In summary, extracellular calcium regulates constitutive citrate and succinate transport in OK proximal tubule cells, probably via a novel transport process that is not NaDC1. The calcium effect on citrate transport parallels in vivo studies that demonstrate the regulation of urinary citrate excretion with urinary calcium excretion, a process that may be important in decreasing urinary calcium stone formation.

Pyruvate: immunonutritional effects on neutrophil intracellular amino or alpha-keto acid profiles and reactive oxygen species production

For the first time the immunonutritional role of pyruvate on neutrophils (PMN), free α-keto and amino acid profiles, important reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced [superoxide anion (O(2) (-)), hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))] as well as released myeloperoxidase (MPO) acitivity has been investigated. Exogenous pyruvate significantly increased PMN pyruvate, α-ketoglutarate, asparagine, glutamine, aspartate, glutamate, arginine, citrulline, alanine, glycine and serine in a dose as well as duration of exposure dependent manner. Moreover, increases in O(2) (-) formation, H(2)O(2)-generation and MPO acitivity in parallel with intracellular pyruvate changes have also been detected. Regarding the interesting findings presented here we believe, that pyruvate fulfils considerably the criteria for a potent immunonutritional molecule in the regulation of the PMN dynamic α-keto and amino acid pools. Moreover it also plays an important role in parallel modulation of the granulocyte-dependent innate immune regulation. Although further research is necessary to clarify pyruvate's sole therapeutical role in critically ill patients' immunonutrition, the first scientific successes seem to be very promising.

Luminal Na(+)/H (+) exchange in the proximal tubule

The proximal tubule is critical for whole-organism volume and acid-base homeostasis by reabsorbing filtered water, NaCl, bicarbonate, and citrate, as well as by excreting acid in the form of hydrogen and ammonium ions and producing new bicarbonate in the process. Filtered organic solutes such as amino acids, oligopeptides, and proteins are also retrieved by the proximal tubule. Luminal membrane Na(+)/H(+) exchangers either directly mediate or indirectly contribute to each of these processes. Na(+)/H(+) exchangers are a family of secondary active transporters with diverse tissue and subcellular distributions. Two isoforms, NHE3 and NHE8, are expressed at the luminal membrane of the proximal tubule. NHE3 is the prevalent isoform in adults, is the most extensively studied, and is tightly regulated by a large number of agonists and physiological conditions acting via partially defined molecular mechanisms. Comparatively little is known about NHE8, which is highly expressed at the lumen of the neonatal proximal tubule and is mostly intracellular in adults. This article discusses the physiology of proximal Na(+)/H(+) exchange, the multiple mechanisms of NHE3 regulation, and the reciprocal relationship between NHE3 and NHE8 at the lumen of the proximal tubule.

Use of genetic immunization to generate a high-level antibody against rat dicarboxylate transporter

BACKGROUND

Rat dicarboxylate transporter (SDCT1), expressed in renal tubular epithelial cells, plays a key role in regulating blood and urinary citrate level by reabsorbing citrate from the lumen. Antibodies against this transporter are very important for investigating its expression and function. With the cytokine gene as a molecular adjuvant, genetic immunization-based antibody production offers several advantages compared with current methods. This study aimed, by genetic immunization, to produce a high-specificity antibody against SDCT1.

METHODS

We fused a high-antigenicity fragment of SDCT1 to the plasmid pBQAP-TT containing T-cell epitopes and flanking regions from tetanus toxin. Mice were immunized by gene-gun immunization with recombinant plasmid and two other adjuvant plasmids that express granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor and FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand, respectively. The titer of the antibody was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Specificity of the antibody was identified with SDCT1 native protein in rat kidney by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry, and with SDCT1 protein expressed on Xenopus oocytes plasma membranes by immunofluorescence.

RESULTS

ELISA measurements showed that the antibody titer was 1:32,000. The native protein of SDCT1 in rat kidney can be recognized by this antibody with Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. Immunofluorescence showed that this antibody also recognized SDCT1 protein targeted to Xenopus oocytes plasma membranes into which SDCT1 full-length cRNA was injected.

CONCLUSION

Generation of a high-specificity immunoglobulin G antibody against SDCT1 by genetic immunization has provided an important tool for the study of citrate transport.

Site-directed mutagenesis investigation of coupling properties of metal ion transport by DCT1

DCT1 (NRAMP2, DMT1, slc11a2) is a member of the NRAMP family and functions as general metal ion transporter in mammals; defective DCT1 causes anemia. The driving force for metal ion transport is protonmotive force, where protons are transported in the same direction as metal ions. The stoichiometry between metal ion and proton varies under different conditions due to mechanistic proton slip. To better understand this phenomenon, we performed site-directed mutagenesis of DCT1 and analyzed the mutants by measurement of metal ion uptake activity and electrophysiology in Xenopus laevis oocytes. A single reciprocal mutation, I144F, between DCT1 and the homologous yeast transporter Smf1p located in putative transmembrane domain 2 abolished the metal ion transport activity of DCT1, significantly increased the slip currents, and generated sodium slip currents. A double mutation adding F227I in transmembrane domain 4 to I144F in transmembrane domain 2 restored the uptake activity of DCT1 and reduced the slip currents. These results demonstrate the importance of these regions in coupling of metal ions and protons as well as the possible proximity of I144 and F227 in the folded structure of DCT1.

Membrane topology structure of human high-affinity, sodium-dependent dicarboxylate transporter

High-affinity, sodium-dependent dicarboxylate transporter (NaDC3) is responsible for transport of Krebs cycle intermediates and may involve in regulation of aging and life span. Hydropathy analysis predicts that NaDC3 contains 11 or 12 hydrophobic transmembrane (TM) domains. However, the actual membrane topological structure of NaDC3 remains unknown. In this study, confocal immunofluorescence microscopy and membrane biotinylation of epitope-tagged N and C termini of NaDC3 provide evidence of an extracellular C terminus and an intracellular N terminus, indicating an odd number of transmembrane regions. The position of hydrophilic loops within NaDC3 was identified with antibodies against the loops domains combined with cysteine accessibility methods. A confocal image of membrane localization and transport activity assay of the cysteine insertion mutants show behavior similar to that of wild-type NaDC3 in transfected HEK293 cells, suggesting that these mutants retain a native protein configuration. We find that NaDC3 contains 11 transmembrane helices. The loops 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 face the extracellular side, and loops 2, 4, 6, and 10 face the cytoplasmic side. A re-entrant loop-like structure between TM8 and TM9 may protrude into the membrane. Our results support the topography of 11 transmembrane domains with an extracellular C terminus and an intracellular N terminus of NaDC3, and for the first time provide experimental evidence for a novel topological model for NaDC3.

Generation and characterization of sodium-dicarboxylate cotransporter-deficient mice

The sodium-dependent dicarboxylate cotransporter (NaDC1) has a proposed function of reabsorbing various Krebs cycle intermediates in the kidney and the small intestine. Since Krebs cycle intermediates have been suggested to be important for renal cell survival and recovery after hypoxia and reoxygenation, the transporter may play a role in the recovery of the kidney. Additionally, mutations in the transporter homolog in Drosophila led to fly longevity which was thought to be similar to that induced by caloric restriction (CR). To clarify the role of the sodium dicarboxylate cotransporter in vivo we generated cotransporter-deficient mice. These knockout mice excreted significantly higher amounts of various Krebs cycle intermediates in their urine; thus confirming the proposed function to reabsorb these metabolic intermediates in the kidney. No other phenotypic change was identified in these mice, however. Transporter deficiency did not affect renal function under normal physiological conditions, nor did it have an effect on renal damage and recovery from ischemic injury. Additionally, the absence of the transporter did not lead to metabolic or physiological changes associated with CR. Our results suggest that although the sodium dicarboxylate cotransporter is involved in regulating levels of various Krebs cycle intermediates in the kidney, impaired uptake of these intermediates does not significantly affect renal function under normal or ischemic stress.

Modulation of succinate transport in Hep G2 cell line by PKC

The cellular uptake of the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) intermediates is very important for cellular metabolism. However, the transport pathways for these intermediates in liver cells are not well characterized. We have examined the transport of succinate and citrate in the human hepatoma cell line Hep G2 and found that it exhibited a higher rate of succinate compared to citrate transport, which was sodium dependent. Comparison of the transport properties of Hep G2 to that of human retinal pigment epithelial (HRPE) cells transfected with human sodium dicarboxylate transporters, hNaDC-1, hNaDC-3, and hNaCT indicated that Hep G2 cells express a combination of hNaDC-3 and hNaCT. Short period activation of protein kinase C (PKC) by phorbol 12-myristate, 13-acetate (PMA) and alpha-adrenergic receptor agonist, phenylephrine (PE), downregulated sodium-dependent succinate transport presumably via hNaDC-3. The inhibition by PMA was partially prevented by cytochalasin D, suggesting that PKC reduces the hNaDC-3 activity, at least in part, by increased endocytosis. In contrast, activation of PKA by both forskolin and epidermal growth factor (EGF) had no effect on succinate transport. Our results suggest that Hep G2 cells provide a useful model for studies of di- and tricarboxylate regulation of human liver.

Conformational dynamics of hSGLT1 during Na+/glucose cotransport

This study examines the conformations of the Na⁺/glucose cotransporter (SGLT1) during sugar transport using charge and fluorescence measurements on the human SGLT1 mutant G507C expressed in Xenopus oocytes. The mutant exhibited similar steady-state and presteady-state kinetics as wild-type SGLT1, and labeling of Cys507 by tetramethylrhodamine-6-maleimide had no effect on kinetics. Our strategy was to record changes in charge and fluorescence in response to rapid jumps in membrane potential in the presence and absence of sugar or the competitive inhibitor phlorizin. In Na⁺ buffer, step jumps in membrane voltage elicited presteady-state currents (charge movements) that decay to the steady state with time constants τ_med (3–20 ms, medium) and τ_slow (15–70 ms, slow). Concurrently, SGLT1 rhodamine fluorescence intensity increased with depolarizing and decreased with hyperpolarizing voltages (ΔF). The charge vs. voltage (Q-V) and fluorescence vs. voltage (ΔF-V) relations (for medium and slow components) obeyed Boltzmann relations with similar parameters: zδ (apparent valence of voltage sensor) ≈ 1; and V_0.5 (midpoint voltage) between −15 and −40 mV. Sugar induced an inward current (Na⁺/glucose cotransport), and reduced maximal charge (Q_max) and fluorescence (ΔF_max) with half-maximal concentrations (K_0.5) of 1 mM. Increasing [αMDG]_o also shifted the V_0.5 for Q and ΔF to more positive values, with K_0.5's ≈ 1 mM. The major difference between Q and ΔF was that at saturating [αMDG]_o, the presteady-state current (and Q_max) was totally abolished, whereas ΔF_max was only reduced 50%. Phlorizin reduced both Q_max and ΔF_max (K_i ≈ 0.4 μM), with no changes in V_0.5's or relaxation time constants. Simulations using an eight-state kinetic model indicate that external sugar increases the occupancy probability of inward-facing conformations at the expense of outward-facing conformations. The simulations predict, and we have observed experimentally, that presteady-state currents are blocked by saturating sugar, but not the changes in fluorescence. Thus we have isolated an electroneutral conformational change that has not been previously described. This rate-limiting step at maximal inward Na⁺/sugar cotransport (saturating voltage and external Na⁺ and sugar concentrations) is the slow release of Na⁺ from the internal surface of SGLT1. The high affinity blocker phlorizin locks the cotransporter in an inactive conformation.

Functional roles of cationic amino acid residues in the sodium-dicarboxylate cotransporter 3 (NaDC-3) from winter flounder

In the present study, we determined the functional role of 15 positively charged amino acid residues at or within 1 of the predicted 11 transmembrane helixes of the flounder renal sodium-dicarboxylate cotransporter fNaDC-3. Using site-directed mutagenesis, histidine (H), lysine (K), and arginine (R) residues of fNaDC-3 were replaced by alanine (A), isoleucine (I), or leucine (L). Most mutants showed sodium-dependent, lithium-inhibitable [14C]succinate uptake and, in two-electrode voltage-clamp (TEVC) experiments, Km and Δ Imax values comparable to wild-type (WT) fNaDC-3. The replacement of R109 and R110 by alanine and isoleucine (RR109/110AI) prevented the expression of fNaDC-3 at the plasma membrane. When the lysines at positions 232 and 235 were replaced by isoleucine (KK232/235II), the transporter was expressed but showed small transport rates and succinate-induced currents. K114I, located within transmembrane helix 4, showed [14C]succinate uptake similar to WT but relatively small inward currents. When K114 was replaced by arginine, glutamic acid (E), or glutamine (Q), all mutants were expressed at the cell surface. In [14C]succinate uptake and TEVC experiments performed simultaneously on the same oocytes, uptake was similar to or higher than WT, whereas succinate-induced currents were either comparable (K114R) to, or considerably smaller (K114E, K114I, K114Q) than, those evoked by WT. These results suggest that a positively charged residue at position 114 is required for electrogenic sodium-dicarboxylate cotransport.

Ala-504 is a determinant of substrate binding affinity in the mouse Na(+)/dicarboxylate cotransporter

The Na(+)/dicarboxylate cotransporters from mouse (mNaDC1) and rabbit (rbNaDC1) differ in their ability to handle adipate, a six-carbon terminal dicarboxylic acid. The mNaDC1 and rbNaDC1 amino acid sequences are 75% identical. The rbNaDC1 does not transport adipate and only succinate produced inward currents under two-electrode voltage clamp. In contrast, oocytes expressing mNaDC1 had adipate-dependent inward currents that were about 60% of those induced by succinate. In order to identify domains involved in adipate transport, we examined the functional properties of a series of chimeric transporters made between mouse and rabbit NaDC1. We find that multiple transmembrane helices (TM), particularly TM 8, 9, and 10, are involved in adipate transport. In TM 10 there is only one amino acid difference between the two proteins, corresponding to Ala-504 in mouse and Ser-512 in rabbit NaDC1. The mNaDC1-A504S mutant had decreased adipate-dependent currents relative to succinate-dependent currents and an increase in the K(0.5) for both succinate and glutarate. We conclude that multiple amino acids from TM 8, 9 and 10 contribute to the transport of adipate in NaDC1. Furthermore, Ala-504 in TM 10 is an important determinant of K(0.5) for both adipate and succinate.

Functional and molecular identification of sodium-coupled dicarboxylate transporters in rat primary cultured cerebrocortical astrocytes and neurons

Na+-coupled carboxylate transporters (NaCs) mediate the uptake of tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates in mammalian tissues. Of these transporters, NaC3 (formerly known as Na+-coupled dicarboxylate transporter 3, NaDC3/SDCT2) and NaC2 (formerly known as Na+-coupled citrate transporter, NaCT) have been shown to be expressed in brain. There is, however, little information available on the precise distribution and function of both transporters in the CNS. In the present study, we investigated the functional characteristics of Na+-dependent succinate and citrate transport in primary cultures of astrocytes and neurons from rat cerebral cortex. Uptake of succinate was Na+ dependent, Li+ sensitive and saturable with a Michaelis constant (Kt) value of 28.4 microM in rat astrocytes. Na+ activation kinetics revealed that the Na+ to succinate stoichiometry was 3:1 and the concentration of Na+ necessary for half-maximal transport was 53 mM. Although uptake of citrate in astrocytes was also Na+ dependent and saturable, its Kt value was significantly higher (approximately 1.2 mM) than that of succinate. Unlabeled succinate (2 mM) inhibited Na+-dependent [14C]succinate (18 microM) and [14C]citrate (4.5 microM) transport completely, whereas unlabeled citrate inhibited Na+-dependent [14C]succinate uptake more weakly. Interestingly, N-acetyl-L-aspartate, which is the second most abundant amino acid in the nervous system, also completely inhibited Na+-dependent succinate transport in rat astrocytes. The inhibition constant (Ki) for the inhibition of [14C]succinate uptake by unlabeled succinate, N-acetyl-L-aspartate and citrate was 15.9, 155 and 764 microM respectively. In primary cultures of neurons, uptake of citrate was also Na+ dependent and saturable with a Kt value of 16.2 microM, which was different from that observed in astrocytes, suggesting that different Na+-dependent citrate transport systems are expressed in neurons and astrocytes. RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry revealed that NaC3 and NaC2 are expressed in cerebrocortical astrocytes and neurons respectively. These results are in good agreement with our previous reports on the brain distribution pattern of NaC2 and NaC3 mRNA using in situ hybridization. This is the first report of the differential expression of different NaCs in astrocytes and neurons. These transporters might play important roles in the trafficking of tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates and related metabolites between glia and neurons.

Functional characterization of Na+-coupled citrate transporter NaC2/NaCT expressed in primary cultures of neurons from mouse cerebral cortex

Neurons are known to express a high-affinity Na+ -coupled dicarboxylate transporter(s) for uptake of tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates, such as alpha-ketoglutarate and malate, which are precursors for neurotransmitters including glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid. There is, however, little information available on the molecular identity of the transporters responsible for this uptake process in neurons. In the present study, we investigated the characteristics of Na+ -dependent citrate transport in primary cultures of neurons from mouse cerebral cortex and established the molecular identity of this transport system as the Na+ -coupled citrate transporter (NaC2/NaCT). Reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR and immunocytochemical analyses revealed that only NaC2/NaCT was expressed in mouse cerebrocortical neurons but not in astrocytes. Uptake of citrate in neurons was Na+ -dependent, Li+ -sensitive, and saturable with the Kt value of 12.3 microM. This Kt value was comparable with that in the case of Na+ -dependent succinate transport (Kt = 9.2 microM). Na+ -activation kinetics revealed that the Na+ -to-citrate stoichiometry was 3.4:1 and concentration of Na+ necessary for half-maximal activation (K0.5(Na)) was 45.7 mM. Na+ -dependent uptake of [14C]citrate (18 microM) was significantly inhibited by unlabeled citrate as well as dicarboxylates such as succinate, malate, fumarate, and alpha-ketoglutarate. This is the first report demonstrating the molecular identity of the Na+ -coupled di/tricarboxylate transport system expressed in neurons as NaC2/NaCT, which can transport the tricarboxylate citrate as well as dicarboxylates such as succinate, alpha-ketoglutarate, and malate.

Molecular properties of the SLC13 family of dicarboxylate and sulfate transporters

The SLC13 gene family consists of five members in humans, with corresponding orthologs from different vertebrate species. All five genes code for sodium-coupled transporters that are found on the plasma membrane. Two of the transporters, NaS1 and NaS2, carry substrates such as sulfate, selenate and thiosulfate. The other members of the family (NaDC1, NaDC3, and NaCT) are transporters for di- and tri-carboxylates including succinate, citrate and alpha-ketoglutarate. The SLC13 transporters from vertebrates are electrogenic and they produce inward currents in the presence of sodium and substrate. Substrate-independent leak currents have also been described. Structure-function studies have identified the carboxy terminal half of these proteins as the most important for determining function. Transmembrane helices 9 and 10 may form part of the substrate permeation pathway and participate in conformational changes during the transport cycle. This review also discusses new members of the SLC13 superfamily that exhibit both sodium-dependent and sodium-independent transport mechanisms. The Indy protein from Drosophila, involved in determining lifespan, and the plant vacuolar malate transporter are both sodium-independent dicarboxylate transporters, possibly acting as exchangers. The purpose of this review is to provide an update on new advances in this gene family, particularly on structure-function studies and new members of the family.

The Broadly Selective Human Na+/Nucleoside Cotransporter(hCNT3) Exhibits Novel Cation-coupled Nucleoside TransportCharacteristics

The concentrative nucleoside transporter (CNT) protein family in humans is represented by three members, hCNT1, hCNT2, and hCNT3. hCNT3, a Na+/nucleoside symporter, transports a broad range of physiological purine and pyrimidine nucleosides as well as anticancer and antiviral nucleoside drugs, and belongs to a different CNT subfamily than hCNT1/2. H+-dependent Escherichia coli NupC and Candida albicans CaCNT are also CNT family members. The present study utilized heterologous expression in Xenopus oocytes to investigate the specificity, mechanism, energetics, and structural basis of hCNT3 cation coupling. hCNT3 exhibited uniquely broad cation interactions with Na+, H+, and Li+ not shared by Na+-coupled hCNT1/2 or H+-coupled NupC/CaCNT. Na+ and H+ activated hCNT3 through mechanisms to increase nucleoside apparent binding affinity. Direct and indirect methods demonstrated cation/nucleoside coupling stoichiometries of 2:1 in the presence of Na+ and both Na+ plus H+, but only 1:1 in the presence of H+ alone, suggesting that hCNT3 possesses two Na+-binding sites, only one of which is shared by H+. The H+-coupled hCNT3 did not transport guanosine or 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine and 2',3'-dideoxycytidine, demonstrating that Na+- and H+-bound versions of hCNT3 have significantly different conformations of the nucleoside binding pocket and/or translocation channel. Chimeric studies between hCNT1 and hCNT3 located hCNT3-specific cation interactions to the C-terminal half of hCNT3, setting the stage for site-directed mutagenesis experiments to identify the residues involved.

Transport characteristics of N ‐acetyl‐ l ‐aspartate in rat astrocytes: involvement of sodium‐coupled high‐affinity carboxylate transporter NaC3/NaDC3‐mediated transport system

We investigated in the present study the transport characteristics of N-acetyl-L-aspartate in primary cultures of astrocytes from rat cerebral cortex and the involvement of NA+-coupled high-affinity carboxylate transporter NaC3 (formerly known as NaDC3) responsible for N-acetyl-L-aspartate transport. N-acetyl-L-aspartate transport was NA+-dependent and saturable with a Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) of approximately 110 microm. NA+-activation kinetics revealed that the NA+ to-N-acetyl-L-aspartate stoichiometry was 3 : 1 and concentration of Na+ necessary for half-maximal transport (KNA m) was 70 mm. NA+-dependent N-acetyl-L-aspartate transport was competitively inhibited by succinate with an inhibitory constant (Ki) of 14.7 microm, which was comparable to the Km value of NA+-dependent succinate transport (29.4 microm). L-aspartate also inhibited NA+-dependent [14C]N-acetyl-L-aspartate transport with relatively low affinity (Ki = 2.2 mm), whereas N-acetyl-L-aspartate was not able to inhibit NA+-dependent aspartate transport in astrocytes. In addition, Li+ was found to have a significant inhibitory effect on the NA+-dependent N-acetyl-L-aspartate transport in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, RT-PCR and western blot analyses revealed that NaC3 is expressed in primary cultures of astrocytes. Taken collectively, these results indicate that NaC3 expressed in rat cerebrocortical astrocytes is responsible for NA+-dependent N-acetyl-L-aspartate transport. This transporter is likely to be an essential prerequisite for the metabolic role of N-acetyl-L-aspartate in the process of myelination.

Substrate specificity of the human renal sodium dicarboxylate cotransporter, hNaDC-3, under voltage-clamp conditions

Proximal tubule cells extract dicarboxylates from filtrate and blood, using cotransporters located in the brush border [sodium dicarboxylate cotransporter (NaDC-1)] and basolateral cell membrane (NaDC-3). We expressed the human NaDC-3 (hNaDC-3) in Xenopus laevis oocytes and characterized it by the two-electrode voltage-clamp technique. At −60 mV, succinate (4 carbons) and glutarate (5 carbons) generated inward currents due to translocation of three sodium ions and one divalent dicarboxylate, whereas oxalate (2 carbons) and malonate (3 carbons) did not. The cis-dicarboxylate maleate produced currents smaller in magnitude, whereas the trans-dicarboxylate fumarate generated currents similar to succinate. The substituted succinate derivatives, malate, 2,2- and 2,3-dimethylsuccinate, and 2,3-dimercaptosuccinate elicited inward currents, whereas aspartate and guanidinosuccinate showed hardly detectable currents. The C-5 dicarboxylates glutarate and α-ketoglutarate produced larger currents than succinate; glutamate and folate failed to cause inward currents. Kinetic analysis revealed, at −60 mV, K0.5 values of 25 ± 12 μM for succinate and 45 ± 13 μM for α-ketoglutarate, values close to the plasma concentration of these compounds. For both compounds, the K0.5 was independent of voltage, whereas the maximal current increased with hyperpolarization. As opposed to the rat and flounder orthologs, hNaDC-3 was hardly inhibited by lithium concentrations up to 5 mM. In the absence of sodium, however, lithium can mediate succinate-dependent currents. The narrow substrate specificity prevents interaction of drugs with dicarboxylate-like structure with hNaDC-3 and ensures sufficient support of the proximal tubule cells with α-ketoglutarate for anion secretion via organic anion transporter 1 or 3.

Expression of Na+-dependent citrate transport in a strongly metastatic human prostate cancer PC-3M cell line: regulation by voltage-gated Na+ channel activity

Prostate is a unique organ which synthesizes and releases large amounts of citrate. It has been shown that in metastatic prostate cancer, the amount of citrate in prostatic fluid is significantly reduced, approaching the level normally found in blood. In our previous study, we characterized electrophysiologically the mechanism of citrate transport in a normal prostatic epithelial (PNT2-C2) cell line. It was concluded that the cells expressed a novel transporter carrying 1 citrate3- together with 4 K+, primarily out of cells. In the present study, we aimed similarly to characterize the mechanism(s) of citrate transport in a strongly metastatic human prostate cancer (PC-3M) cell line and to compare this with the previous data. Citrate transport in PC-3M cells was found to be both Na+ and K+ dependent. Intracellular application of citrate produced an outward current that was primarily K+ dependent whilst extracellular citrate elicited an inward current that was mainly Na+ dependent. The electrophysiological and pharmacological characteristics of the citrate outward current were similar to the K+-dependent citrate transporter found in the PNT2-C2 cells. On the other hand, the inward citrate current had a markedly different reversal potential, ionic characteristics, inhibitor profile and pH sensitivity. Preincubation of the PC-3M cells (24 or 48 h) with the voltage-gated Na+ channel (VGSC) blocker tetrodotoxin (TTX) significantly reduced the Na+ sensitivity of the citrate current, up-regulated VGSC mRNA expression but did not change the partial permeability of the membrane to Na+. It was concluded (a) that PC-3M cells express a K+-dependent transporter (carrying citrate outward), similar to that found in normal prostate epithelial cells, as well as (b) a Na+-dependent transporter (carrying citrate inward). The molecular nature of the latter was investigated by RT-PCR; the three known Na+-dependent citrate/dicarboxylate transporters could not be detected. VGSC activity, which itself has been associated with metastatic prostate cancer, had a differential effect on the two citrate transporters, down-regulating the expression of the Na+-dependent component whilst enhancing the K+-dependent citrate transporter.

The Mutation F227I Increases the Coupling of Metal Ion Transport in DCT1

Metal ion transport by DCT1, a member of the natural resistance-associated macrophage protein family, is driven by protons. The stoichiometry of the proton to metal ion is variable, and under optimal transport conditions, more than 10 protons are co-transported with a single metal ion. To understand this phenomenon better, we used site-directed mutagenesis of DCT1 and analyzed the mutants by complementation of yeast suppressor of mitochondria import function-null mutants and electrophysiology with Xenopus oocytes. The mutation F227I resulted in an increase of up to 14-fold in the ratio between metal ions to protons transported. This observation suggests that low metal ion to proton transport of DCT1 resulting from a proton slippage is not a necessity of the transport mechanism in which positively charged protons are driving two positive charges of the metal ion in the same direction. It supports the idea that the proton slippage has a physiological advantage, and the proton slip was positively selected during the evolution of DCT1.

Relevance of NAC-2, an Na+-coupled citrate transporter, to life span, body size and fat content in Caenorhabditis elegans

We have cloned and functionally characterized an Na+-coupled citrate transporter from Caenorhabditis elegans (ceNAC-2). This transporter shows significant sequence homology to Drosophila Indy and the mammalian Na+-coupled citrate transporter NaCT (now known as NaC2). When heterologously expressed in a mammalian cell line or in Xenopus oocytes, the cloned ceNAC-2 mediates the Na+-coupled transport of various intermediates of the citric acid cycle. However, it transports the tricarboxylate citrate more efficiently than dicarboxylates such as succinate, a feature different from that of ceNAC-1 (formerly known as ceNaDC1) and ceNAC-3 (formerly known as ceNaDC2). The transport process is electrogenic, as evidenced from the substrate-induced inward currents in oocytes expressing the transporter under voltage-clamp conditions. Expression studies using a reporter-gene fusion method in transgenic C. elegans show that the gene is expressed in the intestinal tract, the organ responsible for not only the digestion and absorption of nutrients but also for the storage of energy in this organism. Functional knockdown of the transporter by RNAi (RNA interference) not only leads to a significant increase in life span, but also causes a significant decrease in body size and fat content. The substrates of ceNAC-2 play a critical role in metabolic energy production and in the biosynthesis of cholesterol and fatty acids. The present studies suggest that the knockdown of these metabolic functions by RNAi is linked to an extension of life span and a decrease in fat content and body size.

Citrate transport in the human prostate epithelial PNT2-C2 cell line: electrophysiological analyses

Although prostate synthesizes and releases large amounts of citrate, the mechanism of the release is not well understood. Most known citrate transporters mediate uptake of citrate from extracellular space and, consequently, are driven by the transmembrane Na+ gradient, which would not be appropriate for prostatic function. In the present study, we investigated citrate transport in a normal human prostate cell line, PNT2-C2, using mainly electrophysiological methods. Intracellular application of citrate through the patch pipette in the whole-cell recording mode induced an outward current whilst in response to extracellular citrate an inward current was recorded. Membrane currents induced by citrate were bigger than those elicited by other (equimolar) Krebs cycle intermediates. Both inward and outward citrate-induced currents had the same ionic dependence, inhibitor profile and reversal potential. In particular, the currents were strongly dependent on the transmembrane K+ gradient. Uptake and release of citrate and their K+ dependence were confirmed by spectrophotometric enzyme analyses. Citrate-induced membrane currents were also sensitive to pH, consistent with the transporter preferring the trivalent form. Application of intracellular Zn2+ generated an outward current which had the same quantitative K+ dependence as the citrate-induced currents. Extracellular application of a membrane-permeant Zn2+ chelator generated an inward current. These experiments suggested that m-aconitase was tonically active in PNT2-C2 cells. Determination of 'forward' and 'reverse' K+ stoichiometry both suggested a citrate: K+ ratio of 1: 4. We conclude that normal prostatic epithelial cells possess an electrogenic citrate transporter which mediates the cotransfer of 1 trivalent citrate anion alongside 4 K+ out of cells and thus generates a net outward current.

Electrophysiological characterization of a recombinant human Na+-coupled nucleoside transporter (hCNT1) produced in Xenopus oocytes

Human concentrative nucleoside transporter 1 (hCNT1) mediates active transport of nucleosides and anticancer and antiviral nucleoside drugs across cell membranes by coupling influx to the movement of Na(+) down its electrochemical gradient. The two-microelectrode voltage-clamp technique was used to measure steady-state and presteady-state currents of recombinant hCNT1 produced in Xenopus oocytes. Transport was electrogenic, phloridzin sensitive and specific for pyrimidine nucleosides and adenosine. Nucleoside analogues that induced inwardly directed Na(+) currents included the anticancer drugs 5-fluorouridine, 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine, cladribine and cytarabine, the antiviral drugs zidovudine and zalcitabine, and the novel thymidine mimics 1-(2-deoxy-beta-d-ribofuranosyl)-2,4-difluoro-5-methylbenzene and 1-(2-deoxy-beta-d-ribofuranosyl)-2,4-difluoro-5-iodobenzene. Apparent K(m) values for 5-fluorouridine, 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine and zidovudine were 18, 15 and 450 microm, respectively. hCNT1 was Na(+) specific, and the kinetics of steady-state uridine-evoked Na(+) currents were consistent with an ordered simultaneous transport model in which Na(+) binds first followed by uridine. Membrane potential influenced both ion binding and carrier translocation. The Na(+)-nucleoside coupling stoichiometry, determined directly by comparing the uridine-induced inward charge movement to [(14)C]uridine uptake was 1: 1. hCNT1 presteady-state currents were used to determine the fraction of the membrane field sensed by Na(+) (61%), the valency of the movable charge (-0.81) and the average number of transporters present in the oocyte plasma membrane (6.8 x 10(10) per cell). The hCNT1 turnover rate at -50 mV was 9.6 molecules of uridine transported per second.

OKP cells express the Na-dicarboxylate cotransporter NaDC-1

Urinary citrate concentration, a major factor in the formation of kidney stones, is primarily determined by its rate of reabsorption in the proximal tubule. Citrate reabsorption is mediated by the Na-dicarboxylate cotransporter-1 (NaDC-1). The opossum kidney (OKP) cell line possesses many characteristics of the renal proximal tubule. The OKP NaDC-1 (oNaDC-1) cDNA was cloned and encodes a 2.4-kb mRNA. When injected into Xenopus oocytes, the cotransporter is expressed and demonstrates Na-coupled citrate transport with a stoichiometry of >or=3 Na:1 citrate, specificity for di- and tricarboxylates, pH-dependent citrate transport, and pH-independent succinate transport, all characteristics of the other NaDC-1 orthologs. Chronic metabolic acidosis increases proximal tubule citrate reabsorption, leading to profound hypocitraturia and an increased risk for stone formation. Under the conditions studied, endogenous OKP NaDC-1 mRNA abundance is not regulated by changes in media pH. In OKP cells transfected with a green fluorescent protein-oNaDC-1 construct, however, media acidification increases Na-dependent citrate uptake, demonstrating posttranscriptional acid regulation of NaDC-1 activity.

Genetic ablations of iron regulatory proteins 1 and 2 reveal why iron regulatory protein 2 dominates iron homeostasis

The two iron regulatory proteins IRP1 and IRP2 bind to transcripts of ferritin, transferrin receptor and other target genes to control the expression of iron metabolism proteins at the post-transcriptional level. Here we compare the effects of genetic ablation of IRP1 to IRP2 in mice. IRP1-/- mice misregulate iron metabolism only in the kidney and brown fat, two tissues in which the endogenous expression level of IRP1 greatly exceeds that of IRP2, whereas IRP2-/- mice misregulate the expression of target proteins in all tissues. Surprisingly, the RNA-binding activity of IRP1 does not increase in animals on a low-iron diet that is sufficient to activate IRP2. In animal tissues, most of the bifunctional IRP1 is in the form of cytosolic aconitase rather than an RNA-binding protein. Our findings indicate that the small RNA-binding fraction of IRP1, which is insensitive to cellular iron status, contributes to basal mammalian iron homeostasis, whereas IRP2 is sensitive to iron status and can compensate for the loss of IRP1 by increasing its binding activity. Thus, IRP2 dominates post-transcriptional regulation of iron metabolism in mammals.

Regulation of sodium-dicarboxylate cotransporter-3 from winter flounder kidney by protein kinase C

The sodium dicarboxylate cotransporter located at the basolateral side supplies renal proximal tubule cells with Krebs cycle intermediates and maintains the driving force for the exchange of organic anions like PAH against alpha-ketoglutarate through the organic anion transporter-1. Recently, we cloned sodium dicarboxylate cotransporter-3 from winter flounder kidney (fNaDC-3). To understand the regulation of fNaDC-3, we preincubated fNaDC-3-expressing oocytes with PMA, a PKC activator. PMA dose and time dependently inhibited fNaDC-3-mediated succinate uptake. Simultaneous preincubation of fNaDC-3-expressing oocytes with 50 nM PMA and either staurosporine or RO 31-8220 for 30 min attenuated PKC-mediated inhibition of succinate uptake. Site-directed mutagenesis of the five putative PKC sites (S7, T167, S174, T188, and S396) resulted in no change in PKC-mediated inhibition of the transporter. In electrophysiological studies performed at -60 mV, the K0.5 for succinate was not significantly affected (56 +/- 13 vs. 42 +/- 19 microM), but DeltaImax was reduced from -139 +/- 49 to -20 +/- 8 nA by PMA (50 nM, 30 min). Immunofluorescence analysis of fNaDC-3-expressing oocytes revealed that PMA leads to an endocytosis of fNaDC-3 protein. In conclusion, fNaDC-3 expressed in oocytes is downregulated by PMA through endocytosis. PKC consensus sites appear not to be important for this process.

The first external loop of the metal ion transporter DCT1 is involved in metal ion binding and specificity

The yeast null mutant smf1Delta cannot grow on medium containing EGTA. Expression of Smf1p or the mammalian transporter DCT1 (Slc11a2) suppresses the above-mentioned phenotype. Both can also be expressed in Xenopus oocytes, and the uptake activity and their electrophysiological properties can be studied. We used these systems to analyze the properties of mutations in the predicted external loop I of DCT1. The sensitivity of the transporter to amino acid substitutions in this region is manifested by the mutation G119A, which resulted in almost complete inhibition of the metal ion uptake activity and marked changes in the pre-steady-state currents in Xenopus oocytes. The mutation Q126D abolished the uptake and the electrophysiology, but the double mutant D124A/Q126D partially restored it and changed the metal ion specificity in favor of Fe2+. The maximal pre-steady-state currents at negatively imposed potentials shifted to a lower pH of approximately 5. The triple mutant G119A/D124A/Q126D, which has no apparent transport activity, exhibited remarkable pre-steady-state currents at pH 7.5. Moreover, Zn2+ had a dual effect on this mutant; at pH 7.5 it eliminated the pre-steady state without generating steady-state currents, and at pH 5.5 it induced large pre-steady-state currents. The mutant D124A retained appreciable Fe2+ uptake activity but exhibited very little Mn2+ uptake at pH 5.5 and was abolished at pH 6.5. The properties of the various mutants suggest that loop I is involved in the metal ion binding and its coupling to the proton-driving force.

Basolateral localization of flounder Na+-dicarboxylate cotransporter (fNaDC-3) in the kidney of Pleuronectes americanus

The purpose of this study was to provide functional and immunocytochemical evidence for the location of the winter flounder ( Pleuronectes americanus) sodium-dicarboxylate cotransporter-3 (fNaDC-3) in the basolateral membrane of proximal tubule cells. fNaDC-3 was expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Lowering the external pH from 7.5 to 6.5 or 5.5 modestly decreased the uptake of [(14)C]succinate into fNaDC-3 expressing oocytes, but markedly increased the uptake of [(14)C]citrate. As measured by the two-electrode voltage-clamp technique, the citrate concentration eliciting half-maximal current, K(0.5), decreased from 490 microM at pH 7.5 to 32 microM at pH 6.0. The maximal inwards current, Delta I(max), increased from -27 to -72 nA, when bath pH was changed from 7.5 to 6.0. These data suggest that fNaDC-3 translocates preferably divalent citrate. cis-Aconitate, a tricarboxylate that interacts exclusively with basolateral sodium-dicarboxylate cotransport in the rat kidney, was translocated by fNaDC-3 with a K(0.5) of 300 microM. Antibodies raised against an NaDC-3-specific peptide reacted with the basal cell side of flounder renal proximal tubule segment II (PII). No other structures were stained, indicating that fNaDC-3 is located exclusively in the basolateral membrane of PII cells. We assume that fNaDC-3 provides PII cells with Krebs cycle intermediates as fuels and with alpha-ketoglutarate to drive organic anion secretion.

Transport of organic anions across the basolateral membrane of proximal tubule cells

Renal proximal tubules secrete diverse organic anions (OA) including widely prescribed anionic drugs. Here, we review the molecular properties of cloned transporters involved in uptake of OA from blood into proximal tubule cells and provide extensive lists of substrates handled by these transport systems. Where tested, transporters have been immunolocalized to the basolateral cell membrane. The sulfate anion transporter 1 (sat-1) cloned from human, rat and mouse, transported oxalate and sulfate. Drugs found earlier to interact with sulfate transport in vivo have not yet been tested with sat-1. The Na(+)-dicarboxylate cotransporter 3 (NaDC-3) was cloned from human, rat, mouse and flounder, and transported three Na(+) with one divalent di- or tricarboxylate, such as citric acid cycle intermediates and the heavy metal chelator 2,3-dimercaptosuccinate (succimer). The organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1) cloned from several species was shown to exchange extracellular OA against intracellular alpha-ketoglutarate. OAT1 translocated, e.g., anti-inflammatory drugs, antiviral drugs, beta-lactam antibiotics, loop diuretics, ochratoxin A, and p-aminohippurate. Several OA, including probenecid, inhibited OAT1. Human, rat and mouse OAT2 transported selected anti-inflammatory and antiviral drugs, methotrexate, ochratoxin A, and, with high affinities, prostaglandins E(2) and F(2alpha). OAT3 cloned from human, rat and mouse showed a substrate specificity overlapping with that of OAT1. In addition, OAT3 interacted with sulfated steroid hormones such as estrone-3-sulfate. The driving forces for OAT2 and OAT3, the relative contributions of all OA transporters to, and the impact of transporter regulation by protein kinases on renal drug excretion in vivo must be determined in future experiments.

Structural and functional characteristics of two sodium-coupled dicarboxylate transporters (ceNaDC1 and ceNaDC2) from Caenorhabditis elegans and their relevance to life span

We have cloned and functionally characterized two Na(+)-coupled dicarboxylate transporters, namely ceNaDC1 and ceNaDC2, from Caenorhabditis elegans. These two transporters show significant sequence homology with the product of the Indy gene identified in Drosophila melanogaster and with the Na(+)-coupled dicarboxylate transporters NaDC1 and NaDC3 identified in mammals. In a mammalian cell heterologous expression system, the cloned ceNaDC1 and ceNaDC2 mediate Na(+)-coupled transport of various dicarboxylates. With succinate as the substrate, ceNaDC1 exhibits much lower affinity compared with ceNaDC2. Thus, ceNaDC1 and ceNaDC2 correspond at the functional level to the mammalian NaDC1 and NaDC3, respectively. The nadc1 and nadc2 genes are not expressed at the embryonic stage, but the expression is detectable all through the early larva stage to the adult stage. Tissue-specific expression pattern studies using a reporter gene fusion approach in transgenic C. elegans show that both genes are coexpressed in the intestinal tract, an organ responsible for not only the digestion and absorption of nutrients but also for the storage of energy in this organism. Independent knockdown of the function of these two transporters in C. elegans using the strategy of RNA interference suggests that NaDC1 is not associated with the regulation of average life span in this organism, whereas the knockdown of NaDC2 function leads to a significant increase in the average life span. Disruption of the function of the high affinity Na(+)-coupled dicarboxylate transporter NaDC2 in C. elegans may lead to decreased availability of dicarboxylates for cellular production of metabolic energy, thus creating a biological state similar to that of caloric restriction, and consequently leading to life span extension.