JPH203, a selective L-type amino acid transporter 1 inhibitor, induces mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in Saos2 human osteosarcoma cells

Most normal cells express L-type amino acid transporter 2 (LAT2). However, L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) is highly expressed in many tumor cells and presumed to support their increased growth and proliferation. This study examined the effects of JPH203, a selective LAT1 inhibitor, on cell growth and its mechanism for cell death in Saos2 human osteosarcoma cells. FOB human osteoblastic cells and Saos2 cells expressed LAT1 and LAT2 together with their associating protein 4F2 heavy chain, but the expression of LAT2 in the Saos2 cells was especially weak. JPH203 and BCH, a non-selective L-type amino acid transporter inhibitor, potently inhibited L-leucine uptake in Saos2 cells. As expected, the intrinsic ability of JPH203 to inhibit L-leucine uptake was far more efficient than that of BCH in Saos2 cells. Likewise, JPH203 and BCH inhibited Saos2 cell growth with JPH203 being superior to BCH in this regard. Furthermore, JPH203 increased apoptosis rates and formed DNA ladder in Saos2 cells. Moreover, JPH203 activated the mitochondria-dependent apoptotic signaling pathway by upregulating pro-apoptotic factors, such as Bad, Bax, and Bak, and the active form of caspase-9, and downregulating anti-apoptotic factors, such as Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. These results suggest that the inhibition of LAT1 activity via JPH203, which may act as a potential novel anti-cancer agent, leads to apoptosis mediated by the mitochondria-dependent intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway by inducing the intracellular depletion of neutral amino acids essential for cell growth in Saos2 human osteosarcoma cells.

Efectos de la exposición prenatal a paraquat sobre el desarrollo de la transmisión sináptica aminoacídica en la corteza cerebral parietal del ratón / Effects of prenatal expossure to paraquat on the development of amino acid synaptic transmission in mouse cerebral parietal cortex

Se estudiaron los efectos de la exposición prenatal al paraquat (PQ), sobre el desarrollo postnatal de la transmisión sináptica aminoacídica de la corteza cerebral parietal del ratón. Las ratonas NMRI preñadas del grupo experimental recibieron 5 dosis de 10mg/kg de peso corporal de PQ, entre el día de gestación (G)12 y G20, y el grupo control recibió solución salina. Mediante HPLC, se determinaron los niveles de aspartato, glutamato, glicina, GABA y taurina de las crías, entre la edad postnatal (P)1 y P30. Entre P3 y P15, se observó un incremento significativo de los neurotransmisores excitatorios, aspartato y glutamato, en los ratones expuestos a PQ. Con respecto a la neurotransmisión inhibidora, los cambios más importantes se observaron en glicina: sus niveles se mantuvieron significativamente por debajo del grupo control entre P1 y P7, y significativamente por encima en P11 y P15. Para taurina, entre P1 y P7 sus niveles se mantuvieron significativamente altos con respecto al grupo control. En P30, los niveles de todos los neurotransmisores se encontraron significativamente por debajo del grupo control. En conclusión, podríamos decir que la exposición prenatal a PQ tuvo efectos tóxicos que se reflejaron en una alteración de los niveles basales de los neurotransmisores aminoacídicos durante el desarrollo postnatal de la corteza parietal del ratón, predominando la excitación sobre la inhibición durante todo el período estudiado. Estas alteraciones podrían indicar la ocurrencia de importantes daños corticales, tales como la disminución de algunas poblaciones neuronales, la inadecuada formación de los circuitos corticales y alteraciones en el proceso de sinaptogénesis.

The effects of prenatal expossure to paraquat (PQ) were studied on postnatal development of mouse parietal cerebral cortex, in particular, the ontogenesis of amino acid synaptic transmission. Pregnant NMRI mice were separated into two groups: the experimental group received 5 doses of 10mg PQ/kg body weight, between days of gestation (G)12 and G20, whereas the control group received physiological saline solution. Levels of neurotransmitter amino acids: Asp, Glu, Gly, GABA and Tau were determined by HPLC between postnatal (P) days P1 and P30. Between P3 and P15, a significant increment in the levels of excitatory amino acids, Asp and Glu, were observed in mice exposed to PQ, as compared with the control group. With respect to the inhibitory neurotransmitter levels, in the group exposed to PQ, the more important changes were observed in Gly between P1 and P15. In relation to taurine, its levels remained significantly higher between P1 and P7 with respect to the control group. It is important to emphasize that at P30, the levels of all neurotransmitters in the experimental group were significantly lower than those of control. In conclusion, prenatal exposure to PQ caused neurotoxicity in the developing mouse parietal cortex, as shown by the alterations in the basal levels of amino acid neurotransmitters, with the excitatory predominating over inhibitory neurotransmission, throughout the studied developmental period. These alterations could indicate the occurrence of important cortical injuries, such as decrement in some neuronal populations, inadequate formation of intrinsic cortical circuits and alterations in synaptogenic processes.

Expression of amino acid transport system L in the differentiation of periodontal ligament fibroblast cells / 대한치주과학회지

The periodontium is a topographically complex organ consisting of epithelial tissue, soft and mineralized tissues. Structures comprising the periodontium include the gingiva, periodontal ligament (PDL), cementum and the alveolar bone. The molecular mechanism of differentiation in PDL fibroblast cells remain unclear. Amino acid transporters play an important role in supplying nutrition to normal and cancer cells and for cell proliferation. Amino acid transport system L is a major nutrient transport system responsible for the Na+-independent transport of neutral amino acids including several essential amino acids. The system L is divided into two major subgroups, the L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) and the L-type amino acid transporter 2 (LAT2). In this study, the expression pattern of amino acid transport system L was, therefore, investigated in the differentiation of PDL fibroblast cells. To determine the expression level of amino acid transport system L participating in intracellular transport of amino acids in the differentiation of PDL fibroblast cells, it was examined by RT-PCR, observation of cell morphology, Alizaline red-S staining and uptake analysis after inducing experimental differentiation in PDL fibroblast cells isolated from mouse molar teeth. The results are as follows. 1. The LAT1 mRNA was expressed in the early stage of PDL fibroblast cell differentiation. This expression level was gradually reduced by differentiation-inducing time and it was not observed after the late stage. 2. The expression level of LAT2 mRNA was increased in time-dependent manner during differentiation induction of PDL fibroblast cells. 3. There was no changes in the expression level of 4F2hc mRNA, the cofactor of LAT1 and LAT2, during differentiation of PDL fibroblast cells. 4. The expression level of ALP mRNA was gradually increased and the expression level of Col I mRNA was decreased during differentiation of PDL fibroblast cells. 5. The L-leucine transport was reduced by time from the early stage to the late stage in PDL fibroblast cell differentiation. As the results, it is considered that among neutral amino acid transport system L in differentiation of PDL fibroblast cells, the LAT1 has a key role in cell proliferation in the early stage of cell differentiation and the LAT2 has an important role in the late stage of cell differentiation for providing cells with neutral amino acids including several essential amino acids.

Expression and functional characterization of amino acid transport system L in Saos2 human osteogenic sarcoma cells

inhibitor, 2-aminobicyclo-(2,2,1)-heptane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH). The affinity of [14C]L-leucine uptake and the inhibition profiles of [14C]L-leucine uptake by various amino acids in the Saos2 cells were comparable with those for the LAT1 expressed in Xenopus oocytes. The majority of [14C]Lleucine uptake is, therefore, mediated by LAT1 in the Saos2 cells. These results suggest that the transports of neutral amino acids including several essential amino acids into Saos2 human osteogenic sarcoma cells are for the most part mediated by LAT1. Therefore, the Saos2 human osteogenic sarcoma cells are excellent tools for examine the properties of LAT1. Moreover, the specific inhibition of LAT1 in tumor cells might be a new rationale for anti-tumor therapy.

Differential Expression of System L Amino Acid Transporters in Wound Healing Process of Rat Skin / 체질인류학회지

The continuous growth and proliferation of cells are essential for the wound healing process, and the amino acid transporters plays an important role in the continuous growing and proliferating cells. Among the amino acid transport systems, the amino acid transport system L, which is a Na+/-independent neutral amino acid transport system, is a major route for providing living cells including tumor cells with neutral amino acids including several essential amino acids. In the present study, to elucidate the role of amino acid transport system L in the wound healing process, we investigated the expression pattern of LAT1 and LAT2 in the healing process after inflicting the wound on skin of rat. The expression of LAT1 was increased at 12 hours after inflicting the wound and was similar to the control group getting closer to 7 days. The expression of LAT2 was increased at 1 day and 3 days after inflicting the wound and was similar to the control group getting closer to 7 days. These results suggest that the LAT1 and LAT2 play important roles at the early stage and at the middle stage getting closer to normal skin in the wound healing process after inflicting the wound, respectively.

Role of gamma-aminobutyric acid B (GABA B) receptors in the regulation of kainic acid-induced cell death in mouse hippocampus

Kainic acid (KA) is well-known as an excitatory, neurotoxic substance. In mice, KA administered intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) lead to morphological damage of hippocampus expecially concentrated on the CA3 pyramidal neurons. In the present study, the possible role of gamma-aminobutyric acid B (GABA B) receptors in hippocampal cell death induced by KA (0.1 microgram) administered i.c.v. was examined. 5-Aminovaleric acid (5-AV; GABA B receptors antagonist, 20 microgram) reduced KA-induced CA3 pyramidal cell death. KA increased the phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) and Ca2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (p-CaMK II) immunoreactivities (IRs) 30 min after KA treatment, and c-Fos, c-Jun IR 2 h, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), complement receptor type 3 (OX-42) IR 1 day in hippocampal area in KA-injected mice. 5-AV attenuated KA-induced p-CaMK II, GFAP and OX-42 IR in the hippocampal CA3 region. These results suggest that p-CaMK II may play as an important regulator on hippocampal cell death induced by KA administered i.c.v. in mice. Activated astrocytes, which was presented by GFAP IR, and activated microglia, which was presented by the OX-42 IR, may be a good indicator for measuring the cell death in hippocampal regions by KA excitotoxicity. Furthermore, it showed that GABA B receptors appear to be involved in hippocampal CA3 pyramidal cell death induced by KA administered i.c.v. in mice.

Functional characteristics of neutral amino acid transporter in opossum kidney (OK) cells

The characteristics of Na+/-dependent cycloleucine uptake was investigated in OK cells with regard to substrate specificity and regulation by protein kinase C (PKC). Inhibition studies with different synthetic and natural amino acids showed a broad spectrum affinity to neutral amino acids regardless of their different side chains including branched or aromatic, indicating that the Na+/-dependent cycloleucine uptake in OK cells is mediated by System B-o or System B degree -like transporter rather than the classical System A or ASC. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate, but not 4 alpha-PMA elicited a time-dependent biphasic stimulation of Na+/-dependent cycloleucine uptake, which produced early transient peak at 30 min and late sustained peak at 180 min. Both the early and late stimulations by PMA were due to an increase in Vmax and not due to a change in Km. PKC inhibitors blocked both the early and late stimulation by PMA, while protein synthesis inhibitors blocked the late stimulation only. These results suggest the existence and regulation by PKC of System B degree or System B degree -like broad spectrum transport system for neutral amino acids in OK cells.