Functional characterization of sodium- and chloride-dependent taurine transport in human keratinocytes.

In the skin, taurine acts as an important osmolyte required for keratinocyte hydration. It has antioxidant effects, protects cells from UV-induced stress and has effects on cell proliferation, inflammation and collagenogenesis. This study was performed to find and characterize functionally a taurine transport system in keratinocytes and to establish a cell culture model for skin taurine transport studies. Uptake of [(3)H]taurine was studied both in the human adult low calcium high temperature (HaCaT) cell line and in human native epidermal keratinocytes. Uptake of [(3)H]taurine in HaCaT cells was strictly dependent on extracellular sodium and chloride. The taurine uptake rate was saturable and indicated participation of a single transport system with kinetic parameters of Kt = 5.1 +/- 0.2 microm and Vmax = 320.5 +/- 2.8 pmol/10 min per mg of protein. Uptake was strongly inhibited by beta-amino acids (taurine, beta-alanine, hypotaurine, beta-guanidinopropionic acid), whereas alpha- and gamma-amino acids had little or no effect. Taurine uptake in normal keratinocytes was very similar to that in HaCaT cells with respect to substrate specificity and affinity. We conclude that keratinocytes express the Na(+) and Cl(-) dependent, high-affinity taurine transporter. This system accepts beta- and certain gamma-amino acids as substrates.

Carrier-mediated transport of clonidine in human keratinocytes.

The alpha-2 agonist clonidine is frequently used in transdermal therapeutic systems for antihypertensive therapy. This study was performed to characterize transport of clonidine into human keratinocytes. The uptake of [3H]clonidine was measured into monolayers of the human cell line HaCaT and normal human epidermal keratinocytes in primary culture. The uptake of clonidine was linear for up to 1min, independent of Na(+), but pH-dependent. Uptake was carrier-mediated with an affinity constant (K(t)) of 0.30mM and a maximal velocity (V(max)) of 15.7nmol/min per mg of protein. Diphenhydramine, guanabenz, procainamide, tryptamine, quinine, and quinidine, but not choline markedly inhibited clonidine uptake. We conclude that clonidine is transported into keratinocytes in a pH-dependent manner by a saturable uptake system different from the keratinocyte choline transporter. The substrate specificity of the system corresponds to that of the recently characterized system for tertiary amines. After diffusion of the drugs through the stratum corneum, this transport system might contribute to the passage of clonidine and diphenhydramine across the living epidermis after dermal administration.

Transport of biotin in human keratinocytes.

Biotin is an essential micronutrient for normal cellular function, growth, and development. Biotin deficiency leads to pathologic, dermatologic, and neurocutaneous manifestations in skin and its appendages. Previous studies described the presence of specific biotin transport systems in the epithelia of the intestine, liver, kidney, and placenta, and in blood mononuclear cells. The aim of this study was to examine biotin transport into human keratinocytes. Uptake of [3H]biotin was measured both in the HaCaT cell line and in native keratinocytes in primary culture. Uptake of [3H]biotin (6 nM) in HaCaT cells was linear for up to 5 min of incubation. In the presence of an Na+ gradient total biotin uptake was 4- to 5-fold higher than in the absence of sodium ions. Biotin uptake was not altered by H+ and Cl- gradients. This transport system exhibited a Michaelis-Menten constant for biotin of 22.7+/-1.0 microM and a maximal velocity of 163.6+/-3.5 pmol per 5 min per mg protein. [3H]Biotin uptake (6 nM) was strongly inhibited by lipoic acid (oxidized form, Ki=4.6 microM; reduced form, Ki=11.4 microM), pantothenic acid (Ki=1.2 microM), and desthiobiotin (Ki=15.2 microM), but not by biocytin or biotin methyl ester. Measured at [3H]biotin concentrations of 0.1-10 nM we obtained kinetic evidence for the presence of a second transport component that is saturable at very low biotin concentrations (Kt=2.6+/-0.1 nM). Unlabeled lipoic acid and pantothenic acid (20 nM) did not inhibit the [3H]biotin uptake (1 nM). We conclude that human keratinocytes express the Na+-dependent multivitamin transporter with preference for pantothenate and a very high affinity transport component with specificity for biotin.

Functional characterization of a high-affinity choline transport system in human keratinocytes.

This study was performed to characterize the mechanism of choline transport into human keratinocytes. Uptake of [3H]choline was measured both in the HaCaT cell line and in native keratinocytes. Uptake in HaCaT cells was linear with time at least up to 10 min. There was little dependence of choline transport on sodium. Choline uptake was slightly stimulated by extracellular H+ with the pH optimum being 7.5. The uptake rate was saturable and indicated participation of a single transport system (Kt = 14.8 +/- 1.0 micro M, Vmax = 1.0 +/- 0.01 nmol per 10 min per mg protein). The choline uptake into HaCaT cells was inhibited by unlabeled choline, hemicholinium-3, and acetylcholine. The prototypical organic cation tetraethylammonium showed very little affinity for the choline uptake system in these cells. Several cationic drugs such as diphenhydramine, clonidine, and atropine also interacted with the transport system. Choline uptake in normal keratinocytes was very similar to that in HaCaT cells with respect to substrate specificity and affinity. We conclude that keratinocytes express a Na+ independent, high-affinity choline transport system. This system accepts many pharmacologically important organic cations as substrates. It is similar or identical to the choline carrier described in intestinal epithelial cells and in endothelial cells of the blood-brain barrier. The choline carrier seems to have relevance not only for the uptake of cationic drugs into the keratinocytes but also for the biosynthesis of skin lipids.