Prosaposin knockdown in Caco-2 cells decreases cellular levels of coenzyme Q10 and ATP, and results in the loss of tight junction barriers.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a key component of the mitochondrial electron transfer chain and is one of the most important antioxidants. We previously found that glycoprotein prosaposin (Psap) binds CoQ10 in human cells. Although Psap is expressed in the intestines, its role in the gastrointestinal tract is not clear. To elucidate the role of Psap in the intestines, we established Psap knockdown (KD) Caco-2 cells, which are an intestinal epithelial cell line. Cellular CoQ10 levels decreased significantly in Psap KD Caco-2 cells as compared to parental Caco-2 cells. Cellular ATP levels also decreased significantly in Psap KD Caco-2 cells as compared to parental Caco-2 cells. Lower ATP levels in the intestines have been reported to result in the failure of tight junction formation. As expected, Psap KD Caco-2 monolayers did not produce transepithelial electrical resistance, while parental Caco-2 monolayers did. Moreover, a fluorescent dye, lucifer yellow, leaked out through Psap KD Caco-2 monolayers, whereas it did not through parental Caco-2 monolayers. These results indicate that Psap is essential to maintain cellular levels of CoQ10 and ATP, and consequently to form tight junctions in the gastrointestinal tract.

Coenzyme Q10-Binding/Transfer Protein Saposin B also Binds gamma-Tocopherol.

gamma-Tocopherol, the major form of dietary vitamin E, is absorbed in the intestine and is secreted in chylomicrons, which are then transferred to liver lysosomes. Most gamma-tocopherol is transferred to liver microsomes and is catabolized by cytochrome p450. Due to the hydrophobicity of gamma-tocopherol, a binding and transfer protein is plausible, but none have yet been isolated and characterized. We recently found that a ubiquitous cytosolic protein, saposin B, binds and transfers coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), which is an essential factor for ATP production and an important antioxidant. Here, we report that saposin B also binds gamma-tocopherol, but not alpha-tocopherol, as efficiently as CoQ10 at pH 7.4. At acidic pH, saposin B binds gamma-tocopherol preferentially to CoQ10 and alpha-tocopherol. Furthermore, we confirmed that saposin B selectively binds gamma-tocopherol instead of CoQ10 and alpha-tocopherol at every pH between 5.4 and 8.0 when all three lipids are competing for binding. We detected gamma-tocopherol in human saposin B monoclonal antibody-induced immunoprecipitates from human urine, although the amount of gamma-tocopherol was much smaller than that of CoQ10. These results suggest that saposin B binds and transports gamma-tocopherol in human cells.

Saposin B is a human coenzyme q10-binding/transfer protein.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is essential for ATP production in the mitochondria, and is an important antioxidant in every biomembrane and lipoprotein. Due to its hydrophobicity, a binding and transfer protein for CoQ10 is plausible, but none have yet been isolated and characterized. Here we purified a CoQ10-binding protein from human urine and identified it to be saposin B, a housekeeping protein necessary for sphingolipid hydrolysis in lysosomes. We confirmed that cellular saposin B binds CoQ10 in human sperm and the hepatoma cell line HepG2 by using saposin B monoclonal antibody. The molar ratios of CoQ10 to saposin B were estimated to be 0.22 in urine, 0.003 in HepG2, and 0.12 in sperm. We then confirmed that aqueous saposin B extracts CoQ10 from hexane to form a saposin B-CoQ10 complex. Lipid binding affinity to saposin B decreased in the following order: CoQ10>CoQ9>CoQ7>>alpha-tocopherol>>cholesterol (no binding). The CoQ10-binding affinity to saposin B increased with pH, with maximal binding seen at pH 7.4. On the other hand, the CoQ10-donating activity of the saposin B-CoQ10 complex to erythrocyte ghost membranes increased with decreasing pH. These results suggest that saposin B binds and transports CoQ10 in human cells.