Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Taurine transporter is expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells

  • Published:
Amino Acids Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary.

The regulation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) function by taurine has been a subject of increasing interest and investigation, and taurine is taken up into cells through a specific transporter system, the taurine transporter (TAUT). In the present study, we examined the expression of TAUT in VSMCs and the kinetic parameters of the uptake process of TAUT in VSMCs. RT-PCR and western blot demonstrated that the mRNA and protein of TAUT was expressed in VSMCs in vitro. Immunohistochemistry using antibody for TAUT revealed the expression of this protein in rat thoracic aorta. The maximal [3H]taurine uptake rate in VSMCs was 37.75 ± 3.13 pmol/min per mg of protein, with a K m value of 5.42 ± 0.81 µM. Thus, VSMCs are able to express a functional taurine transporter. The regulation and detailed function of taurine and TAUT in VSMCs remain unclear, but our findings suggest a functional role for them in VSMCs metabolism.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • M Brandsch Y Miyamoto V Ganapathy FH Leibach (1993) ArticleTitleRegulation of taurine transport in human colon carcinoma cell lines (HT-29 and Caco-2) by protein kinase C Am J Physiol 264 G939–G946 Occurrence Handle8498520 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3sXltFCit74%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • JH Campbell GR Campbell (1993) ArticleTitleCulture techniques and their applications to studies of vascular smooth muscle Clin Sci 85 501–512 Occurrence Handle8287636 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByuC3MnisF0%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • X Han AM Budreau RW Chesney (1999) ArticleTitleSer-322 is a critical site for PKC regulation of the MDCK cell taurine transporter (pNCT) J Am Soc Nephrol 10 1874–1879 Occurrence Handle10477138 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXmtVSmtrg%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • X Han RW Chesney AM Budreau DP Jones (1996) ArticleTitleRegulation of expression of taurine transport in two continuous renal epithelial cell lines and inhibition of taurine transporter by a site-directed antibody Adv Exp Med Biol 403 173–191 Occurrence Handle8915355 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXisFGiurg%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • B Heller-Stilb C van Roeyen K Rascher HG Hartwig A Huth MW Seeliger U Warskulat D Haussinger (2002) ArticleTitleDisruption of the taurine transporter gene (taut) leads to retinal degeneration in mice FASEB J 16 231–233 Occurrence Handle11772953 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XhsVequrc%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • RJ Huxtable (1992) ArticleTitlePhysiological actions of taurine Physiol Rev 72 101–163 Occurrence Handle1731369 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK38XhsVKhsLw%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • LD Jayanthi S Ramamoorthy VB Mahesh FH Leibach V Ganapathy (1995) ArticleTitleSubstrate-specific regulation of the taurine transporter in human placental choriocarcinoma cells (JAR) Biochim Biophys Acta 1235 351–360 Occurrence Handle7756345 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0005-2736(95)80024-A

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • SM Jhiang L Fithian P Smanik J McGill Q Tong EL Mazzaferri (1993) ArticleTitleCloning of the human taurine transporter and characterization of taurine uptake in thyroid cells FEBS Lett 318 139–144 Occurrence Handle8382624 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0014-5793(93)80008-I Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3sXisFaisL0%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • JW Leibach DR Cool MAD Monte V Ganapathy FH Leibach Y Miyamoto (1993) ArticleTitleProperties of taurine transport in a human retinal pigment epithelial cell line Curr Eye Res 12 29–36 Occurrence Handle8436008 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByyC28bpslM%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • C Li L Cao Q Zeng X Liu Y Zhang T Dai D Hu K Huang Y Wang X Wang D Li Z Chen J Zhang Y Li R Sharma (2005) ArticleTitleTaurine may prevent diabetic rats from developing cardiomyopathy also by downregulating angiotensin II type2 receptor expression Cardiovasc Drugs Ther 19 105–112 Occurrence Handle16025228 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s10557-005-0443-x Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2MXmt1GntLo%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • J Li B Zhang Z Huang S Wang C Tang J Du (2004) ArticleTitleTaurine prevents beta-glycerophosphate-induced calcification in cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells Heart Vessels 19 125–131 Occurrence Handle15168060 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s00380-003-0733-9

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • QR Liu B Lopez-Corcuera H Nelson S Mandiyan N Nelson (1992) ArticleTitleCloning and expression of a cDNA encoding the transporter of taurine and b-alanine in mouse brain Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 89 12145–12149 Occurrence Handle1465453 Occurrence Handle10.1073/pnas.89.24.12145 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3sXkvV2huro%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • JB Lombardini (1994) ArticleTitleThe inhibitory effects of taurine on protein phosphorylation: comparison of various characteristics of the taurine-affected phosphoproteins present in rat retina, brain and heart Adv Exp Med Biol 359 9–17 Occurrence Handle7887292 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2MXmslWmtLs%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • JD Militante JB Lombardini (2003) ArticleTitleTaurine stimulation of calcium uptake in the retina: mechanism of action Adv Exp Med Biol 526 547–554 Occurrence Handle12908641 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXnsVyhu70%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Y Miyamoto GI Liou TJ Sprinkle (1996) ArticleTitleIsolation of a cDNA encoding a taurine transporter in the human retinal pigment epithelium Curr Eye Res 15 345–349 Occurrence Handle8654117 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BymB2MvovVU%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • HT Pitkanen SS Oja K Kemppainen JM Seppa AA Mero (2003) ArticleTitleSerum amino acid concentrations in aging men and women Amino Acids 24 413–421 Occurrence Handle12768504 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s00726-002-0338-0 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3s3ksVersg%3D%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • S Ramamoorthy FH Leibach VB Mahesh H Han T Yang-Feng RD Blakely V Ganapathy (1994) ArticleTitleFunctional characterization and chromosomal localization of a cloned taurine transporter from human placenta Biochem J 300 893–900 Occurrence Handle8010975 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2cXlslWkt70%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • J Sadoshima S Izumo (1993) ArticleTitleMolecular characterization of angiotensin II-induced hypertrophy of cardiac myocytes and hyperplasia of cardiac fibroblasts Circ Res 73 416–423

    Google Scholar 

  • H Satsu Y Miyamoto M Shimizu (1999) ArticleTitleHypertonicity stimulates taurine uptake and transporter gene expression in Caco-2 cells Biophys Acta 1419 89–96 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0005-2736(99)00058-9 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXktlers7w%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • SW Schaffer C Ballard J Azuma (1994) ArticleTitleMechanisms underlying physiological and pharmacological actions of taurine on myocardial calcium transport Adv Exp Med Biol 359 171–180 Occurrence Handle7887258 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2MXmslWmur8%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • KE Smith LA Borden CH Wang PR Hartig TA Branchek RL Weinshank (1992) ArticleTitleCloning and expression of a high affinity taurine transporter from rat brain Mol Pharmacol 42 563–569 Occurrence Handle1435737 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3sXkvV2hsrk%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • T Takatani K Takahashi Y Uozumi T Matsuda T Ito SW Schaffer Y Fujio J Azuma (2004) ArticleTitleTaurine prevents the ischemia-induced apoptosis in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes through Akt/caspase-9 pathway Biochem Biophys Res Commun 316 484–489 Occurrence Handle15020243 Occurrence Handle10.1016/j.bbrc.2004.02.066 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2cXitFKhurk%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • S Uchida HM Kwon A Yamauchi AS Preson F Marumo JS Handler (1992) ArticleTitleMolecular cloning of the cDNA for an MDCK cell Na+ and Cl− dependent taurine transporter that is regulated by hypertonicity Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 89 8230–8234 Occurrence Handle1518851 Occurrence Handle10.1073/pnas.89.17.8230 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3sXksVemt7c%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • U Warskulat U Flogel C Jacoby HG Hartwig M Thewissen MW Merx A Molojavyi B Heller-Stilb J Schrader D Haussinger (2004) ArticleTitleTaurine transporter knockout depletes muscle taurine levels and results in severe skeletal muscle impairment but leaves cardiac function uncompromised FASEB J 18 577–579 Occurrence Handle14734644 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2cXisVygs7g%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • CE Wright HH Tallan YY Lin GE Gaull (1986) ArticleTitleTaurine: biological update Annu Rev Biochem 55 427–453 Occurrence Handle3527049 Occurrence Handle10.1146/annurev.bi.55.070186.002235 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL28XlsVyhsbs%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • LQ Yuan H Xie XH Luo XP Wu HD Zhou Y Lu EY Liao (2006) ArticleTitleTaurine transporter is expressed in osteoblasts Amino Acids 31 157–163 Occurrence Handle16729199 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s00726-005-0313-7 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD28XotVynur0%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • X Zhang TE Tenner SuffixJr JB Lombardini (1999) ArticleTitleInhibition of rat vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation by taurine and taurine analogues Biochem Pharmacol 57 1331–1339 Occurrence Handle10230777 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0006-2952(99)00037-4 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXivVCjur8%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Second Xiang-Ya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China

    X.-B. Liao, X.-M. Zhou, J.-M. Li, Z.-P. Tan, L.-M. Liu, W. Zhang & H. Tan

  2. Institute of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiang-Ya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China

    Y. Lu & L.-Q. Yuan

Authors
  1. X.-B. Liao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. X.-M. Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J.-M. Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Z.-P. Tan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. L.-M. Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. W. Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. H. Tan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Y. Lu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. L.-Q. Yuan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Liao, XB., Zhou, XM., Li, JM. et al. Taurine transporter is expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells. Amino Acids 33, 639–643 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-006-0486-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-006-0486-8

Search

Navigation