title: Stable expression of functional mitochondrial uncoupling protein in Chinese hamster ovary cells.
abstract: The mitochondrial uncoupling protein (UCP) is a membranous proton carrier exclusively synthesized in brown adipocytes. The cDNA for the rat UCP was placed in an expression vector and transfected into mammalian cells. Its expression was tested in transiently transfected CHO cells. In these cells the UCP was detected in mitochondria by using antibodies. Permanent expression of the UCP was achieved in stable transformed CHO cell lines. In these cells the UCP was characterized in mitochondrial membranes, by using antibodies and hydroxyapatite purification. The protein expressed in CHO cells displayed the functional characteristics of brown adipocyte UCP. It induced the uncoupling of respiration in isolated CHO mitochondria. The membrane potential of transformed mitochondria was also significantly lowered, as a result of the proton translocating activity of the UCP. GDP is known to inhibit the proton pathway in brown fat mitochondria. Addition of GDP to CHO mitochondria containing UCP resulted in a recoupling of respiration and an increase in membrane potential. Thus we conclude that functional UCP is expressed in CHO cells and that the insertion of the UCP alone in any mitochondria is sufficient to induce the uncoupling of respiration. This approach should allow studies on the structure-function relationship of the UCP and of several other related mitochondrial carriers.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche sur la Nutrition, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-Unité Propre 1511, Meudon, France.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Casteilla
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Blondel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Klaus
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raimbault
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Diolez
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moreau
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bouillaud
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ricquier
mesh_terms: D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002460:Cell Line; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005796:Genes; D007473:Ion Channels; D007700:Kinetics; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000502:physiology; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D010053:Ovary; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010957:Plasmids; D014162:Transfection; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D007473:Ion Channels; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1; D004247:DNA