title: Organic osmolyte transport in quiescent and activated rat hepatic stellate cells (Ito cells).
abstract: Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) results in multiple alterations of cell function, but nothing is known about organic osmolytes in these cells. Organic osmolyte transport and transporter messenger RNA (mRNA) expression was studied in quiescent rat HSCs and after their transformation into alpha1-smooth muscle actin-positive myofibroblastlike cells. Quiescent stellate cells expressed in an osmosensitive manner the mRNA levels of the transporters for taurine (TAUT) and myoinositol (SMIT), whereas that for betaine was not detectable. However, these cells showed osmosensitive uptake not only of taurine and myoinositol but also of betaine. Osmosensitive betaine uptake was mediated by amino acid transport system A. After transformation into myofibroblasts, taurine and myoinositol uptake increased 5.5-fold and 4.5-fold, respectively, together with the respective transporter mRNA levels. Betaine uptake increased twofold because of osmosensitive induction of BGT1 expression. In both quiescent and activated HSCs, hypoosmotic cell swelling induced a rapid and 4, 4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid-sensitive osmolyte efflux. In quiescent HSCs, hyperosmotic exposure increased the messenger RNA (mRNA) level of cyclooxygenase-2, which was counteracted by taurine but not by betaine or myoinositol. The study identifies taurine, myoinositol, and betaine as osmolytes in HSCs. Transformation of HSCs is accompanied by enhanced osmolyte transport activity and induction of the BGT1 transporter, which may be another activation marker of HSCs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectiology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Peters-Regehr
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Bode
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kubitz
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Häussinger
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001622:Betaine / Q000378:metabolism; D001692:Biological Transport; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D050485:GABA Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007294:Inositol / Q000378:metabolism; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009995:Osmosis; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013654:Taurine / Q000378:metabolism; D000099247:Taurine Transporters
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D001622:Betaine; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D050485:GABA Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D007294:Inositol; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013654:Taurine; D000099247:Taurine Transporters; C072207:betaine plasma membrane transport proteins