title: Cytoplasmic transport of fatty acids in rat enterocytes: role of binding to fatty acid-binding protein.
abstract: The intracellular movement of fatty acids is thought to be facilitated through codiffusion with fatty acid-binding protein (FABP). This facilitation may occur by decreasing binding to immobile membranes, leading to faster cytoplasmic diffusion. The aims of this study were to measure the intracellular transport of 12-N-methyl-(7-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazol)aminostearate (NBD-stearate) in villus rat enterocytes and to determine 1) the mechanism of its cytoplasmic transport and 2) if its transport rate correlated with the known variation of FABP binding capacity along the length of the small intestine. Two-dimensional laser photobleaching was used to measure the movement of a fluorescent fatty acid NBD-stearate in enterocytes isolated from different segments of rat intestine. The fraction of NBD-stearate found in the cytostol of enterocytes was determined by differential centrifugation. Cytoplasmic transport of NBD-stearate occurred solely by diffusion and not by convection. Diffusion was homogeneous (nondirectional), consistent with isotropic diffusion. The diffusion rate varied with location along the intestine, correlating with the local FABP concentration and measured cytosolic binding. We conclude that cytoplasmic proteins like FABP promote the intracellular transport of fatty acids by enhancing their diffusive flux. We suggest that facilitation is not specific for a particular cell type but occurs in a variety of cells that transport fatty acids and may contain different types of FABP.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, St. Louis University Health Sciences Center, St. Louis, Missouri 63110-0250, USA. luxonba@slu.edu
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Luxon
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Milliano
mesh_terms: D009327:4-Chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D018481:Convection; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism*; D004058:Diffusion; D000071438:Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005453:Fluorescence; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D007422:Intestines / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D018996:Myelin P2 Protein / Q000502:physiology*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013228:Stearates / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; C490174:Fabp7 protein, rat; D000071438:Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D005227:Fatty Acids; D018996:Myelin P2 Protein; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D013228:Stearates; C060027:12-N-methyl-7-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazolamino stearate; D009327:4-Chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan