title: Regulation of taurine transporter expression by NO in cultured human retinal pigment epithelial cells.
abstract: Taurine is actively transported at the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) apical membrane in an Na(+)- and Cl(-)-dependent manner. Diabetes may alter the function of the taurine transporter. Because nitric oxide (NO) is a molecule implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetes, we asked whether NO would alter the activity of the taurine transporter in cultured ARPE-19 cells. The activity of the transporter was stimulated in the presence of the NO donor 3-morpholinosydnonimine. The stimulatory effects of 3-morpholinosydnonimine were not observed during the initial 16-h treatment; however, stimulation of taurine uptake was elevated dramatically above control values with 20- and 24-h treatments. Kinetic analysis revealed that the stimulation was associated with an increase in the maximal velocity of the transporter with no significant change in the substrate affinity. The NO-induced increase in taurine uptake was inhibited by actinomycin D and cycloheximide. RT-PCR analysis and nuclear run-on assays provided evidence for upregulation of the transporter gene. This study provides the first evidence of an increase in taurine transporter gene expression in human RPE cells cultured under conditions of elevated levels of NO.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia 30912, USA.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Bridges
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ola
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El-Sherbeny
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ganapathy
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005978:Glutathione / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008981:Molsidomine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors / Q000494:pharmacology; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D013654:Taurine / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D000099247:Taurine Transporters
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D005978:Glutathione; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008751:Methylene Blue; D008981:Molsidomine; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors; D009599:Nitroprusside; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; D013654:Taurine; D014443:Tyrosine; D000099247:Taurine Transporters; C002744:3-nitrotyrosine; C002385:linsidomine