title: Transepithelial transport of alpha-lipoic acid across human intestinal Caco-2 cell monolayers.
abstract: Alpha-lipoic acid (LA) is used in dietary supplements or food with antioxidative functions. The mechanism for the intestinal absorption of alpha-lipoic acid was investigated in this study by using human intestinal Caco-2 cell monolayers. LA was rapidly transported across the Caco-2 cell monolayers, this transport being energy-dependent, suggesting transporter-mediated transport to be the mechanism involved. The LA transport was strongly dependent on the pH value, being accelerated in the acidic pH range. Furthermore, such monocarboxylic acids as benzoic acid and medium-chain fatty acids significantly inhibited LA transport, suggesting that a proton-linked monocarboxylic acid transporter (MCT) was involved in the intestinal transport of LA. The conversion of LA to the more antioxidative dihydrolipoic acid was also apparent during the transport process.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takaishi
authors.forename: Kazutaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Satsu
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimizu
mesh_terms: D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D008063:Thioctic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008063:Thioctic Acid