title: The endothelial plasma membrane transporter bilitranslocase mediates rat aortic vasodilation induced by anthocyanins.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Anthocyanins, a sub-class of flavonoids, induce endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation, by activating endothelial nitric oxide synthase and consequently increasing production of the vasorelaxant agent nitric oxide. It is not yet clear if anthocyanin-induced vasorelaxation starts with their interaction with plasma membrane receptors in the extracellular compartment, or with their membrane transport toward intracellular molecular targets. We therefore investigated the possible role of bilitranslocase (TC 2.A.65.1.1), an endothelial plasma membrane carrier that transports flavonoids, in the vasodilation activity induced by anthocyanins.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vascular reactivity was assessed in thoracic aortic rings obtained from male Wistar rats. Pre-treatment of aortic rings with anti-sequence bilitranslocase antibodies targeting the carrier, decreased vasodilation induced by cyanidin 3-glucoside and bilberry anthocyanins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Here we show for the first time that bilitranslocase mediates a critical step in vasodilation induced by anthocyanins. This offers new insights into the molecular mechanism involved in endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation by flavonoids, and the importance of their specific membrane carriers.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology and Experimental Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia. lovro.ziberna@mf.uni-lj.si
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ziberna
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lunder
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tramer
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Drevenšek
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Passamonti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000872:Anthocyanins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000502:physiology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry; D002570:Ceruloplasmin; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D005960:Glucosides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D029800:Vaccinium myrtillus / Q000737:chemistry; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000872:Anthocyanins; D000906:Antibodies; D005960:Glucosides; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C462279:cyanidin-3-O-beta-glucopyranoside; D002570:Ceruloplasmin; C033838:bilitranslocase