Noriko Kose

Enhancement of zidovudine uptake by dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in rat syncytiotrophoblast cell line TR-TBT 18d-1.

AZT (3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine; zidovudine), which is used for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1, is transplacentally transferred to the fetus across the blood-placenta barrier, which is composed of syncytiotrophoblasts. We recently showed that apical uptake of AZT by syncytiotrophoblasts is mediated by saturable transport system(s) in the TR-TBT 18d-1 cell line, and the cellular accumulation of AZT was increased in the presence of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS). Here, we aimed to clarify the mechanism of this effect of DHEAS. Inhibitors of efflux transporters, including breast cancer resistance protein, P-glycoprotein, and multidrug resistance proteins, had little effect on the cellular accumulation of AZT in TR-TBT 18d-1. Kinetic study revealed that the rate constant for AZT uptake was greatly increased in the presence of 1 mM DHEAS. These results suggested that the effect of DHEAS was because of enhancement of the uptake process(es), rather than inhibition of efflux. When AZT uptake was analyzed according to the Michaelis-Menten equation, the estimated Michaelis constant, Km, for AZT uptake in the presence of 1 mM DHEAS was lower than that in its absence, whereas maximum uptake velocity, Vmax, and nonsaturable uptake clearance, kns, were similar in the presence and absence of DHEAS, indicating that DHEAS may change the recognition characteristics of the transporter for AZT in TR-TBT 18d-1. Thus, the increase of AZT uptake in TR-TBT 18d-1 cells in the presence of DHEAS was concluded to be because of a DHEAS-induced change in the affinity of AZT uptake system, although the transporter responsible for AZT uptake has not been identified.

Roles of TauT and system A in cytoprotection of rat syncytiotrophoblast cell line exposed to hypertonic stress

The purpose of this study was to clarify the cytoprotective mechanism(s) induced in a conditionally immortalized syncytiotrophoblast cell line (TR-TBT 18d-1) exposed to hypertonic conditions. Hypertonicity-induced apoptosis of TR-TBT 18d-1 cells, but this was blocked by addition of 1 mM taurine to the culture medium. TauT-knockdown using siRNA revealed that TauT is a major contributor to taurine uptake by TR-TBT 18d-1 cells, at least under normal conditions. Cellular uptake of [(3)H]taurine and [(14)C]betaine by TR-TBT 18d-1 cells cultured under hypertonic conditions was increased compared to that under normal conditions. TauT, BGT-1, ATA2 and HSP70 mRNAs were upregulated by hypertonicity, while OCTN2, ENT1 and CNT1 mRNAs were downregulated. [(3)H]Taurine uptake was strongly inhibited by TauT inhibitors such as hypotaurine and β-alanine. MeAIB, a system A specific substrate, inhibited hypertonic stress-induced [(14)C]betaine uptake. These results suggest that TauT and system A play cytoprotective roles in syncytiotrophoblasts exposed to hypertonic stress.

Potential of Various Drugs to Inhibit Nucleoside Uptake in Rat Syncytiotrophoblast Cell Line, TR-TBT 18d-1

The placenta requires nucleosides as nutrients for fetal growth, so it is important to examine potential interactions between placental transports of nucleosides and drugs to ensure the safety of pharmacotherapy during pregnancy. The purposes of this study are to clarify the uptake mechanisms of nucleosides from the maternal side of the syncytiotrophoblast and to investigate the inhibitory effect of various drugs on nucleoside uptake, using the rat syncytiotrophoblast cell line TR-TBT 18d-1, which shows syncytial-like morphology and functional expression of several transporters. Initial uptake of [(3)H]uridine or [(3)H]adenosine from the apical side of TR-TBT 18d-1 was markedly reduced by an excess of the respective unlabelled compound, and was slightly reduced by replacement of Na(+) with N-methyl-d-glucamine, indicating that both uptakes were Na(+)-independent. [(3)H]Uridine and [(3)H]adenosine uptakes in the absence of Na(+) were significantly and concentration-dependently inhibited by both 0.1 microM and 100 microM nitrobenzylthioinosine, suggesting the involvement of equilibrative nucleoside transporters (ENTs, SLC29). Kinetic analysis of adenosine uptake yielded a K(m) value of approximately 17 microM. These results are consistent with the reported uptake characteristics of uridine and adenosine by ENT1 and ENT2. The uptakes were significantly reduced by high concentrations of several nucleoside drugs, including cytarabine, vidarabine, zidovudine, mizoribine, caffeine and amitriptyline, but the effects were small within the therapeutic concentration ranges. In summary, our results suggest that ENTs are involved in apical uptake of uridine and adenosine in the syncytiotrophoblast. However, therapeutic concentrations of the drugs tested in this study might have little influence on maternal-to-fetal nucleoside transfer.

Proton-coupled erythromycin antiport at rat blood-placenta barrier

The aim of the present study was to characterize the mechanism of erythromycin transport at the blood-placenta barrier, using TR-TBT 18d-1 cells as a model of rat syncytiotrophoblasts. [14C]Erythromycin was taken up by TR-TBT 18d-1 cells with a Michaelis constant of 466 μM. Although the uptake was not dependent on extracellular Na+ or Cl−, it was increased at weakly alkaline pH. Significant overshoot of [14C]erythromycin uptake by placental brush-border membrane vesicles was observed in the presence of an outwardly directed proton gradient. These results indicate that erythromycin is transferred by the H+-coupled transport system in syncytiotrophoblasts. To address the physiological transport of erythromycin in rat placenta, fetal-to-maternal transport clearance was estimated by means of the single placental perfusion technique. Clearance of [14C]erythromycin was higher than that of [14C]inulin, a paracellular pathway marker, and was decreased by the addition of 5 mM erythromycin, indicating that saturable efflux system from fetus to mother is involved. The effect of various transporter inhibitors on [14C]erythromycin efflux from TR-TBT 18d-1 cells was evaluated. cyclosporin A, fumitremorgin C, and probenecid had no effect, whereas ethylisopropylamiloride, a specific inhibitor of Na+/H+ exchangers (NHEs), was significantly inhibitory. These results suggest that erythromycin efflux transport at the rat blood-placenta barrier is mediated by an erythromycin/H+ antiport system, driven by H+ supplied by NHEs.

Enhancement of Zidovudine Transfer to Molt-4 Cells, a Human T-Cell Model, by Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate

A possible approach to improve antiretroviral therapy with nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors is to enhance inhibitor delivery to CD4-positive T cells. We previously showed that dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) enhances zidovudine (AZT) transfer into syncytiotrophoblast. Here, we investigated whether DHEAS also enhances AZT transfer into a cellular model of human T lymphocytes, and whether AZT is taken up by a specific transport system. The effects of DHEAS and related compounds on the uptake of [(3) H]AZT and other nucleosides by Molt-4 cells (a model of human CD4-positive T cells) were measured. [(3) H]AZT uptake by Molt-4 cells was nitrobenzylthioinosine insensitive and pH dependent, and the uptake was significantly inhibited by 1 mM ethylisopropylamiloride. [(3) H]AZT uptake by Molt-4 cells was increased in the presence of DHEAS, whereas uptake of other nucleosides was reduced. Kinetic study revealed that the maximum uptake velocity (up to 30 min) was increased in the presence of DHEAS. The structural requirements for AZT uptake-enhancing activity were studied using structural analogues of DHEAS. Estrone-3-sulfate and 16α-hydroxy DHEAS also enhanced AZT uptake into Molt-4 cells. The use of uptake enhancers may be a good strategy to improve the efficacy of antiretroviral therapy.