Identification and characterization of a monocarboxylate transporter (MCT1) in pig and human colon: its potential to transport L-lactate as well as butyrate
A. Ritzhaupt et al., Identification and characterization of a monocarboxylate transporter (MCT1) in pig and human colon: its potential to transport L-lactate as well as butyrate, J PHYSL LON, 513(3), 1998, pp. 719-732
1. Oligonucleotide primers based on the human heart monocarboxylate transpo
rter (MCT1) cDNA sequence were used to isolate a 544 bp cDNA product from h
uman colonic RNA by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR
). The sequence of the RT-PCR product was identical to that of human heart
MCT1. Northern blot analysis using the RT-PCR product indicated the presenc
e of a single transcript of 3.3 kb in mRNA isolated from both human and pig
colonic tissues. Western blot analysis using an antibody to human MCT1 ide
ntified a specific protein with an apparent molecular mass of 40 kDa in pur
ified and well-characterized human and pig colonic lumenal membrane vesicle
s (LMV).
2. Properties of the colonic lumenal membrane L-lactate transporter were st
udied by the uptake of L-[U-C-14]lactate into human and pig colonic LMV. L-
Lactate uptake was stimulated in the presence of an outward-directed anion
gradient at an extravesicular pH of 5.5. Transport of L-lactate into anion-
loaded colonic LMV appeared to be via a proton-activated, anion exchange me
chanism.
3. L-Lactate uptake was inhibited by pyruvate, butyrate, propionate and ace
tate, but not by Cl- and SO42-. The uptake of L-lactate was inhibited by ph
loretin, mercurials and alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (4-CHC), but not
by the stilbene anion exchange inhibitors, 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2
'-disulphonic acid (DIDS) and 4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyanostilbene2,2'-disul
phonic acid (SITS).
4. The results indicate the presence of a MCT1 protein on the lumenal membr
ane of the colon that is involved in the transport of L-lactate as well as
butyrate across the colonic lumenal membrane. Western blot analysis showed
that the abundance of this protein decreases in lumenal membrane fractions
isolated from colonic carcinomas compared with that detected in the normal
healthy colonic tissue.