Tissue-specific and isoform-specific changes in MCT1 and MCT4 in heart andsoleus muscle during a 1-yr period

We examined the postnatal changes (days 10, 36, 84, 160, 365) of monocarbox ylate transporters (MCT)1 and MCT4 in rat heart and soleus muscle. In the h eart, MM protein and mRNA remained unaltered from day 10 until 1 yr of age. Both MCT4 protein and mRNA in the heart were detected at 10 days of age, b ut the MCT4 protein and transcript were not detected thereafter. In the sol eus muscle, MM protein (+38%) and mRNA (+136%) increased during the first 8 4 days and remained stable until 1 yr of age. In contrast, soleus MCT4 prot ein decreased by 90% over the course of 1 yr, with the most rapid decrease (-60%) occurring by day 84 (P < 0.05). At the same time, MCT4 mRNA was incr eased by 74% from days 10 to 84 (P < 0.05), remaining stable thereafter. In conclusion, developmental changes in MCT transport proteins are tissue spe cific and isoform specific. Furthermore, it appears that MCT1 expression in the heart and MCT1 and MCT4 expression in the soleus are regulated by pret ranslational processes, whereas posttranscriptional processes regulate MCT4 expression in the soleus muscle.