Expression profiling of sulfotransferases in human cell lines derived fromextra-hepatic tissues

To explore the physiological roles of sulfotransferases (SULTs) in extra-he patic tissues, we examined the expression of eight SULT genes by reverse tr anscription (RT)-PCR in human cell lines that were established from various tissues. Expression levels of SULTs were low in neural cell lines such as NB-1 and GI-1, and high in epithelial cell lines, such as Caco-2 and BeWo. SULT1C2 expression was abundant in all cell types, whereas that of SULT1E1, SULT1B1 or SULT2B1 was restricted to a specific cell type. SULT1C1, which can catalyze the sulfation of,N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene, was expresse d in Caco-2, BeWo and KB562. Induction of differentiation did not generally affect SULT expression, although that of SULT1C2 was reduced after differe ntiation of the neuroblastoma cell line, NB-1, was induced. The profile of SULT expression in the culture cells obtained here gives clues to understan ding the physiological roles of SULT enzymes in extra-hepatic tissues or or gans.