Adaptive regulation of neutral amino acid transport System A in rat H4 hepatoma cells

Relationship between the amino acid release kinetics of feed proteins and nitrogen balance in finishing pigs

In current nutrition requirements of swine, although the protein diets are formulated based on the ileal digestibility of protein and amino acid (AA), there is a difference in nitrogen utilisation among various protein diets, which might be related to the AA release kinetics. To evaluate the relationship between AA release kinetics of feed proteins and nitrogen balance in finishing pigs, pigs were fed diets based on casein (CAS) or corn gluten meal (CGM) at normal or low-protein concentrations, and the AA release patterns were assessed. A 2 × 2 full factorial experimental design was used. 24 pigs (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) with an initial weight of 67.0 ± 1.8 kg were randomly assigned to consume a normal-protein casein-based diet (N.CAS, 10% CP), normal-protein corn gluten meal-based diet (N.CGM, 10% CP), low-protein casein-based diet (L.CAS, 8.5% CP), or low-protein corn gluten meal-based diet (L.CGM, 8.5% CP) for 14 days (n = 6 per group; pigs housed and fed separately). The low-protein diets were associated with a more rapid release of AAs in the early stages of gastric digestion than the normal-protein diets. The N.CAS and L.CAS diets were associated with a peak AA release at approximately 4 h during trypsin digestion, whereas N.CGM and L.CGM were at approximately 16 h. The N.CAS diet was associated with the least dispersed release curves and lowest synchronisation indexes, implying that it was associated with the best AA release synchronism, whereas the L.CGM diet was on the contrary. The nitrogen intake (NI), faecal nitrogen, urine nitrogen (UN), total nitrogen, net protein utilisation and apparent biological value (ABV) of protein of pigs fed the L.CAS or L.CGM diets were lower than those fed the N.CAS or N.CGM diets (P < 0.05). Notably, there was a difference in NI (P < 0.05) and trends with respect to UN and ABV (0.05 < P < 0.1), but no differences in retained nitrogen or apparent nitrogen digestibility between pigs fed the N.CAS or L.CAS diets and those fed the N.CGM or L.CGM diets. Pigs fed the N.CAS or N.CGM diets had higher serum concentrations of UN than pigs fed the L.CAS or L.CGM diets (P < 0.05), but there were no differences in serum total protein, albumin, triglyceride, glucose, alanine transaminase, or aspartate aminotransferase between the groups. In addition, there was an interaction between protein level and protein source on serum globulin (P < 0.05). Therefore, the diet with a better AA release synchronism can improve protein utilisation efficiency in finishing pigs and to reduce environmental pollution.

Effects of Sodium and Amino Acid Substrate Availability upon the Expression and Stability of the SNAT2 (SLC38A2) Amino Acid Transporter

The SNAT2 (SLC38A2) System A amino acid transporter mediates Na⁺-coupled cellular uptake of small neutral α-amino acids (AAs) and is extensively regulated in response to humoral and nutritional cues. Understanding the basis of such regulation is important given that AA uptake via SNAT2 has been linked to activation of mTORC1; a major controller of many important cellular processes including, for example, mRNA translation, lipid synthesis, and autophagy and whose dysregulation has been implicated in the development of cancer and conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Extracellular AA withdrawal induces an adaptive upregulation of SNAT2 gene transcription and SNAT2 protein stability but, as yet, the sensing mechanism(s) that initiate this response remain poorly understood although interactions between SNAT2 and its substrates may play a vital role. Herein, we have explored how changes in substrate (AA and Na⁺) availability impact upon the adaptive regulation of SNAT2 in HeLa cells. We show that while AA deprivation induces SNAT2 gene expression, this induction was not apparent if extracellular Na⁺ was removed during the AA withdrawal period. Furthermore, we show that the increase in SNAT2 protein stability associated with AA withdrawal is selectively repressed by provision of SNAT2 AA substrates (N-methylaminoisobutyric acid and glutamine), but not non-substrates. This stabilization and substrate-induced repression were critically dependent upon the cytoplasmic N-terminal tail of SNAT2 (containing lysyl residues which are putative targets of the ubiquitin-proteasome system), because “grafting” this tail onto SNAT5, a related SLC38 family member that does not exhibit adaptive regulation, confers substrate-induced changes in stability of the SNAT2-5 chimeric transporter. In contrast, expression of SNAT2 in which the N-terminal lysyl residues were mutated to alanine rendered the transporter stable and insensitive to substrate-induced changes in protein stability. Intriguingly, SNAT2 protein stability was dramatically reduced in the absence of extracellular Na⁺ irrespective of whether substrate AAs were present or absent. Our findings indicate that the presence of extracellular Na⁺ (and potentially its binding to SNAT2) may be crucial for not only sensing SNAT2 AA occupancy and consequently for initiating the adaptive response under AA insufficient conditions, but for enabling substrate-induced changes in SNAT2 protein stability.

SNAT2 amino acid transporter is regulated by amino acids of the SLC6 gamma-aminobutyric acid transporter subfamily in neocortical neurons and may play no role in delivering glutamine for glutamatergic transmission

System A transporters SNAT1 and SNAT2 mediate uptake of neutral alpha-amino acids (e.g. glutamine, alanine, and proline) and are expressed in central neurons. We tested the hypothesis that SNAT2 is required to support neurotransmitter glutamate synthesis by examining spontaneous excitatory activity after inducing or repressing SNAT2 expression for prolonged periods. We stimulated de novo synthesis of SNAT2 mRNA and increased SNAT2 mRNA stability and total SNAT2 protein and functional activity, whereas SNAT1 expression was unaffected. Increased endogenous SNAT2 expression did not affect spontaneous excitatory action-potential frequency over control. Long term glutamine exposure strongly repressed SNAT2 expression but increased excitatory action-potential frequency. Quantal size was not altered following SNAT2 induction or repression. These results suggest that spontaneous glutamatergic transmission in pyramidal neurons does not rely on SNAT2. To our surprise, repression of SNAT2 activity was not limited to System A substrates. Taurine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, and beta-alanine (substrates of the SLC6 gamma-aminobutyric acid transporter family) repressed SNAT2 expression more potently (10x) than did System A substrates; however, the responses to System A substrates were more rapid. Since ATF4 (activating transcription factor 4) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein are known to bind to an amino acid response element within the SNAT2 promoter and mediate induction of SNAT2 in peripheral cell lines, we tested whether either factor was similarly induced by amino acid deprivation in neurons. We found that glutamine and taurine repressed the induction of both transcription factors. Our data revealed that SNAT2 expression is constitutively low in neurons under physiological conditions but potently induced, together with the taurine transporter TauT, in response to depletion of neutral amino acids.

Amino acid transceptors: gate keepers of nutrient exchange and regulators of nutrient signaling

Amino acid transporters at the surface of cells are in an ideal location to relay nutritional information, as well as nutrients themselves, to the cell interior. These transporters are able to modulate signaling downstream of intracellular amino acid receptors by regulating intracellular amino acid concentrations through processes of coupled transport. The concept of dual-function amino acid transporter/receptor (or "transceptor") proteins is well established in primitive eukaryotes such as yeast, where detection of extracellular amino acid deficiency leads to upregulation of proteins involved in biosynthesis and transport of the deficient amino acid(s). The evolution of the "extracellular milieu" and nutrient-regulated endocrine controls in higher eukaryotes, alongside their frequent inability to synthesize all proteinaceous amino acids (and, hence, the requirement for indispensable amino acids in their diet), appears to have lessened the priority of extracellular amino acid sensing as a stimulus for metabolic signals. Nevertheless, recent studies of amino acid transporters in flies and mammalian cell lines have revealed perhaps unanticipated "echoes" of these transceptor functions, which are revealed by cellular stresses (notably starvation) or gene modification/silencing. APC-transporter superfamily members, including slimfast, path, and SNAT2 all appear capable of sensing and signaling amino acid availability to the target of rapamycin (TOR) pathway, possibly through PI 3-kinase-dependent mechanisms. We hypothesize (by extrapolation from knowledge of the yeast Ssy1 transceptor) that, at least for SNAT2, the transceptor discriminates between extracellular and intracellular amino acid stimuli when evoking a signal.

Nutritional control of gene expression: how mammalian cells respond to amino acid limitation

The amino acid response (AAR) pathway in mammalian cells is designed to detect and respond to amino acid deficiency. Limiting any essential amino acid initiates this signaling cascade, which leads to increased translation of a "master regulator," activating transcription factor (ATF) 4, and ultimately, to regulation of many steps along the pathway of DNA to RNA to protein. These regulated events include chromatin remodeling, RNA splicing, nuclear RNA export, mRNA stabilization, and translational control. Proteins that are increased in their expression as targets of the AAR pathway include membrane transporters, transcription factors from the basic region/leucine zipper (bZIP) superfamily, growth factors, and metabolic enzymes. Significant progress has been achieved in understanding the molecular mechanisms by which amino acids control the synthesis and turnover of mRNA and protein. Beyond gaining additional knowledge of these important regulatory pathways, further characterization of how these processes contribute to the pathology of various disease states represents an interesting aspect of future research in molecular nutrition.

Glutamine regulates amino acid transport and glutathione levels in a human neuroblastoma cell line

Both amino acid transport and glutathione play a key role in regulating cancer cell growth. Glutamine can serve as an important ATP source for cancer cells, and it can supply glutamate, a precursor for the synthesis of glutathione, by the hydrolysis of glutamine. We examined the effects of glutamine concentrations [2 mM (control), 400 microM, 200 microM, and 0 microM] on cell growth, amino acid transport, and glutathione levels in a human neuroblastoma cell line, SK-N-SH, by using cell culture technique. Cell growth rates were dependent on glutamine concentrations in culture media. Glutamate transport significantly increased in glutamine-deprived groups, and this increase was remarkable in lower glutamine groups (200 microM and 0 microM glutamine). Glutamine deprivation resulted in a significant decrease in glutathione levels by 20% compared with control, but glutathione in 0 microM glutamine was maintained with the same levels found in 400 microM and 200 microM glutamine. DNA and protein synthesis correlated directly with glutamine concentrations in culture media. Our results suggest that glutamine mediates neuroblastoma cell proliferation by regulating amino acid transport and glutathione synthesis, both when sufficient nutrients are present and when key nutrients such as glutamine are in limited supply.

Regulation of cationic amino acid transport: the story of the CAT-1 transporter

The discovery of the function of the receptor for the ecotropic retrovirus as a membrane transporter for the essential amino acids lysine and arginine was a landmark finding in the field of molecular nutrition. This finding indicated that cationic amino acid transporters (CATs) act pathologically as viral receptors. The importance of this transporter was further supported by knockout mice that were not viable after birth. CAT-1 was the first amino acid transporter to be cloned; several other CATs were later characterized biochemically and molecularly. These transporters mediate the bidirectional transport of cationic amino acids, thus supporting important metabolic functions, such as synthesis of proteins, nitric oxide (NO) synthesis, polyamine biosynthesis, and interorgan amino acid flow. This review briefly describes the advances in the regulation of cationic amino acid transport, focusing on the molecular mechanisms that regulate the CAT-1 transporter. Of particular interest to this review is the regulation of CAT-1 by nutritional stresses, such as amino acid availability. The studies that are reviewed conclude that the CAT-1 gene is essential for cell survival during stress because it allows cells to resume growth as soon as amino acids become available.

Sodium-coupled neutral amino acid (System N/A) transporters of the SLC38 gene family

The sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporters (SNAT) of the SLC38 gene family resemble the classically-described System A and System N transport activities in terms of their functional properties and patterns of regulation. Transport of small, aliphatic amino acids by System A subtypes (SNAT1, SNAT2, and SNAT4) is rheogenic and pH sensitive. The System N subtypes SNAT3 and SNAT5 also countertransport H(+), which may be key to their operation in reverse, and have narrower substrate profiles than do the System A subtypes. Glutamine emerges as a favored substrate throughout the family, except for SNAT4. The SLC38 transporters undoubtedly play many physiological roles including the transfer of glutamine from astrocyte to neuron in the CNS, ammonia detoxification and gluconeogenesis in the liver, and the renal response to acidosis. Probing their regulation has revealed additional roles, and recent work has considered SLC38 transporters as therapeutic targets in neoplasia.

Characterization of tryptophan high affinity transport system in pinealocytes of the rat. Day-night modulation

Tryptophan is required in the pineal gland for the formation of serotonin, precursor of melatonin biosynthesis. The level of this amino acid in the serum and in the pineal gland of the rat undergoes a circadian rhythm, and reduced plasma tryptophan concentration decreases secretion of melatonin in humans. Tryptophan is transported into the cells by the long chain neutral amine acid system T and by the aromatic amino acid system T. The high affinity component of [(3)H]tryptophan uptake was studied in pinealocytes of the rat. Inhibition was observed in the presence of phenylalanine or tyrosine, but not in the presence of neutral amino acids, alanine, glycine, serine, lysine or by 2-aminobicyclo[2,2,1]-heptane-2-carboxylic acid, a substrate specific for system L. The transport of tryptophan was temperature-dependent and trans-stimulated by phenylalanine and tyrosine, but was energy-, sodium-, chloride-, and pH-independent. In addition, the sulphydryl agent N-ethylmaleimide did not modify the high affinity transport of tryptophan in pinealocytes. The kinetic parameters were not significantly different at 12:00 as compared to 24:00 h. The treatment with the inhibitor of tryptophan hydroxylase, p-chlorophenylalanine, produced an increase in the maximal velocity of the uptake and a reduction in the affinity at 12:00, but not at 24:00 h, probably indicating that during the day, the formation of serotonin in the pineal gland is favoured by elevating the uptake of tryptophan, whereas at 24:00 h other mechanisms, such as induction of enzymes are taking place. High affinity tryptophan uptake in the rat pineal gland occurs through system T and is upregulated during the day when the availability of serotonin is reduced.

Characterization of L-glutamine transport by a human neuroblastoma cell line

This study characterized the Na+-dependent transport of L-glutamine by a human neuroblastoma cell line, SK-N-SH. The Na+-dependent component represented >95% of the total glutamine uptake. Kinetic studies showed a single saturable high-affinity carrier with a Michaelis constant (K(m)) of 163 +/- 23 microM and a maximum transport velocity (Vmax) of 13,713 +/- 803 pmol x mg protein(-1) x min(-1). Glutamine uptake was markedly inhibited in the presence of L-alanine, L-asparagine, and L-serine. Li+ did not substitute for Na+. These data show that L-glutamine is predominantly taken up through system ASC. Glutamine deprivation resulted in the decrease of glutamine transport by a mechanism that decreased Vmax without affecting K(m). The expression of the system ASC subtype ASCT2 decreased in the glutamine-deprived group, whereas glutamine deprivation did not induce changes in system ASC subtype ASCT1 mRNA expression. Adaptive increases in Na+-dependent glutamate, Na+-dependent 2-(methylamino)isobutyric acid, and Na+-independent leucine transport were observed under glutamine-deprived conditions, which were completely blocked by actinomycin D and cycloheximide. These mechanisms may allow cells to survive and even grow under nutrient-deprived conditions.

Insulin-like growth factor-I stimulates amino acid transport in a glutamine-deprived human neuroblastoma cell line

It is still unknown how insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) regulates cancer cell growth in the condition of the limited availability of key nutrients, such as glutamine. We investigated the effects of IGF-I on cell growth and amino acid transport in a glutamine-deprived human neuroblastoma cell line, SK-N-SH. Cell growth was measured, and 3H-labeled amino acid transport was assayed after treatment with or without IGF-I (50 ng/ml) in 2 mM (control) and 100 microM glutamine concentrations. Cell growth rates were dependent on glutamine concentrations. IGF-I stimulated cell growth in both 2 mM and 100 microM glutamine. IGF-I stimulated glutamine transport in 100 microM glutamine with the mechanism of increasing carrier Vmax, but had no effect in 2 mM glutamine. IGF-I also stimulated leucine, glutamate and 2-(methylamino)isobutyric acid transport in 100 microM glutamine. There were significant increases in [3H]thymidine and [3H]leucine incorporation in IGF-I-treated cells in both 2 mM and 100 microM glutamine. These data suggest that IGF-I stimulates cell growth by increasing amino acid transport in the condition of low glutamine levels in a human neuroblastoma cell line. This mechanism may allow to maintain cell growth even in nutrient-deprived tumor tissues.

Post-transcriptional regulation of the arginine transporter Cat-1 by amino acid availability

The regulation of the high affinity cationic amino acid transporter (Cat-1) by amino acid availability has been studied. In C6 glioma and NRK kidney cells, cat-1 mRNA levels increased 3.8-18-fold following 2 h of amino acid starvation. The transcription rate of the cat-1 gene remained unchanged during amino acid starvation, suggesting a post-transcriptional mechanism of regulation. This mechanism was investigated by expressing a cat-1 mRNA from a tetracycline-regulated promoter. The cat-1 mRNA contained 1.9 kilobase pairs (kb) of coding sequence, 4.5 kb of 3'-untranslated region, and 80 base pairs of 5'-untranslated region. The full-length (7.9 kb) mRNA increased 5-fold in amino acid-depleted cells. However, a 3.4-kb species that results from the usage of an alternative polyadenylation site was not induced, suggesting that the cat-1 mRNA was stabilized by cis-acting RNA sequences within the 3'-UTR. Transcription and protein synthesis were required for the increase in full-length cat-1 mRNA level. Because omission of amino acids from the cell culture medium leads to a substantial decrease in protein synthesis, the translation of the increased cat-1 mRNA was assessed in amino acid-depleted cells. Western blot analysis demonstrated that cat-1 mRNA and protein levels changed in parallel. The increase in protein level was significantly lower than the increase in mRNA level, supporting the conclusion that cat-1 mRNA is inefficiently translated when the supply of amino acids is limited, relative to amino acid-fed cells. Finally, y(+)-mediated transport of arginine in amino acid-fed and -starved cells paralleled Cat-1 protein levels. We conclude that the cat-1 gene is subject to adaptive regulation by amino acid availability. Amino acid depletion initiates molecular events that lead to increased cat-1 mRNA stability. This causes an increase in Cat-1 protein, and y(+) transport once amino acids become available.

Adaptive regulation of the cationic amino acid transporter-1 (Cat-1) in Fao cells

The regulation of the high affinity cationic amino acid transporter Cat-1 in Fao rat hepatoma cells by amino acid availability has been studied. Cat-1 mRNA level increased (3-fold) in 4 h in response to amino acid starvation and remained high for at least 24 h. This induction was independent of the presence of serum in the media and transcription and protein synthesis were required for induction to occur. When Fao cells were shifted from amino acid-depleted media to amino acid-fed media, the levels of the induced cat-1 mRNA returned to the basal level. In amino acid-fed cells, accumulation of cat-1 mRNA was dependent on protein synthesis, indicating that a labile protein is required to sustain cat-1 mRNA level. No change in the transcription rate of the cat-1 gene during amino acid starvation was observed, indicating that cat-1 is regulated at a post-transcriptional step. System y+ mediated transport of arginine was reduced by 50% in 1 h and by 70% in 24 h after amino acid starvation. However, when 24-h amino acid-starved Fao cells were preloaded with 2 mM lysine or arginine for 1 h prior to the transport assays, arginine uptake was trans-stimulated by 5-fold. This stimulation was specific for cationic amino acids, since alanine, proline, or leucine had no effect. These data lead to the hypothesis that amino acid starvation results in an increased cat-1 mRNA level to support synthesis of additional Cat-1 protein. The following lines of evidence support the hypothesis: (i) the use of inhibitors of protein synthesis in starved cells inhibits the trans-zero transport of arginine; (ii) cells starved for 1-24 h exhibited an increase of trans-stimulated arginine transport activity for the first 6 h and had no loss of activity at 24 h, suggesting that constant replenishment of the transporter protein occurs; (iii) immunofluorescent staining of 24-h fed and starved cells for cat-1 showed similar cell surface distribution; (iv) new protein synthesis is not required for trans-stimulation of arginine transport upon refeeding of 24-h starved cells. We conclude that the increased level of cat-1 mRNA in response to amino acid starvation support the synthesis of Cat-1 protein during starvation and increased amino acid transport upon substrate presentation. Therefore, the cat-1 mRNA content is regulated by a derepression/repression mechanism in response to amino acid availability. We propose that the amino acid-signal transduction pathway consists of a series of steps which include the post-transcriptional regulation of amino acid transporter genes.

Eukaryotic gene expression: metabolite control by amino acids

Our understanding of the metabolite control in mammalian cells lags far behind that in prokaryotes. This is particularly true for amino-acid-dependent gene expression. Few proteins have been identified for which synthesis is selectively regulated by amino-acid availability, and the mechanisms for control of transcription and translation in response to changes in amino-acid availability have not yet been elucidated. The intimate relationship between amino-acid supply and the fundamental cellular process of protein synthesis makes amino-acid-dependent control of gene expression particularly important. Future studies should provide important insight into amino-acid and other nutrient signaling pathways, and their impact on cellular growth and metabolism.

Adaptive regulation of amino acid transport in nutrient-deprived human hepatomas

BACKGROUND

Malignant cells require increased amounts of amino acids, in particular glutamine and leucine, to support DNA and protein biosynthesis. Although plasma concentrations in the center of solid tumors can be much lower than normal circulating levels, it is still unknown how tumor cells can survive despite low amino acid levels. We examined the effects of glutamine or leucine deprivation on cell growth and amino acid transport activity in two human hepatoma cell lines, SK-Hep and HepG2.

METHODS

We studied the transport of glutamine, leucine, alanine, and arginine. The carrier-mediated uptake of 3H-amino acids was determined in cells cultured in normal and amino acid-deprived media.

RESULTS

The growth of both cell lines was dependent on the concentration of glutamine and leucine. In SK-Hep, there was a significant increase in initial rate glutamine transport activity in the glutamine-deprived group, attributable to an increase in transporter affinity (Km; 0.6 mmol/L [control], 385 +/- 43 mumol/L; 0.1 mmol/L, 221 +/- 11 mumol/L; P < 0.01). At low glutamine concentration, the saturable Na(+)-independent uptake of leucine and arginine as well as the Na(+)-dependent uptake of alanine increased significantly in both SK-Hep and HepG2. Similarly, in leucine-deprived SK-Hep cells, leucine uptake increased twofold, but the change was attributable to an enhanced transporter capacity (Vmax; 0.2 mmol/L [control], 38,900 +/- 700; 0.0 mmol/L, 75,900 +/- 4,900 pmol/mg protein per minute; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Adaptive increases in initial rate amino acid transport activities were elicited by glutamine and leucine deprivation in these two human hepatoma cell lines. Decreased extracellular amino acid levels encountered by tumors in vivo may elicit similar adaptive responses that contribute to the maintenance of cytoplasmic levels of amino acids essential for growth.

Leucine activates system A amino acid transport in L6 rat skeletal muscle cells

In this study, we present evidence showing that leucine is involved in the upregulation of system A amino acid transport activity in the L6 rat skeletal muscle cell line. At leucine concentrations of > or = 0.05 mM, the uptake of N-methylamino-alpha-isobutyric acid (MeAIB), a paradigm system A substrate, was stimulated by up to 50%. Kinetic analysis revealed that this stimulation was a result of an increase in the maximal transport rate of MeAIB uptake, from 327 +/- 26 to 450 +/- 8 pmol.min-1.mg protein-1 after incubation of cells with leucine. No significant change in the concentration at which MeAIB transport was half maximal was observed. System A activation was biphasic, reaching an initial plateau after 3 h, with a second phase of activation being observed after 5 h. The initial activation of system A transport occurred by a mechanism distinct from that activated by insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) (3 nM), since the effects of leucine and IGF-I were additive. This activation was not due to transstimulation, since 2-amino-2-norbornane-carboxylic acid, a specific system L substrate, did not stimulate system A. Leucine's keto acid, ketoisocaproic acid, prevented the activation of system A transport, whereas aminooxyacetate, a transaminase inhibitor, augmented the increase in system A activity by leucine. Both cycloheximide and actinomycin D inhibited the leucine-induced increase in MeAIB uptake. The present results indicate that leucine, or some cellular component regulated by it, is capable of stimulating system A transport through control of DNA transcription, possibly of a gene encoding either a repressor or enhancer molecule of system A or perhaps of the gene encoding system A itself.

Effect of simultaneous ingestion of L-amino acids and whole protein on plasma amino acid and urea nitrogen concentrations in humans

The effect of whole protein and L-amino acid ingestion on plasma amino acid (PAA) and urea nitrogen (UN) concentrations was investigated. Ten males ingested equivalent amounts of nitrogen as (trial 1) cottage cheese, (trial 2) an L-amino acid mixture, (trial 3) cottage cheese and L-amino acids. Mean changes in total PAA between trials 1 (342 mumol/liter) and 2 (719 mumol/liter) and trials 1 (342 mumol/liter) and 3 (981 mumol/liter) at 30 min and trials 1 (547 mumol/liter) and 3 (143 mumol/liter) at 150 min differed significantly. Mean changes in essential PAA between trials 1 (180 mumol/liter) and 2 (420 mumol/liter) and trials 1 (180 mumol/liter) and 3 (500 mumol/liter) at 30 min differed significantly. Mean changes in essential PAA between trials 1 (247 mumol/liter) and 3 (334 mumol/liter) at 60 min and between trials 1 (252 mumol/liter) and 3 (80 mumol/liter) at 150 min differed significantly. Mean increments in total and essential PAA were higher and peaked faster but decreased more quickly after trials 2 and 3 than after trial 1. Mean changes in plasma UN did not differ between trials. Ingestion of either L-amino acids, whole protein or the mixture of L-amino acids and whole protein was equally effective in increasing total PAA over 4 hr.

Sensitivity of system A and ASC transport activities to thiol-group-modifying reagents in rat liver plasma-membrane vesicles. Evidence for a direct binding of N-ethylmaleimide and iodoacetamide on A and ASC carriers

1. In the present study we have examined the sensitivity of A and ASC amino-acid-carrier activities in rat liver plasma-membrane vesicles to the thiol-group modifying reagents N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) and iodoacetamide (IA). To this end, the different Na(+)-dependent entities involved in alanine transport were assessed. 2. NEM inactivated Na(+)-dependent alanine transport as a result of the inhibition of both system A and ASC transport activities. The functional sensitivity of system A to NEM was greater than that of system ASC. 3. The presence of L-alanine (10 mM) during the exposure of vesicles to NEM afforded partial protection to system A, but not to the ASC, carrier. This effect was specific, since the presence of L-phenylalanine (10 mM) did not cause any protection. 4. Na+ did not protect A or ASC carriers against NEM inactivation; however, the presence of Na+ (100 mM-NaCl) and L-alanine (10 mM) during the exposure of the vesicles to NEM protected against inactivation of system A and ASC transport activities. The extent of protection was greater in the case of the system ASC transport activity than in the case of the A carrier. 5. IA also diminished Na(+)-dependent alanine transport by inhibition of A and ASC transport activities. Sodium and L-alanine afforded protection to both A and ASC transport activities from the inhibitory action of IA. The extent of protection induced by substrates was similar for both carriers. 6. It is concluded that there is one, or several, free thiol groups in A and ASC carriers, the integrity of which is essential for transport activity. Sensitivity to thiol-group-specific reagents and the pattern of protection with substrates against inactivation is different in A and ASC carriers. That suggests the existence of topological dissimilarities regarding the thiol-group containing site(s) in A and ASC amino acid carriers.

Substrate-dependent adaptive regulation and trans-inhibition of System A-mediated amino acid transport. Studies using rat hepatoma plasma membrane vesicles

Substrate-dependent regulation of amino acid transport by System A occurs by both direct action at the carrier (trans-inhibition) and transcriptional control (adaptive regulation). While experiments with intact cells have led to working models that describe these regulatory phenomena, the use of subcellular approaches will serve to refine the present hypotheses. Adaptive induction of System A transport following amino acid starvation of cells was shown to be dependent on de novo RNA and protein synthesis, and the stimulated activity was shown to be retained in isolated plasma membrane vesicles. This stimulated transport activity was tightly associated with the plasma membrane, but could be solubilized by 4 M urea and 2.5% cholate, and recovered following reconstitution of the protein into artificial proteoliposomes. These data support the working hypothesis that adaptive induction of transport is the result of de novo synthesis and insertion into the plasma membrane of System A carrier protein. In contrast, the activity of System ASC in the vesicles from the amino acid starved cells was actually reduced by 2-5-fold when compared to amino acid-fed cells. A more rapid form of regulation of System A activity is trans-inhibition. The use of isolated plasma membrane vesicles demonstrated that trans-inhibition in whole cells did not survive membrane isolation. However, substrate loading of isolated membrane vesicles containing high levels of System A activity, produced trans-inhibition in a very specific manner in that System A substrates resulted in decreased transport activity, while those amino acids which are poor substrates for the System A carrier did not. Thus, trans-inhibition is not the result of a recycling process involving an intracellular pool of carriers, but rather can be accounted for by differences in the kinetics for amino acid binding and/or translocation on the two sides of the membrane.

Neutral amino acid transport in human synovial cells: substrate specificity of adaptative regulation and transinhibition

Neutral amino acid transport was characterized in human synovial cells. The amino acids tested are transported by all three major neutral amino acid transport systems, that is, A, L, and ASC. The model amino acid 2-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) was found to be a strong specific substrate for system A in synovial cells. When cells were starved of amino acids, the activity of AIB transport increased, reaching a maximum within 1 h. The stimulation of transport activity was not blocked by cycloheximide and would thus appear to be related to a release from transinhibition. Similarly, the decrease in the activity of AIB transport observed after the addition of alpha-methyl-aminoisobutyric acid (meAIB) appeared to be related to transinhibition. However, using a different approach, that is, amino acid starvation followed by incubation with 10 mM meAIB and transfer to an amino acid-free medium with or without cycloheximide supplementation, a clear increase in AIB uptake, due both to derepression and a release from transinhibition, was observed. Unlike human fibroblasts, the depression of system A in these synovial cells was not serum-dependent. The process of derepression was observed only after preloading with meAIB. Neither AIB nor alanine produced this phenomenon. Moreover, alanine preloading led to a large increase in AIB transport activity due to a release from transinhibition. These observations indicate that the process of derepression and release from transinhibition are specific to the substrates present in the culture medium prior to amino acid starvation.

System A amino acid transport in a rat submandibular ductal cell line

1. Neutral amino acid transport was studied in an established cell line derived from rat submandibular glands, RSMTx. 2. The greatest portion of alpha-amino isobutyrate (AIB) transport is mediated by system A. This component is Na+ dependent, pH sensitive, markedly inhibited by methyl AIB and enhanced 2-5-fold by amino acid depletion. 3. Evidence for the presence of other neutral amino acid transport systems, presumably ASC and L, was also found in these cells.

Inactivation of amino acid transport in rat hepatocytes and hepatoma cells by PCMBS

the transport of amino acids by both normal rat hepatocytes and rat H4 hepatoma cells has been tested for inactivation by sulfhydryl-preferring, protein-modifying reagents. Amino acid transport by systems A, ASC, N, L, and y+ in the H4 hepatoma cells was relatively resistant to inactivation by the alkylating reagent N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), whereas uptake mediated by systems A, ASC, and L was decreased in normal rat hepatocytes. In contrast, nearly all of the amino acid transport systems in both cell types were inhibited strongly by p-chloromercuribenzene sulfonate (PCMBS). The exceptions were the H4 hepatoma system y+ activity (72% of control) and system L-mediated uptake (121% of control) in normal hepatocytes. Although transport via system A was equally sensitive to inhibition by PCMBS in both cell types, substrate-dependent protection from this inactivation was observed only in the H4 hepatoma cells. These results illustrate the significant differences that exist between normal and transformed liver cells in respect to amino acid transport inactivation by sulfhydryl reagents.

Extracellular creatine regulates creatine transport in rat and human muscle cells

Muscle cells do not synthesize creatine; they take up exogenous creatine by specific Na+-dependent plasma membrane transporters. We found that extracellular creatine regulates the level of expression of these creatine transporters in L6 rat muscle cells. L6 myoblasts maintained for 24 hr in medium containing 1 mM creatine exhibited 1/3rd of the creatine transport activity of cells maintained for 24 hr in medium without creatine. Down-regulation of creatine transport was partially reversed when creatine-fed L6 cells were incubated for 24 hr in medium lacking creatine. Down-regulation of creatine transport occurred independently of amino acid and glucose transport. Furthermore, the down-regulation of creatine transporters by extracellular creatine was slowed by inhibitors of protein synthesis. These results suggest that creatine induces the expression of a protein that functionally inactivates the creatine transporters. Regulation of creatine transport by extracellular creatine also was observed in L6 myotubes and in cultures of human myoblasts and myotubes. Hence, the activity of creatine transport represents another site for the regulation of creatine homeostasis.

Two membrane-bound proteins associated with alanine resistance and increased A-system amino acid transport in mutants of CHO-K1

Growth of CHO-K1, a proline auxotroph, is inhibited by amino acids that prevent proline transport. From a hydroxyurea-treated, alanine-resistant, constitutive mutant, alar4, we isolated, in a stepwise fashion, mutants, resistant to higher concentrations of alanine, that have increased velocity of amino acid transport through the A system. Two such mutants, alar4-H2.1 and alar4-H3.9, isolated as resistant to 50 mM and 125 mM alanine, respectively, showed increases in Vmax of proline transport through the A system that are directly proportional to their resistance to alanine. Alar4-H3.9, as compared to alar4 and CHO-K1, has six and 29 times the Vmax of proline transport through the A system and two and five times the velocity of transport through the combined ASC and P systems, respectively, and no change in system L. No double-minute or homologous staining regions were detectable in alar4-H3.9. A-system activity of alar4-H2.1 and alar4-H3.9, when grown under nonselective conditions, was stable for 20 generations and then declined. The phenotype of alar4-H3.9 is codominant with that of alar4 and partially recessive to that of CHO-K1. Membrane vesicles prepared from alar4-H3.9 show increases mainly in A-system transport. In sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of A-system active membrane vesicles and endoplasmic reticulum, two bands of molecular weight of approximately 62-66 kd and 29 kd are present in higher concentrations in alar4-H3.9 than in CHO-K1. These results are compatible with the hypothesis that the phenotype of alar4-H3.9 is the result of gene amplification of an A-system transporter structural gene and that the two bands may represent this transporter.

The absence of gamma-glutamyltransferase activity in transport-dependent methotrexate-resistant hepatoma cells

A cell line derived from H35 hepatoma cells resistant to methotrexate (MTX) as a result of a defective transport system for MTX has been examined to determine how closely the variant resembles the parent cells with regard to other biochemical properties. The capacity of extracts of resistant cells to catalyze the poly-gamma-glutamylation of MTX was approximately twice as great as that of wild-type cell extracts. Evidence of similarity between wild-type and H35 R0.3 cells was derived from the equitoxic activity to both cell lines of nonclassical antifolates and other miscellaneous antineoplastics which act by a variety of mechanisms. Two phenotypic markers of hepatic cell function, alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) transport and tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) activity inducibility, were present in both cell types, demonstrating the maintenance of these phenotypic properties in the H35 R0.3 cells. gamma-Glutamyltransferase (GGT, EC 2.3.2.2) activity differed in that it was present in wild-type cells and barely detectable in H35 R0.3 cells. The GGT activity reappeared in the H35 cells when they regained MTX sensitivity after incubation for 14-20 weeks in MTX-free media. Although defective MTX transport appeared to be correlated with the disappearance of GGT activity in an H35 variant cell line, no functional relationship between them is apparent at this time. It is possible that a lack of GGT activity may be evidence of a more differentiated phenotype in the transport-resistant cell line.

Solubilization and reconstitution of hepatic System A-mediated amino acid transport. Preparation of proteoliposomes containing glucagon-stimulated transport activity

System A-mediated amino acid transport activity from rat liver plasma membrane vesicles has been solubilized and reconstituted into proteoliposomes using a freeze-thaw-dilution technique. The presence of cholate, at a cholate to protein ratio of 1:1, during the freeze-thaw step resulted in an enhancement in recoverable transport activity. The carrier required both phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine for optimal activity, but the addition of cholesterol to the reconstitution procedure appeared to have no significant effect on the resulting activity. A lipid to protein ratio of 20:1 yielded maximal transport activity. Sonication of the proteoliposomes provided some improvement in the accuracy of replicate assays for a given proteoliposome preparation. Isolated liver plasma membrane vesicles prepared from rats treated in vivo with glucagon in combination with dexamethasone contained stimulated System A activity. This enhanced transport activity could be solubilized and recovered in proteoliposomes generated from these plasma membranes. The data support the proposal that hormone regulation of the hepatic System A gene results in the de novo synthesis and plasma membrane insertion of the carrier protein itself.

Adaptive regulation of intestinal nutrient transporters

Because most eukaryotic somatic cells are bathed in a constant internal milieu, most of their proteins are constitutive, unlike the adaptive enzymes of bacteria. However, intestinal mucosal cells, like bacteria, face a varying milieu. Hence, we tested for adaptive regulation of intestinal nutrient transporters, sought its functional significance, and compared it with regulation of bacterial proteins. All 12 transporters studied proved to be regulated by dietary substrate levels. Regulation in the intestine is slower than in bacteria and shows lower peak-to-basal activity levels. Regulatory patterns vary greatly among transporters: two sugars and two nonessential amino acids monotonically up-regulate their transporters, two vitamins and three minerals monotonically down-regulate their transporters, and two transporters of essential amino acids respond nonmonotonically to levels of their substrates. These varied patterns arise from trade-offs among four factors: transporter costs, calories yielded by metabolizable substrates, fixed daily requirements of essential nutrients, and toxicity of certain nutrients in large amounts. Based on these trade-offs, we predict the form of regulatory pattern for intestinal transporters not yet studied.

System A transport activity in normal rat hepatocytes and transformed liver cells: substrate protection from inactivation by sulfhydryl-modifying reagents

The transport of amino acids by normal rat hepatocytes and several hepatoma cell lines has been examined for inactivation by various protein-modifying reagents, including the sulfhydryl-preferring reagents N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) and p-chloromercuribenzene sulfonate (PCMBS). Uptake of 2-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB), a specific probe for hepatic System A-mediated transport, was equally sensitive to inhibition by the organic mercurial PCMBS in each of the cell types tested. In contrast, the sensitivity of System A to inactivation by NEM was substantially different among the five cell types. Normal hepatocytes showed the greatest sensitivity, while the hepatoma cells varied in their responsiveness from moderate to no inhibition. PCMBS inactivated greater than 85% of the System A activity in rat H4 hepatoma cells within 10 min (t1/2 = 3 min). The inhibition by PCMBS was rapidly reversed by treatment of the cells with dithiothreitol. Amino acids showing a high affinity for System A protected the transport system from inactivation, whereas non-substrates produced little or no protection. Amino acid-dependent protection was stereospecific and system-specific. L-norleucine competitively inhibited AIB uptake (Ki = 1.9 +/- 0.1 mM) in H4 cells and also protected System A from PCMBS-dependent inactivation (half-maximal protection occurred at an amino acid concentration of 0.6 +/- 0.1 mM). N-bromosuccinimide was completely ineffective as an inhibitor of System A activity in hepatocytes, whereas treatment of H4 rat hepatoma cells with this reagent resulted in greater than 95% inhibition.

Regulation of the A system of amino acid transport in Chinese hamster ovary cells, CHO-K1: the difference in specificity between the apo-repressor inactivator (apo-ri) and the transporter and the characterization of the proposed apo-ri

When amino acids that are generally transported through the A system are added to derepressed cultures of CHO-K1 cells or to cultures that are undergoing starvation-derepression, as in the co-repressor (co-r), co-inactivator (co-i), (co-ri) assay, the A system undergoes trans-inhibition, inactivation, and repression. The effect of inactivation and repression is not related to the ability of amino acids to bind to the A system transporter but supports a model in which these amino acids act as co-r's/co-i's, and by binding to a aporepressor/inactivator (apo-ri), the product of gene R1, convert it into a repressor/inactivator (ri). For example, beta-alanine acts as a strong co-r but does not inhibit proline transport through the A system. Hydroxyproline and histidine, although poor inhibitors of proline transport, are very effective as co-ri's. Diaminobutyrate, phenylalanine, alpha-keto-glutarate, pyro-glutamate, isoleucine, and valine, compounds that inhibit A system transport, listed in decreasing order of effectiveness, are all equally poor as co-ri's. Also the Km for the transport of 2-(methylamino)isobutyric acid (MeAIB) through the A system is two times the concentration of MeAIB required to produce one-half inactivation. Amino acid effectors and mutation can modify the conversion of the apo-ri to repressor (r) and inactivator (i). The apo-ri is converted by alanine, serine, proline, and MeAIB to ri, by beta-alanine and tryptophane to r, and by hydroxyproline to r and reduced i. The full constitutive and partial constitutive mutants alar4 and alar2, respectively, are in the same complementation group. Alar4 has no active apo-ri while the rate of derepression of alar2 is twice and the inactivation rate is equal to that of the parent culture.