Association of the 16-kDa subunit c of vacuolar proton pump with the ileal Na+-dependent bile acid transporter: protein-protein interaction and intracellular trafficking

The rat ileal apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (Asbt) transports conjugated bile acids in a Na+-dependent fashion and localizes specifically to the apical surface of ileal enterocytes. The mechanisms that target organic anion transporters to different domains of the ileal enterocyte plasma membrane have not been well defined. Previous studies (Sung, A.-Q., Arresa, M. A., Zeng, L., Swaby, I'K., Zhou, M. M., and Suchy, F. J. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276, 6825-6833) from our laboratory demonstrated that rat Asbt follows an apical sorting pathway that is brefeldin A-sensitive and insensitive to protein glycosylation, monensin treatment, and low temperature shift. Furthermore, a 14-mer signal sequence that adopts a beta-turn conformation is required for apical localization of rat Asbt. In this study, a vacuolar proton pump subunit (VPP-c, the 16-kDa subunit c of vacuolar H+-ATPase) has been identified as an interacting partner of Asbt by a bacterial two-hybrid screen. A direct protein-protein interaction between Asbt and VPP-c was confirmed in an in vitro pull-down assay and in an in vivo mammalian two-hybrid analysis. Indirect immunofluorescence confocal microscopy demonstrated that the Asbt and VPP-c colocalized in transfected COS-7 and MDCK cells. Moreover, bafilomycin A1 (a specific inhibitor of VPP) interrupted the colocalization of Asbt and VPP-c. A taurocholate influx assay and membrane biotinylation analysis showed that treatment with bafilomycin A1 resulted in a significant decrease in bile acid transport activity and the apical membrane localization of Asbt in transfected cells. Thus, these results suggest that the apical membrane localization of Asbt is mediated in part by the vacuolar proton pump associated apical sorting machinery.     

Carboxy terminus of glucose transporter 3 contains an apical membrane targeting domain

We previously demonstrated that distinct facilitative glucose transporter isoforms display differential sorting in polarized epithelial cells. In Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells, glucose transporter 1 and 2 (GLUT1 and GLUT2) are localized to the basolateral cell surface whereas GLUTs 3 and 5 are targeted to the apical membrane. To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying this asymmetric distribution, we analyzed the targeting of chimeric glucose transporter proteins in MDCK cells. Replacement of the carboxy-terminal cytosolic tail of GLUT1, GLUT2, or GLUT4 with that from GLUT3 resulted in apical targeting. Conversely, a GLUT3 chimera containing the cytosolic carboxy terminus of GLUT2 was sorted to the basolateral membrane. These findings are not attributable to the presence of a basolateral signal in the tails of GLUTs 1, 2, and 4 because the basolateral targeting of GLUT1 was retained in a GLUT1 chimera containing the carboxy terminus of GLUT5. In addition, we were unable to demonstrate the presence of an autonomous basolateral sorting signal in the GLUT1 tail using the low-density lipoprotein receptor as a reporter. By examining the targeting of a series of more defined GLUT1/3 chimeras, we found evidence of an apical targeting signal involving residues 473-484 (DRSGKDGVMEMN) in the carboxy tail. We conclude that the targeting of GLUT3 to the apical cell surface in MDCK cells is regulated by a unique cytosolic sorting motif.     

Identification of a ligand-binding site in the Na+/bile acid cotransporting protein from rabbit ileum.

Reabsorption of bile acids occurs in the terminal ileum by a Na(+)-dependent transport system composed of several subunits of the ileal bile acid transporter (IBAT) and the ileal lipid-binding protein. To identify the bile acid-binding site of the transporter protein IBAT, ileal brush border membrane vesicles from rabbit ileum were photoaffinity labeled with a radioactive 7-azi-derivative of cholyltaurine followed by enrichment of IBAT protein by preparative SDS gel electrophoresis. Enzymatic fragmentation with chymotrypsin yielded IBAT peptide fragments in the molecular range of 20.4-4 kDa. With epitope-specific antibodies generated against the C terminus a peptide of molecular mass of 6.6-7 kDa was identified as the smallest peptide fragment carrying both the C terminus and the covalently attached radiolabeled bile acid derivative. This clearly indicates that the ileal Na(+)/bile acid cotransporting protein IBAT contains a bile acid-binding site within the C-terminal 56-67 amino acids. Based on the seven-transmembrane domain model for IBAT, the bile acid-binding site is localized to a region containing the seventh transmembrane domain and the cytoplasmic C terminus. Alternatively, assuming the nine-transmembrane domain model, this bile acid-binding site is localized to the ninth transmembrane domain and the C terminus.     

Calmodulin modulates hepatic membrane polarity by protein kinase C-sensitive steps in the basolateral endocytic pathway

Membrane polarity is maintained by a complex intermingling of various trafficking pathways, including basolateral and apical endocytosis. The present work was undertaken to better define the role of basolateral endocytic transport in apical membrane homeostasis. When polarized HepG2 hepatoma cells were incubated with calmodulin antagonists, the cells lost their polarity, as reflected by an inhibition of lipid transport of a fluorescent sphingomyelin to the apical membrane and an impediment of its recycling to the basolateral membrane. Instead, an accumulation of the lipid in dilated early endosomal compartments was observed, presumably due to a frustration of vesiculation. Interestingly, lipid transport to the apical pole, lipid recycling to the basolateral membrane and cell polarity were reestablished, while dilated compartments disappeared, when the cells were simultaneously treated with specific inhibitors of protein kinase C (PKC). Consistently, following activation of PKC, extensive dilation/vacuolation of early sorting endosomes was observed, very similar as seen upon treatment with calmodulin antagonists. Thus, the results indicate that membrane trafficking at early steps of the basolateral endocytic pathway in HepG2 cells is regulated by an intricate interplay between calmodulin and PKC. This interference, although not affecting endocytosis as such, compromises cell polarity by impeding membrane trafficking from early endosomes to the apical membrane.     

The rat liver Na(+)/bile acid cotransporter. Importance of the cytoplasmic tail to function and plasma membrane targeting

To understand the potential functions of the cytoplasmic tail of Na(+)/taurocholate cotransporter (Ntcp) and to determine the basolateral sorting mechanisms for this transporter, green fluorescent protein-fused wild type and mutant rat Ntcps were constructed and the transport properties and cellular localization were assessed in transfected COS 7 and Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. Truncation of the 56-amino acid cytoplasmic tail demonstrates that the cytoplasmic tail of rat Ntcp is involved membrane delivery of this protein in nonpolarized and polarized cells and removal of the tail does not affect the bile acid transport function of Ntcp. Using site-directed mutagenesis, two tyrosine residues, Tyr-321 and Tyr-307, in the cytoplasmic tail of Ntcp have been identified as important for the basolateral sorting of rat Ntcp in transfected MDCK cells. Tyr-321 appears to be the major basolateral-sorting determinant, and Tyr-307 acts as a supporting determinant to ensure delivery of the transporter to the basolateral surface, especially at high levels of protein expression. When the two Tyr-based basolateral sorting motifs have been removed, the N-linked carbohydrate groups direct the tyrosine to alanine mutants to the apical surface of transfected MDCK cells. The major basolateral sorting determinant Tyr-321 is within a novel beta-turn unfavorable tetrapeptide Y(321)KAA, which has not been found in any naturally occurring basolateral sorting motifs. Two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy of a 24-mer peptide corresponding to the sequence from Tyr-307 to Thr-330 on the cytoplasmic tail of Ntcp confirms that both the Tyr-321 and Tyr-307 regions do not adopt any turn structure. Since the major motif YKAA contains a beta-turn unfavorable structure, the Ntcp basolateral sorting may not be related to the clathrin-adaptor complex pathway, as is the case for many basolateral proteins.     

A 14-mer Hsp70 peptide stimulates natural killer (NK) cell activity

Compared with normal cells, tumor cell lines exhibit an unusual plasma membrane localization of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70). This tumor-selective Hsp70 membrane expression has been found to correlate with an increased sensitivity to lysis mediated by human natural killer (NK) cells that transiently adhere to plastic following cytokine stimulation. A human Hsp70-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) detects membrane-bound Hsp70 on viable tumor cells and blocks the immune response of NK cells against Hsp70-expressing tumor cells. By peptide scanning (pep-scan) analysis, the epitope of this mAb was mapped as the C-terminal-localized 8-mer NLLGRFEL (NLL, amino acids [aa] 454-461). Most interestingly, similar to full-length Hsp70 protein, the N-terminal-extended 14-mer peptide TKDNNLLGRFELSG (TKD, aa 450-463) was able to stimulate the cytolytic and proliferative activity of NK cells at concentrations equivalent to full-length Hsp70 protein. Blocking studies revealed that an excess of the 14-mer peptide TKDNNLLGRFELSG inhibits the cytolytic activity of NK cells similar to that of Hsp70 protein. In comparison, other TKD-related peptides, including the 8-mer antibody epitope NLLGRFEL (aa 454-461), the 12-mer TKDNNLLGRFEL (aa 450-461), the 13-mer C-terminal-extended peptide NLLGRFELSGIPP (aa 454-466), the 14-mer TKD-equivalent sequences of Hsp70hom TKDNNLLGRFELTG (aa 450-463), Hsc70 TKDNNLLGKFELTG (aa 450-463), and DnaK AADNKSLGQFNLDG (aa 447-460) failed to activate NK activity.     

Nonvectorial surface transport, endocytosis via a Di-leucine-based motif, and bidirectional transcytosis of chimera encoding the cytosolic tail of rat FcRn expressed in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells

Transfer of passive immunity from the mother to the fetus or newborn involves the transport of IgG across several epithelia. Depending on the species, IgG is transported prenatally across the placenta and yolk sac or is absorbed from colostrum and milk by the small intestine of the suckling newborn. In both cases apical to basolateral transepithelial transport of IgG is thought to be mediated by FcRn, an IgG Fc receptor with homology to major histocompatibility class I antigens. Here, we analyzed the intracellular routing of chimera encoding the rat FcRn tail fused to the ecto- and transmembrane domain of the macrophage FcgammaRIIb. Newly synthesized chimera were delivered in a nonvectorial manner to the apical and basolateral cell surface, from where the chimera were able to internalize and transcytose. Apical to basolateral and basolateral to apical transcytosis were differently regulated. This intracellular routing of the chimera is similar to that of the native FcRn, indicating that the cytosolic tail of the receptor is necessary and sufficient to endow an unrelated FcR with the intracellular transport behavior of FcRn. Furthermore, the di-leucine motif in the cytosolic domain of FcRn was required for rapid and efficient endocytosis but not for basolateral sorting of the chimera.     

Basolateral protein transport in streptolysin O-permeabilized MDCK cells

We have reconstituted polarized protein transport in streptolysin O- permeabilized MDCK cells from the TGN to the basolateral surface and to the apical surface. These transport steps are dependent on temperature, energy and exogenously supplied cytosol. Using this in vitro system we show that a whole tail peptide (WT peptide) corresponding to the cytoplasmic tail of a basolaterally sorted protein, the vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein (VSV G) inhibits the TGN to basolateral transport but does not affect any other transport step. Inhibition of VSV G transport to basolateral surface by WT peptide did not result in missorting of the protein to the apical surface. Mutation of the single tyrosine residue in the WT peptide reduced its inhibitory potency four- to fivefold. These results suggest that the VSV G tail physically interacts with a component of the sorting machinery. Using a cross- linking approach, we have identified proteins that associate with the cytoplasmic tail domain of VSV G. One of these polypeptides, Tin-2 (Tail interacting protein-2), associates with VSV G in the TGN, the site of protein sorting, but not in the ER nor at the cell surface. Tin- 2 does not associate with apically targeted hemagglutinin. WT peptide that inhibited the basolateral transport of VSV G also inhibited the association of Tin-2 with VSV G. Together, these properties make Tin-2 a candidate basolateral sorter. The results demonstrate the usefulness of the SLO-permeabilized cell system in dissecting the sorting machinery.     

Importance of the carboxyl-terminal FTSL motif of membrane cofactor protein for basolateral sorting and endocytosis. Positive and negative modulation by signals inside and outside the cytoplasmic tail.

Membrane cofactor protein (MCP), a widely distributed complement regulatory protein, is expressed on the basolateral surface of polarized epithelial cells, and it is not endocytosed. The carboxyl-terminal tetrapeptide (FTSL) is required for polarized surface expression. The ability of this tetrapeptide to serve as an autonomous sorting signal has been analyzed by adding this sequence motif to the C terminus of an apical membrane protein, the influenza A virus hemagglutinin (HA). The recombinant protein HA-FTSL retained the apical localization of the parental HA protein. Substitution of the complete cytoplasmic tail of MCP for the cytoplasmic tail of HA resulted in the targeting of the chimeric protein (HA/MCP) to the basolateral surface suggesting that the carboxyl-terminal FTSL motif is a weak sorting signal that requires additional targeting information from the membrane-proximal part of the cytoplasmic tail of MCP for redirecting an apical protein to the basolateral membrane domain. In contrast to the native HA, the HA-FTSL protein was subject to endocytosis. The basolateral HA/MCP was also found to be internalized and thus differed from the basolateral MCP. This result suggests that the carboxyl-terminal FTSL motif serves as an internalization signal and that in native MCP sorting information outside the cytoplasmic tail counteracts this endocytosis signal. Substitution of a tyrosine for the phenylalanine dramatically increased the internalization with most of the HA-YTSL protein being present intracellularly. Our results are consistent with the view that the interplay of multiple sorting signals and the modification of a well known targeting signal (YTSL) by amino acid exchange (FTSL) determine the constitutive expression of MCP on the basolateral surface of polarized epithelial cells.     

Transport of vesicular stomatitis virus G protein to the cell surface is signal mediated in polarized and nonpolarized cells

Current model propose that in nonpolarized cells, transport of plasma membrane proteins to the surface occurs by default. In contrast, compelling evidence indicates that in polarized epithelial cells, plasma membrane proteins are sorted in the TGN into at least two vectorial routes to apical and basolateral surface domains. Since both apical and basolateral proteins are also normally expressed by both polarized and nonpolarized cells, we explored here whether recently described basolateral sorting signals in the cytoplasmic domain of basolateral proteins are recognized and used for post TGN transport by nonpolarized cells. To this end, we compared the inhibitory effect of basolateral signal peptides on the cytosol-stimulated release of two basolateral and one apical marker in semi-intact fibroblasts (3T3), pituitary (GH3), and epithelial (MDCK) cells. A basolateral signal peptide (VSVGp) corresponding to the 29-amino acid cytoplasmic tail of vesicular stomatitis virus G protein (VSVG) inhibited with identical potency the vesicular release of VSVG from the TGN of all three cell lines. On the other hand, the VSVG peptide did not inhibit the vesicular release of HA in MDCK cells not of two polypeptide hormones (growth hormone and prolactin) in GH3 cells, whereas in 3T3 cells (influenza) hemagglutinin was inhibited, albeit with a 3x lower potency than VSVG. The results support the existence of a basolateral-like, signal-mediated constitutive pathway from TGN to plasma membrane in all three cell types, and suggest that an apical-like pathway may be present in fibroblast. The data support cargo protein involvement, not bulk flow, in the formation of post-TGN vesicles and predict the involvement of distinct cytosolic factors in the assembly of apical and basolateral transport vesicles.     

Topography of the membrane domain of the liver Na+-dependent bile acid transporter

The ileal apical and liver basolateral bile acid transporters catalyze the Na+-dependent uptake of these amphipathic molecules in the intestine and liver. They contain nine predicted helical hydrophobic sequences (H1-H9) between the exoplasmic N-glycosylated N terminus and the cytoplasmic C terminus. Previous in vitro translation and in vivo alanine insertion scanning studies gave evidence for either nine or seven transmembrane segments, with H3 and H8 noninserted in the latter model. N-terminal GFP constructs containing either successive predicted segments or only the last two domains of the liver transporter following a membrane anchor signal were expressed in HEK-293 cells, and a C-terminal glycosylation flag allowed detection of membrane insertion. Western blot analysis with anti-GFP antibody after alkali and PNGase treatment showed that H1, H2, H3 behaved as competent transmembrane (TM) sequences. Results from longer constructs were difficult to interpret. H9, however, but not H8 was membrane-inserted. To analyze the intact transporter, a C-terminal YFP fusion protein was expressed as a functionally active protein in the plasma membrane of HEK-293 cells as seen by confocal microscopy. After limited tryptic digestion to ensure the accessibility of only exoplasmic lysine or arginine residues, molecular weight (MW) analysis of the five cleavage products on SDS-PAGE predicted the presence of seven transmembrane segments, H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, H6, and H9, with H7 and H8 exoplasmic. This new method provided evidence for seven membrane segments giving a new model of the membrane domain of this protein and probably the homologous ileal transporter, with H7/H8 as the transport region.     

Identification of a carboxyl-terminal motif essential for the targeting of Na+-HCO-3 cotransporter NBC1 to the basolateral membrane

The Na+-HCO3- cotransporter NBC1 is located exclusively on the basolateral membrane and mediates vectorial transport of bicarbonate in a number of epithelia, including kidney and pancreas. To identify the motifs that direct the targeting of kidney NBC1 to basolateral membrane, wild type and various carboxyl-terminally truncated kidney NBC1 mutants were generated, fused translationally in-frame to GFP, and transiently expressed in kidney epithelial cells. GFP was linked to the NH2 terminus of NBC1, and labeling was examined by confocal microscopy. Full-length (1035 aa) and mutants with the deletion of 3 or 20 amino acids from the COOH-terminal end of NBC1 (lengths 1032 and 1015 aa, respectively) showed strong and exclusive targeting on the basolateral membrane. However, the deletion of 26 amino acid residues from the COOH-terminal end (length 1010 aa) resulted in retargeting of NBC1 to the apical membrane. Expression studies in oocytes demonstrated that the NBC1 mutant with the deletion of 26 amino acid residues from the COOH-terminal end is functional. Additionally, the deletion of the last 23 amino acids or mutation in the conserved residue Phe at position 1013 on the COOH-terminal end demonstrated retargeting to the apical membrane. We propose that a carboxyl-terminal motif with the sequence QQPFLS, which spans amino acid residues 1010-1015, and specifically the amino acid residue Phe (position 1013) are essential for the exclusive targeting of NBC1 to the basolateral membrane.     

Rat liver dipeptidylpeptidase IV contains competing apical and basolateral targeting information.

Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells deliver endogenous apical and basolateral proteins directly to the appropriate domains. We are investigating the molecular signals on a model plasma membrane hydrolase, dipeptidylpeptidase IV (DPPIV). Most newly synthesized rat liver DPPIV is delivered directly to the apical surface of transfected MDCK cells; however, about 20% is delivered first to the basolateral surface and reaches the apical surface via transcytosis (Casanova, J. E., Mishumi, Y., Ikehara, Y., Hubbard, A. L., and Mostov, K. E. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 24428-24432). A soluble form of DPPIV (solDPPIV) containing only the lumenal domain of the protein was efficiently transported and secreted by stably transfected MDCK cells. If this domain contains apical sorting information, we would expect 80% of the soluble protein to be secreted apically. Surprisingly, 95% of the secreted solDPPIV was found in the apical medium. The high efficiency of apical secretion suggested that the transmembrane domain and cytoplasmic tail of DPPIV might contain competing basolateral targeting information. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the trafficking of a chimera in which the cytoplasmic tail and transmembrane domains of DPPIV were joined to lysozyme, an exogenous protein which should not contain sorting information. This protein was delivered predominantly to the basolateral surface. Our results suggest that the lumenal domain of DPPIV carries dominant apical sorting information while the transmembrane domain and cytoplasmic tail of the molecule contains competing basolateral sorting information.     

Contextual binding of p120ctn to E-cadherin at the basolateral plasma membrane in polarized epithelia

E-cadherin-catenin complexes mediate cell-cell adhesion on the basolateral membrane of epithelial cells. The cytoplasmic tail of E-cadherin supports multiple protein interactions, including binding of beta-catenin at the C terminus and of p120ctn to the juxtamembrane domain. The temporal assembly and polarized trafficking of the complex or its individual components to the basolateral membrane are not fully understood. In Madin-Darby canine kidney cells at steady state and after treatment with cycloheximide or temperature blocks, E-cadherin and beta-catenin localized to the Golgi complex, but p120ctn was found only at the basolateral plasma membrane. We previously identified a dileucine sorting motif (Leu586-Leu587, termed S1) in the juxtamembrane domain of E-cadherin and now show that it is required to target full-length E-cadherin to the basolateral membrane. Removal of S1 resulted in missorting of E-cadherin mutants (EcadDeltaS1) to the apical membrane; beta-catenin was simultaneously missorted and appeared at the apical membrane. p120ctn was not mistargeted with EcadDeltaS1, but could be recruited to the E-cadherin-catenin complex only at the basolateral membrane. These findings help define the temporal assembly and sorting of the E-cadherin-catenin complex and show that membrane recruitment of p120ctn in polarized cells is contextual and confined to the basolateral membrane.     

Identification of a Cytoplasmic Signal for Apical Transcytosis

Polarized epithelial cells contain apical and basolateral surfaces with distinct protein compositions. To establish and maintain this asymmetry, newly made plasma membrane proteins are sorted in the trans Golgi network for delivery to apical or basolateral surfaces. Signals for basolateral sorting are generally located in the cytoplasmic domain of the protein, whereas signals for apical sorting can be in any part of the protein and can depend on N-linked glycosylation of the protein. Signals for constitutive transcytosis to the apical surface have not been reported. In this study, we used the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR), which is biosynthetically delivered to the basolateral surface. There the pIgR can bind a ligand and, with or without bound ligand, the pIgR can then be transcytosed to the apical surface. We found that the glycosylation of the pIgR did not affect the biosynthetic transport of the pIgR. However, glycosylation had an effect on pIgR apical transcytosis. Importantly, analysis of the cytoplasmic tail of the pIgR suggested that a short peptide segment was sufficient to transcytose the pIgR or a neutral reporter from the basolateral to the apical surface. This apical transcytosis sorting signal was not involved in polarized biosynthetic traffic of the pIgR.     

Alternative splicing of the first intracellular loop of plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase isoform 2 alters its membrane targeting

Plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPases (PMCAs) are involved in local Ca(2+) signaling and in the spatial control of Ca(2+) extrusion, but how different PMCA isoforms are targeted to specific membrane domains is unknown. In polarized MDCK epithelial cells, a green fluorescent protein-tagged PMCA4b construct was targeted to the basolateral membrane, whereas a green fluorescent protein-tagged PMCA2b construct was localized to both the apical and basolateral domain. The PDZ protein-binding COOH-terminal tail of PMCA2b was not responsible for its apical membrane localization, as a chimeric pump made of an NH(2)-terminal portion from PMCA4 and a COOH-terminal tail from PMCA2b was targeted to the basolateral domain. Deletion of the last six residues of the COOH terminus of either PMCA2b or PMCA4b did not alter their membrane targeting, suggesting that PDZ protein interactions are not essential for proper membrane localization of the pumps. Instead, we found that alternative splicing affecting the first cytosolic loop determined apical membrane targeting of PMCA2. Only the "w" form, which contains a 45-amino acid residue insertion, showed prominent apical membrane localization. By contrast, the x and z splice variants containing insertions of 14 and 0 residues, respectively, localized to the basolateral membrane. The w splice insert was the crucial determinant of apical PMCA2 localization, and this was independent of the splice configuration at the COOH-terminal end of the pump; both PMCA2w/b and PMCA2w/a showed prominent apical targeting, whereas PMCA2x/b, PMCA2z/b, and PMCA2z/a were confined to the basolateral membrane. These data report the first differential effect of alternative splicing within the first cytosolic loop of PMCA2 and help explain the selective enrichment of specific PMCA2 isoforms in specialized membrane compartments such as stereocilia of auditory hair cells.     

Analysis of the signals for polarized transport of influenza virus (A/WSN/33) neuraminidase and human transferrin receptor, type II transmembrane proteins.

In polarized MDCK cells influenza virus (A/WSN/33) neuraminidase (NA) and human transferrin receptor (TR), type II glycoproteins, when expressed from cloned cDNAs, were transported and accumulated preferentially on the apical and basolateral surfaces, respectively. We have investigated the signals for polarized sorting by constructing chimeras between NA and TR and by making deletion mutants. NATR delta 90, which contains the cytoplasmic tail and transmembrane domain of NA and the ectodomain of TR, was found to be localized predominantly on the apical membrane, whereas TRNA delta 35, containing the cytoplasmic and transmembrane domains of TR and the ectodomain of NA, was expressed preferentially on the basolateral membrane. TR delta 57, a TR deletion mutant lacking 57 amino acids in the TR cytoplasmic tail, did not exhibit any polarized expression and was present on both apical and basolateral surfaces, whereas a deletion mutant (NA delta 28-35) lacking amino acid residues from 28 to 35 in the transmembrane domain of NA resulted in secretion of the NA ectodomain predominantly from the apical side. These results taken together indicate that the cytoplasmic tail of TR was sufficient for basolateral transport, but influenza virus NA possesses two sorting signals, one in the cytoplasmic or transmembrane domain and the other within the ectodomain, both of which are independently able to transport the protein to the apical plasma membrane.     

Weanling, but not adult, rabbit colon absorbs bile acids: flux is linked to expression of putative bile acid transporters

Intestinal handling of bile acids is age dependent; adult, but not newborn, ileum absorbs bile acids, and adult, but not weanling or newborn, distal colon secretes Cl(-) in response to bile acids. Bile acid transport involving the apical Na(+)-dependent bile acid transporter (Asbt) and lipid-binding protein (LBP) is well characterized in the ileum, but little is known about colonic bile acid transport. We investigated colonic bile acid transport and the nature of the underlying transporters and receptors. Colon from adult, weanling, and newborn rabbits was screened by semiquantitative RT-PCR for Asbt, its truncated variant t-Asbt, LBP, multidrug resistance-associated protein 3, organic solute transporter-alpha, and farnesoid X receptor. Asbt and LBP showed maximal expression in weanling and significantly less expression in adult and newborn rabbits. The ileum, but not the colon, expressed t-Asbt. Asbt, LBP, and farnesoid X receptor mRNA expression in weanling colon parallel the profile in adult ileum, a tissue designed for high bile acid absorption. To examine their functional role, transepithelial [(3)H]taurocholate transport was measured in weanling and adult colon and ileum. Under short-circuit conditions, weanling colon and ileum and adult ileum showed net bile acid absorption: 1.23 +/- 0.62, 5.53 +/- 1.20, and 11.41 +/- 3.45 nmol x cm(-2) x h(-1), respectively. However, adult colon secreted bile acids (-1.39 +/- 0.47 nmol x cm(-2) x h(-1)). We demonstrate for the first time that weanling, but not adult, distal colon shows net bile acid absorption. Thus increased expression of Asbt and LBP in weanling colon, which is associated with parallel increases in taurocholate absorption, has relevance in enterohepatic conservation of bile acids when ileal bile acid recycling is not fully developed.