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Overcoming Biological Barriers: Importance of Membrane Transporters in Homeostasis, Disease, and Disease Treatment 2.0

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pharmacology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 12643

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Giuliano Ciarimboli

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Guest Editor

Experimental Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine and Nephrology, Medical Clinic D, University Hospital Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
Interests: organic cation transporters; regulation; interaction with drugs; interaction partners
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue entitled “Overcoming Biological Barriers: Importance of Membrane Transporters in Homeostasis, Disease, and Disease Treatment 2.0” will cover a selection of recent research topics and current review articles in the field of transporter research. Experimental papers, up-to-date review articles, technical manuscripts describing the development and application of new research models and technologies in the transporter field (e.g., studies on flies, organoids, biochips, and -omics analysis), and commentaries are all welcome.

The flux of substances across the plasma membrane is important for cellular life. Many different substances (e.g., signal molecules, nutrients, metabolites, xenobiotics, and drugs) use transport proteins (transporters) to overcome this biological barrier. Therefore, transport systems play an important role in maintaining homeostasis and in the handling of drugs. Changes in the function of transporter systems can impair homeostasis, cause disease, or modify the efficacy of disease treatment with drugs. This Special Issue aims to collect the newest information on transporters, with a special focus on their function and regulation, their pathological roles, and their importance for drug effects and unwanted side effects.

Prof. Dr. Giuliano Ciarimboli
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

transporters
membrane transporter
biological barrier
physiology
pharmacology
pathology
regulation

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 4915 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Heterotypic Stressors Unmask Behavioral Influences of PMAT Deficiency in Mice

by Brady L. Weber, Marissa M. Nicodemus, Allianna K. Hite, Isabella R. Spalding, Jasmin N. Beaver, Lauren R. Scrimshaw, Sarah K. Kassis, Julie M. Reichert, Matthew T. Ford, Cameron N. Russell, Elayna M. Hallal and T. Lee Gilman

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(22), 16494; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms242216494 - 18 Nov 2023

Viewed by 805

Abstract

Certain life stressors having enduring physiological and behavioral consequences, in part by eliciting dramatic signaling shifts in monoamine neurotransmitters. High monoamine levels can overwhelm selective transporters like the serotonin transporter. This is when polyspecific transporters like plasma membrane monoamine transporter (PMAT, Slc29a4) are hypothesized to contribute most to monoaminergic signaling regulation. Here, we employed two distinct counterbalanced stressors—fear conditioning and swim stress—in mice to systematically determine how reductions in PMAT function affect heterotypic stressor responsivity. We hypothesized that male heterozygotes would exhibit augmented stressor responses relative to female heterozygotes. Decreased PMAT function enhanced context fear expression, an effect unexpectedly obscured by a sham stress condition. Impaired cued fear extinction retention and enhanced context fear expression in males were conversely unmasked by a sham swim condition. Abrogated corticosterone levels in male heterozygotes that underwent swim stress after context fear conditioning did not map onto any measured behaviors. In sum, male heterozygous mouse fear behaviors proved malleable in response to preceding stressor or sham stress exposure. Combined, these data indicate that reduced male PMAT function elicits a form of stress-responsive plasticity. Future studies should assess how PMAT is differentially affected across sexes and identify downstream consequences of the stress-shifted corticosterone dynamics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Overcoming Biological Barriers: Importance of Membrane Transporters in Homeostasis, Disease, and Disease Treatment 2.0)

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16 pages, 3289 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Regulation of Transporters for Organic Cations by High Glucose

by Martin Steinbüchel, Johannes Menne, Rita Schröter, Ute Neugebauer, Eberhard Schlatter and Giuliano Ciarimboli

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(18), 14051; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms241814051 - 13 Sep 2023

Viewed by 844

Abstract

Endogenous positively charged organic substances, including neurotransmitters and cationic uremic toxins, as well as exogenous organic cations such as the anti-diabetic medication metformin, serve as substrates for organic cation transporters (OCTs) and multidrug and toxin extrusion proteins (MATEs). These proteins facilitate their transport across cell membranes. Vectorial transport through the OCT/MATE axis mediates the hepatic and renal excretion of organic cations, regulating their systemic and local concentrations. Organic cation transporters are part of the remote sensing and signaling system, whose activity can be regulated to cope with changes in the composition of extra- and intracellular fluids. Glucose, as a source of energy, can also function as a crucial signaling molecule, regulating gene expression in various organs and tissues. Its concentration in the blood may fluctuate in specific physiological and pathophysiological conditions. In this work, the regulation of the activity of organic cation transporters was measured by incubating human embryonic kidney cells stably expressing human OCT1 (hOCT1), hOCT2, or hMATE1 with high glucose concentrations (16.7 mM). Incubation with this high glucose concentration for 48 h significantly stimulated the activity of hOCT1, hOCT2, and hMATE1 by increasing their maximal velocity (V_max), but without significantly changing their affinity for the substrates. These effects were independent of changes in osmolarity, as the addition of equimolar concentrations of mannitol did not alter transporter activity. The stimulation of transporter activity was associated with a significant increase in transporter mRNA expression. Inhibition of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase with Torin-1 suppressed the transporter stimulation induced by incubation with 16.7 mM glucose. Focusing on hOCT2, it was shown that incubation with 16.7 mM glucose increased hOCT2 protein expression in the plasma membrane. Interestingly, an apparent trend towards higher hOCT2 mRNA expression was observed in kidneys from diabetic patients, a pathology characterized by high serum glucose levels. Due to the small number of samples from diabetic patients (three), this observation must be interpreted with caution. In conclusion, incubation for 48 h with a high glucose concentration of 16.7 mM stimulated the activity and expression of organic cation transporters compared to those measured in the presence of 5.6 mM glucose. This stimulation by a diabetic environment could increase cellular uptake of the anti-diabetic drug metformin and increase renal tubular secretion of organic cations in an early stage of diabetes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Overcoming Biological Barriers: Importance of Membrane Transporters in Homeostasis, Disease, and Disease Treatment 2.0)

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12 pages, 1237 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Long-Lasting Epigenetic Changes in the Dopamine Transporter in Adult Animals Exposed to Amphetamine during Embryogenesis: Investigating Behavioral Effects

by Tao Ke, Ganesh Ambigapathy, Thanh Ton, Archana Dhasarathy and Lucia Carvelli

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(17), 13092; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms241713092 - 23 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 940

Abstract

The dopamine transporter (DAT) is an integral member of the dopaminergic system and is responsible for the release and reuptake of dopamine from the synaptic space into the dopaminergic neurons. DAT is also the major target of amphetamine (Amph). The effects of Amph on DAT have been intensively studied; however, the mechanisms underlying the long-term effects caused by embryonal exposure to addictive doses of Amph remain largely unexplored. As in mammals, in the nematode C. elegans Amph causes changes in locomotion which are largely mediated by the C. elegans DAT homologue, DAT-1. Here, we show that chronic embryonic exposures to Amph alter the expression of DAT-1 in adult C. elegans via long-lasting epigenetic modifications. These changes are correlated with an enhanced behavioral response to Amph in adult animals. Importantly, pharmacological and genetic intervention directed at preventing the Amph-induced epigenetic modifications occurring during embryogenesis inhibited the long-lasting behavioral effects observed in adult animals. Because many components of the dopaminergic system, as well as epigenetic mechanisms, are highly conserved between C. elegans and mammals, these results could be critical for our understanding of how drugs of abuse initiate predisposition to addiction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Overcoming Biological Barriers: Importance of Membrane Transporters in Homeostasis, Disease, and Disease Treatment 2.0)

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12 pages, 6307 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Interactions of the Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Agents Molnupiravir and Nirmatrelvir/Paxlovid with Human Drug Transporters

by Éva Bakos, Csilla Temesszentandrási-Ambrus, Csilla Özvegy-Laczka, Zsuzsanna Gáborik, Balázs Sarkadi and Ágnes Telbisz

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(14), 11237; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms241411237 - 08 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1400

Abstract

Orally administered small molecules may have important therapeutic potential in treating COVID-19 disease. The recently developed antiviral agents, Molnupiravir and Nirmatrelvir, have been reported to be efficient treatments, with only moderate side effects, especially when applied in the early phases of this disease. However, drug–drug and drug–transporter interactions have already been noted by the drug development companies and in the application notes. In the present work, we have studied some of the key human transporters interacting with these agents. The nucleoside analog Molnupiravir (EIDD-2801) and its main metabolite (EIDD-1931) were found to inhibit CNT1,2 in addition to the ENT1,2 nucleoside transporters; however, it did not significantly influence the relevant OATP transporters or the ABCC4 nucleoside efflux transporter. The active component of Paxlovid (PF-07321332, Nirmatrelvir) inhibited the function of several OATPs and of ABCB1 but did not affect ABCG2. However, significant inhibition was observed only at high concentrations of Nirmatrelvir and probably did not occur in vivo. Paxlovid, as used in the clinic, is a combination of Nirmatrelvir (viral protease inhibitor) and Ritonavir (a “booster” inhibitor of Nirmatrelvir metabolism). Ritonavir is known to inhibit several drug transporters; therefore, we have examined these compounds together, in relevant concentrations and ratios. No additional inhibitory effect of Nirmatrelvir was observed compared to the strong transporter inhibition caused by Ritonavir. Our current in vitro results should help to estimate the potential drug–drug interactions of these newly developed agents during COVID-19 treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Overcoming Biological Barriers: Importance of Membrane Transporters in Homeostasis, Disease, and Disease Treatment 2.0)

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Review

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15 pages, 644 KiB

Open AccessReview

Renal Organic Anion Transporters 1 and 3 In Vitro: Gone but Not Forgotten

by Pedro Caetano-Pinto and Simone H. Stahl

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(20), 15419; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms242015419 - 21 Oct 2023

Viewed by 1377

Abstract

Organic anion transporters 1 and 3 (OAT1 and OAT3) play a crucial role in kidney function by regulating the secretion of multiple renally cleared small molecules and toxic metabolic by-products. Assessing the activity of these transporters is essential for drug development purposes as they can significantly impact drug disposition and safety. OAT1 and OAT3 are amongst the most abundant drug transporters expressed in human renal proximal tubules. However, their expression is lost when cells are isolated and cultured in vitro, which is a persistent issue across all human and animal renal proximal tubule cell models, including primary cells and cell lines. Although it is well known that the overall expression of drug transporters is affected in vitro, the underlying reasons for the loss of OAT1 and OAT3 are still not fully understood. Nonetheless, research into the regulatory mechanisms of these transporters has provided insights into the molecular pathways underlying their expression and activity. In this review, we explore the regulatory mechanisms that govern the expression and activity of OAT1 and OAT3 and investigate the physiological changes that proximal tubule cells undergo and that potentially result in the loss of these transporters. A better understanding of the regulation of these transporters could aid in the development of strategies, such as introducing microfluidic conditions or epigenetic modification inhibitors, to improve their expression and activity in vitro and to create more physiologically relevant models. Consequently, this will enable more accurate assessment for drug development and safety applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Overcoming Biological Barriers: Importance of Membrane Transporters in Homeostasis, Disease, and Disease Treatment 2.0)

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33 pages, 5891 KiB

Open AccessReview

Role of the Sodium-Dependent Organic Anion Transporter (SOAT/SLC10A6) in Physiology and Pathophysiology

by Marie Wannowius, Emre Karakus, Zekeriya Aktürk, Janina Breuer and Joachim Geyer

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(12), 9926; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms24129926 - 08 Jun 2023

Viewed by 1748

Abstract

The sodium-dependent organic anion transporter (SOAT, gene symbol SLC10A6) specifically transports 3′- and 17′-monosulfated steroid hormones, such as estrone sulfate and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, into specific target cells. These biologically inactive sulfo-conjugated steroids occur in high concentrations in the blood circulation and serve as precursors for the intracrine formation of active estrogens and androgens that contribute to the overall regulation of steroids in many peripheral tissues. Although SOAT expression has been detected in several hormone-responsive peripheral tissues, its quantitative contribution to steroid sulfate uptake in different organs is still not completely clear. Given this fact, the present review provides a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge about the SOAT by summarizing all experimental findings obtained since its first cloning in 2004 and by processing SOAT/SLC10A6-related data from genome-wide protein and mRNA expression databases. In conclusion, despite a significantly increased understanding of the function and physiological significance of the SOAT over the past 20 years, further studies are needed to finally establish it as a potential drug target for endocrine-based therapy of steroid-responsive diseases such as hormone-dependent breast cancer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Overcoming Biological Barriers: Importance of Membrane Transporters in Homeostasis, Disease, and Disease Treatment 2.0)

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15 pages, 1390 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Role of Sodium-Glucose Co-Transporter 2 in Cardiorenal Anemia Iron Deficiency Syndrome

by Motoaki Sano

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(6), 5983; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms24065983 - 22 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4812

Abstract

Heart failure, renal dysfunction, anemia, and iron deficiency affect each other and form a vicious cycle, a condition referred to as cardiorenal anemia iron deficiency syndrome. The presence of diabetes further accelerates this vicious cycle. Surprisingly, simply inhibiting sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2), which is expressed almost exclusively in the proximal tubular epithelial cells of the kidney, not only increases glucose excretion into the urine and effectively controls blood glucose levels in diabetes but can also correct the vicious cycle of cardiorenal anemia iron deficiency syndrome. This review describes how SGLT2 is involved in energy metabolism regulation, hemodynamics (i.e., circulating blood volume and sympathetic nervous system activity), erythropoiesis, iron bioavailability, and inflammatory set points in diabetes, heart failure, and renal dysfunction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Overcoming Biological Barriers: Importance of Membrane Transporters in Homeostasis, Disease, and Disease Treatment 2.0)

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