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Taurine Transport Into Fetal Cord Blood Cells: Inhibition by Cyclosporine A

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The Journal of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation: JSGI Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

Pregnant women undergoing long-term organ transplant treatment have an increased incidence oj delivering infants with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Cyclosporine A is used as an immunosuppressant in such women and indirect evidence suggests that IUGR might result from an effect of cyclosporine A on amino acid transport by the placenta. In this study we tested the hypothesis that the transport of an essential amino acid, taurine, by fetal tissue other than the placenta is modulated by cyclosporine A.

Methods

Cord blood cells (CBCs) were used to test this hypothesis as an easily obtainable fetal tissue. Transport of taurine into CBCs was measured using standard tracer flux assays.

Results

Uptake of [3H] taurine by CBCs was linear over 15 minutes (76.2 ± 16.6 fmol/106 cells/min, mean ± SEM, n = 6) and inhibitable by 10 mM β-alanine, a substrate of the system-β taurine transport protein (6.7 ± 1.0 fmol/106 cells/min, n = 6, P <.05, paired Student t test). Pre-incubation with cyclosporine A (5 µM) inhibited [3H] taurine uptake by 29.3%-5.3% (n = 8, P <.05, paired Student t test).

Conclusions

These data show that amino acid transport via system-β can be measured in CBCs and may be a useful model for amino acid transport studies in fetal cells. We also show that system-β was inhibited by the immunosuppressant, cyclosporine A. This suggests that the increased incidence of IUGR reported in mothers treated with cyclosporine A may be due partially to effects on taurine uptake into fetal cells outside the placenta.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Development and Reproductive Health Academic Group, Academic Unit of Child Health, University of Manchester, St Mary’s Hospital, Hathersage Road, Manchester, UK, M13 0JH

    Paul F. Speake PhD, Christos S. Zipitis MB ChB, Angela Houston MB ChB & Stephen D’Souza MB ChB, PhD

Authors
  1. Paul F. Speake PhD
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  2. Christos S. Zipitis MB ChB
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  3. Angela Houston MB ChB
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  4. Stephen D’Souza MB ChB, PhD
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Correspondence to Paul F. Speake PhD.

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Supported by The Wellcome Trust and an Action Research Endowment Fund.

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Speake, P.F., Zipitis, C.S., Houston, A. et al. Taurine Transport Into Fetal Cord Blood Cells: Inhibition by Cyclosporine A. Reprod. Sci. 11, 472–477 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsgi.2004.05.004

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsgi.2004.05.004

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