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Net taurine transport and its inhibition by a taurine antagonist

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Abstract

P2-fractions were isolated from rat brain, and used to study net taurine transport. The fractions were incubated in increasing concentrations of [3H]taurine and the intraterminal concentration measured by liquid scintillation and amino acid analysis. The membrane potential of the isolated fractions was estimated using86Rb+ as a marker for intracellular K+. Taurine was synthesized in the P2-fraction when incubated in taurine free medium. At external taurine concentrations below 370 μM a significant amount of the endogenous taurine was released to the incubation medium. Net taurine uptake into the P2-fraction was achieved at external taurine concentrations exceeding 370 μM. The taurine antagonist 6-aminomethyl-3-methyl-4H, 1, 2, 4-benzothiadiazine-1, 1-dioxide (TAG) competitively inhibited taurine and [3H]taurine transport into the P2-fraction. As the external concentration of taurine was increased, the accumulation of86Rb+ into the P2-fraction was facilitated. This indicated an increasing hyperpolarization of the neuronal membrane as taurine transport shifted from release towards uptake. TAG reduced the hyperpolarization that paralleled taurine accumulation, in a dose dependent manner. Our results indicate that relatively low transmembranal gradients of taurine may be maintained by an electrogenic taurine transporter having a large transport capacity. Such a transporter may well serve the needs of osmotic regulation, i.e. to transport large amounts of taurine in any direction across the neuronal membrane.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoophysiology, University of Umeå, S-901 87, Umeå, Sweden

    Lena Lewin & Åke Sellström

  2. Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, 77550, Galveston, Texas

    David K. Rassin

  3. Division of Experimental Medicine, National Defence Research Establishment, S-901 82, Umeå, Sweden

    Åke Sellström

Authors
  1. Lena Lewin
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  2. David K. Rassin
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  3. Åke Sellström
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Lewin, L., Rassin, D.K. & Sellström, Å. Net taurine transport and its inhibition by a taurine antagonist. Neurochem Res 19, 347–352 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00971584

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