BACKGROUND: The osmolyte and antioxidant taurine plays an important role in regulation of cellular volume, oxidative status and Ca2+-homeostasis. Taurine uptake in human cells is regulated by the Na+- and Cl--dependent taurine transporter TauT. In order to gain deeper structural insights about the substrate binding pocket of TauT, a HEK293 cell line producing a GFP-TauT fusion protein was generated. METHODS: Transport activity was validated using cell-based [3H]-taurine transport assays. We determined the Km and IC50 values of taurine, β-alanine and γ-aminobutyrate. Additionally we were able to identify structurally similar compounds as potential new substrates or inhibitors of the TauT transporter. Substrate induced cytotoxicity was analyzed using a cell viability assay. RESULTS: In this study we show competitive effects of the 3-pyridinesulfonate, 2-aminoethylhydrogen sulfate, 5-aminovalerate, β-aminobutyrate, piperidine-4-sulfonate, 2-aminoethylphosphate and homotaurine. We demonstrate that taurine uptake can be inhibited by a phosphate. Furthermore our studies revealed that piperidine-4-sulfonate interacts with TauT with a higher affinity than γ-aminobutyrate and imidazole-4-acetate. CONCLUSION: We propose that piperidine-4-sulfonate may serve as a potential lead structure for the design of novel drug candidates required for specific modulation of the TauT transporter in therapy of neurodegenerative diseases.
BACKGROUND: The osmolyte and antioxidant taurine plays an important role in regulation of cellular volume, oxidative status and Ca2+-homeostasis. Taurine uptake in human cells is regulated by the Na+- and Cl--dependent taurine transporter TauT. In order to gain deeper structural insights about the substrate binding pocket of TauT, a HEK293 cell line producing a GFP-TauT fusion protein was generated. METHODS: Transport activity was validated using cell-based [3H]-taurine transport assays. We determined the Km and IC50 values of taurine, β-alanine and γ-aminobutyrate. Additionally we were able to identify structurally similar compounds as potential new substrates or inhibitors of the TauT transporter. Substrate induced cytotoxicity was analyzed using a cell viability assay. RESULTS: In this study we show competitive effects of the 3-pyridinesulfonate, 2-aminoethylhydrogen sulfate, 5-aminovalerate, β-aminobutyrate, piperidine-4-sulfonate, 2-aminoethylphosphate and homotaurine. We demonstrate that taurine uptake can be inhibited by a phosphate. Furthermore our studies revealed that piperidine-4-sulfonate interacts with TauT with a higher affinity than γ-aminobutyrate and imidazole-4-acetate. CONCLUSION: We propose that piperidine-4-sulfonate may serve as a potential lead structure for the design of novel drug candidates required for specific modulation of the TauT transporter in therapy of neurodegenerative diseases.
Authors: Vojtech Dvorak; Tabea Wiedmer; Alvaro Ingles-Prieto; Patrick Altermatt; Helena Batoulis; Felix Bärenz; Eckhard Bender; Daniela Digles; Franz Dürrenberger; Laura H Heitman; Adriaan P IJzerman; Douglas B Kell; Stefanie Kickinger; Daniel Körzö; Philipp Leippe; Thomas Licher; Vania Manolova; Riccardo Rizzetto; Francesca Sassone; Lia Scarabottolo; Avner Schlessinger; Vanessa Schneider; Hubert J Sijben; Anna-Lena Steck; Hanna Sundström; Sara Tremolada; Maria Wilhelm; Marina Wright Muelas; Diana Zindel; Claire M Steppan; Giulio Superti-Furga Journal: Front Pharmacol Date: 2021-08-10 Impact factor: 5.988