Human vascular smooth muscle cells express a urate transporter

J Am Soc Nephrol. 2006 Jul;17(7):1791-5. doi: 10.1681/ASN.2006030264. Epub 2006 Jun 14.

Abstract

An elevated serum uric acid is associated with the development of hypertension and renal disease. Renal regulation of urate excretion is largely controlled by URAT1 (SLC22A12), a member of the organic anion transporter superfamily. This study reports the specific expression of URAT1 on human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells, as assessed by reverse transcription-PCR and Western blot analysis. Expression of URAT1 was localized to the cell membrane. Evidence that the URAT1 transporter was functional was provided by the finding that uptake of 14C-urate was significantly inhibited in the presence of probenecid, an organic anion transporter inhibitor. It is proposed that URAT1 may provide a mechanism by which uric acid enters the human vascular smooth muscle cell, a finding that may be relevant to the role of uric acid in cardiovascular disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aorta / cytology
  • Biological Transport
  • Blotting, Western
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Humans
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / cytology
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / drug effects
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / metabolism*
  • Organic Anion Transporters / genetics
  • Organic Anion Transporters / metabolism*
  • Organic Cation Transport Proteins
  • Probenecid / pharmacology
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Uric Acid / metabolism*
  • Uricosuric Agents / pharmacology

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Organic Anion Transporters
  • Organic Cation Transport Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • SLC22A12 protein, human
  • Uricosuric Agents
  • Uric Acid
  • Probenecid