Human placental sulfate transporter mRNA profiling from term pregnancies identifies abundant SLC13A4 in syncytiotrophoblasts and SLC26A2 in cytotrophoblasts

Placenta. 2013 Apr;34(4):381-4. doi: 10.1016/j.placenta.2013.01.017. Epub 2013 Feb 28.

Abstract

Sulfate is an important nutrient for fetal growth and development. The fetus has no mechanism for producing its own sulfate and is therefore totally reliant on sulfate from the maternal circulation via placental sulfate transport. To build a model of directional sulfate transport in the placenta, we investigated the relative abundance of the 10 known sulfate transporter mRNAs in human placenta from uncomplicated term pregnancies. SLC13A4 and SLC26A2 were the most abundant sulfate transporter mRNAs, which localized to syncytiotrophoblast and cytotrophoblast cells, respectively. These findings indicate important physiological roles for SLC13A4 and SLC26A2 in human placental sulfate transport.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anion Transport Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Biological Transport
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Placenta / metabolism*
  • Pregnancy
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Sulfate Transporters
  • Sulfates / metabolism
  • Symporters / biosynthesis*
  • Transcriptome
  • Trophoblasts / metabolism*

Substances

  • Anion Transport Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • SLC13A4 protein, human
  • SLC26A2 protein, human
  • Sulfate Transporters
  • Sulfates
  • Symporters