Human placental sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter (SVCT2): Molecular cloning and transport function

D. Prasanna Rajan, Wei Huang, Binita Dutta, Lawrence D Devoe, Frederich H. Leibach, Vadivel Ganapathy, Puttur D Prasad

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

152 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report here on the cloning and functional characterization of human SVCT2, a sodium-dependent vitamin C (ascorbate) transporter. The hSVCT2 cDNA obtained from a human placental choriocarcinoma cell cDNA library, codes for a protein of 650 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 70 kDa. At the level of amino acid sequence, the human SVCT2 exhibits 95% identity to its rat homolog. When functionally expressed in mammalian cells, hSVCT2 induces the transport of ascorbic acid. The transport process induced by hSVCT2 is Na+-dependent and is specific for ascorbate. The Michaelis-Menton constant (K(t)) for the transport of ascorbate in cDNA-transfected cells is 69 ± 5 μM. The relationship between the cDNA-specific uptake rate of ascorbate and Na+ concentration is sigmoidal with a Na+:ascorbate stoichiometry of 2:1. Northern blot analysis shows that SVCT2-specific transcripts are present in heart, brain, placenta, and liver and is absent in lung and skeletal muscle. The size of the principal transcript is ~ 7.5 kb.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)762-768
Number of pages7
JournalBiochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
Volume262
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 7 1999

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biophysics
  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

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