Search

The large Amino Acid Transporter 1 (LAT1) is an interesting target in drug discovery since this transporter is overexpressed in several human cancers. Furthermore, due to its location in the blood-brain barrier (BBB), LAT1 is interesting for delivering pro-drugs to the brain. In this work, we focused on defining the transport cycle of LAT1 using an in silico approach. So far, studies of the interaction of LAT1 with substrates and inhibitors have not considered that the transporter must undergo at least four different conformations to complete the transport cycle. We built outward-open and inward-occluded conformations of LAT1 using an optimized homology modelling procedure. We used these 3D models and the cryo-EM structures in outward-occluded and inward-open conformations to define the substrate/protein interaction during the transport cycle. We found that the binding scores for the substrate depend on the conformation, with the occluded states as the crucial steps affecting the substrate affinity. Finally, we analyzed the interaction of JPH203, a high-affinity inhibitor of LAT1. The results indicate that conformational states must be considered for in silico analyses and early-stage drug discovery. The two built models, together with the available cryo-EM 3D structures, provide important information on the LAT1 transport cycle, which could be used to speed up the identification of potential inhibitors through in silico screening.

The plasma membrane transporter LAT1 (SLC7A5) is a crucial player for cell homeostasis because it is responsible for providing cells with essential amino acids and hormones. LAT1 forms a functional heterodimer with the cell surface antigen heavy chain CD98 (also known as 4F2hc and SLC3A2), a type II membrane glycoprotein, which is essential for LAT1 stability and localization to the plasma membrane. The relevance of LAT1 for human metabolism is also related to its altered expression in human diseases, such as cancer and diabetes. These features boosted research toward molecules that are able to interact with LAT1; in this respect, the recent resolution of the LAT1-CD98 3D structure by Cryo-EM has opened important perspectives in the study of the interaction with different molecules in order to identify new drugs to be used in therapy or new substrates of natural origin to be employed as adjuvants and food supplements. In this work, the interaction of LAT1 with alliin, a garlic derivative, has been investigated by using a combined approach of bioinformatics and in vitro transport assays. Alliin is a nutraceutical that has several beneficial effects on human health, such as antidiabetic, anticarcinogenic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. The computational analysis suggested that alliin interacts with the substrate binding site of LAT1, to which alliin was docked. These data were then confirmed by the competitive type inhibition measured in proteoliposomes. Interestingly, in the same experimental model, alliin was also revealed to be a substrate of LAT1., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Scanga, Scalise, Rovella, Regina, Galluccio and Indiveri.)

The plasma membrane transporter hLAT1 is responsible for providing cells with essential amino acids. hLAT1 is over-expressed in virtually all human cancers making the protein a hot-spot in the fields of cancer and pharmacology research. However, regulatory aspects of hLAT1 biology are still poorly understood. A remarkable stimulation of transport activity was observed in the presence of physiological levels of cholesterol together with a selective increase of the affinity for the substrate on the internal site, suggesting a stabilization of the inward open conformation of hLAT1. A synergistic effect by ATP was also observed only in the presence of cholesterol. The same phenomenon was detected with the native protein. Altogether, the biochemical assays suggested that cholesterol and ATP binding sites are close to each other. The computational analysis identified two neighboring regions, one hydrophobic and one hydrophilic, to which cholesterol and ATP were docked, respectively. The computational data predicted interaction of the ϒ-phosphate of ATP with Lys 204, which was confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis. The hLAT1-K204Q mutant showed an impaired function and response to ATP. Interestingly, this residue is conserved in several members of the SLC7 family.

Cancer cells perform a metabolic rewiring to sustain an increased growth rate and compensate for the redox stress caused by augmented energy metabolism. The metabolic changes are not the same in all cancers. Some features, however, are considered hallmarks of this disease. As an example, all cancer cells rewire the amino acid metabolism for fulfilling both the energy demand and the changed signaling routes. In these altered conditions, some amino acids are more frequently used than others. In any case, the prerequisite for amino acid utilization is the presence of specific transporters in the cell membrane that can guarantee the absorption and the traffic of amino acids among tissues. Tumor cells preferentially use some of these transporters for satisfying their needs. The evidence for this phenomenon is the over-expression of selected transporters, associated with specific cancer types. The knowledge of the link between the over-expression and the metabolic rewiring is crucial for understanding the molecular mechanism of reprogramming in cancer cells. The continuous growth of information on structure-function relationships and the regulation of transporters will open novel perspectives in the fight against human cancers.

ASCT2 is a neutral amino acid transporter, which catalyzes a sodium-dependent obligatory antiport among glutamine and other neutral amino acids. The human ASCT2 over-expressed in Pichia pastoris and reconstituted in proteoliposomes has been employed for identifying alternative substrates of the transporter. The experimental data highlighted that hASCT2 also catalyzes a sodium-dependent antiport of glutamate with glutamine. This unconventional antiport shows a preferred sidedness: glutamate is inwardly transported in exchange for glutamine transported in the counter direction. The orientation of the transport protein in proteoliposomes is the same as in the cell membrane; then, the observed sidedness corresponds to the transport of glutamate from the extracellular to the intracellular compartment. The competitive inhibition exerted by glutamate on the glutamine transport together with the docking analysis indicates that the glutamate binding site is the same as that of glutamine. The affinity for glutamate is lower than that for neutral amino acids, while the transport rate is comparable to that measured for the asparagine/glutamine antiport. Differently from the neutral amino acid antiport that is insensitive to pH, the glutamate/glutamine antiport is pH-dependent with optimal activity at acidic pH on the external (extracellular) side. The stimulation of glutamate transport by a pH gradient suggests the occurrence of a proton flux coupled to the glutamate transport. The proton transport has been detected by a spectrofluorometric method. The rate of proton transport correlates well with the rate of glutamate transport indicating a 1:1 stoichiometry H + : glutamate. The glutamate/glutamine antiport is also active in intact HeLa cells. On a physiological point of view, the described antiport could have relevance in some districts in which a glutamate/glutamine cycling is necessary, such as in placenta., (Copyright © 2020 Scalise, Mazza, Pappacoda, Pochini, Cosco, Rovella and Indiveri.)