Organic cation transporters in human nasal primary culture: expression and functional activity. (April 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shao, Di; Massoud, Emad; Anand, Utkarshini; Parikh, Ankit; Cowley, Elizabeth; Clarke, David; Agu, Remigius U
• Is Part Of: Therapeutic delivery. Volume 4:Number 4(2013)
• Page Start: 439
• Page End: 451
• Publication Date: 2013-04
• Subjects: Drug delivery systems -- Periodicals; Therapeutics -- Periodicals; 615.6
• DOI: 10.4155/tde.13.10
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2041-5990

Abstract

Background: The majority of drugs cross epithelial cells by either passive diffusion or via carrier-mediated drug transporters. The aim of this study was to investigate the transport characteristics, protein expression and localization of organic cation transporters in human nasal epithelium.Methods & results: The expression, localization and transport characteristics of the transporters were investigated using permeation, PCR and immunohistochemistry. The uptake of 4-(4-(dimethylamino)styryl)- N -methylpyridinium iodide followed Michaelis–Menten kinetics. Its intracellular accumulation of the compound was inhibited by organic cation transporters (OCTs) and carnitine/organic cation transporter (OCTNs) inhibitors. Detected OCT1–3, OCTN1 and OCTN2 gene transcripts correlated with immunohistological staining for OCT1–3, OCTN1 and OCTN2 antibodies. Except for OCTN1, the antibodies were generally localized on the apical side of the epithelial cells.Conclusion: Based on the immunohistochemical and uptake/transport studies, we conclude that the human nasal epithelium expresses OCT1–3, OCTN1 and OCTN2 transporters mainly on the apical side of the nasal cells.