Bile acids alter the subcellular localization of CNT2 (concentrative nucleoside cotransporter) and increase CNT2-related transport activity in liver parenchymal cells.

CNT2 (concentrative nucleoside cotransporter) is a plasma membrane high-affinity Na+-coupled adenosine transporter, also localized in intracellular structures. This transporter protein may play additional roles other than nucleoside salvage, since it has recently been shown to be under purinergic control via K(ATP) channels, by a mechanism that does not seem to involve changes in its subcellular localization. In an attempt to identify the agents that promote CNT2 trafficking, bile acids were found to increase CNT2-related transport activity in a K(ATP) channel-independent manner in both Fao hepatoma and rat liver parenchymal cells. A maximum effect was recorded after treatment with hydrophilic anions such as TCA (taurocholate). However, this effect did not involve changes in the amount of CNT2 protein, it was instead associated with a subcellular redistribution of CNT2, resulting in an accumulation of the transporter at the plasma membrane. This was deduced from subcellular fractionation studies, biotinylation of plasma membrane proteins and subsequent CNT2 detection in streptavidin precipitates and in vivo confocal microscopic analysis of the distribution of a YFP (yellow fluorescent protein)-CNT2 construct. The induction of CNT2 translocation, triggered by TCA, was inhibited by wortmannin, dibutyryl-AMPc, PD98059 and colchicine, thus suggesting the involvement of the PI3K/ERK (phosphoinositide 3-kinase/extracellular-signal related kinase) pathway in microtubule-dependent activation of recombinant CNT2. These are novel effects of bile-acid physiology and provide the first evidence for short-term regulation of CNT2 translocation into and from the plasma membrane.