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Originally published In Press as doi:10.1074/jbc.M301403200 on April 23, 2003
J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 278, Issue 28, 25481-25489, July 11, 2003
Functional Characterization of Human Receptors for Short Chain Fatty Acids and Their Role in Polymorphonuclear Cell Activation*
Emmanuel Le Poul ,
Cécile Loison ,
Sofie Struyf ¶,
Jean-Yves Springael ||,
Vincent Lannoy ,
Marie-Eve Decobecq ,
Stéphane Brezillon ,
Vincent Dupriez ,
Gilbert Vassart || **,
Jo Van Damme ¶,
Marc Parmentier ||  and
Michel Detheux
From the
Euroscreen, rue Adrienne Bolland 47, 6041
Gosselies, ¶Laboratory of Molecular Immunology,
Rega Institute for Medical Research, Catholic University of Leuven,
Minderbroedersstraat 10, B-3000 Leuven, and
||Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire en
Biologie Humaine et Nucléaire and **Service de
Génétique Médicale, Université Libre de Bruxelles,
Campus Erasme, 808 route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
Received for publication, February 10, 2003
, and in revised form, April 22, 2003.
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ABSTRACT
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Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including acetate, propionate, and
butyrate, are produced at high concentration by bacteria in the gut and
subsequently released in the bloodstream. Basal acetate concentrations in the
blood (about 100 µM) can further increase to millimolar
concentrations following alcohol intake. It was known previously that SCFAs
can activate leukocytes, particularly neutrophils. In the present work, we
have identified two previously orphan G protein-coupled receptors, GPR41 and
GPR43, as receptors for SCFAs. Propionate was the most potent agonist for both
GPR41 and GPR43. Acetate was more selective for GPR43, whereas butyrate and
isobutyrate were more active on GPR41. The two receptors were coupled to
inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate formation, intracellular
Ca2+ release, ERK1/2 activation, and inhibition of cAMP
accumulation. They exhibited, however, a differential coupling to G proteins;
GPR41 coupled exclusively though the Pertussis toxin-sensitive Gi/o
family, whereas GPR43 displayed a dual coupling through Gi/o and
Pertussis toxin-insensitive Gq protein families. The broad
expression profile of GPR41 in a number of tissues does not allow us to infer
clear hypotheses regarding its biological functions. In contrast, the highly
selective expression of GPR43 in leukocytes, particularly polymorphonuclear
cells, suggests a role in the recruitment of these cell populations toward
sites of bacterial infection. The pharmacology of GPR43 matches indeed the
effects of SCFAs on neutrophils, in terms of intracellular
Ca2+ release and chemotaxis. Such a neutrophil-specific
SCFA receptor is potentially involved in the development of a variety of
diseases characterized by either excessive or inefficient neutrophil
recruitment and activation, such as inflammatory bowel diseases or
alcoholism-associated immune depression. GPR43 might therefore constitute a
target allowing us to modulate immune responses in these pathological
situations.
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INTRODUCTION
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G protein-coupled receptors
(GPCRs)1 constitute
one of the largest gene families yet identified
(1). In addition to about 160
characterized receptors, around 125 human genes encode proteins obviously
belonging to this family of receptors, but their ligands and functions remain
to be determined. These so far uncharacterized receptors are referred to as
orphan GPCRs, but they are expected to play, by analogy with characterized
members of the family, important roles in the regulation of physiological
processes. For some orphan receptors, sequence similarity with well known
receptors allows to construct hypotheses regarding the chemical nature of
their ligands or their involvement in physiological processes. However, many
orphan receptors are clustered in subfamilies with low similarity to
characterized receptors.
Orphan receptors led in a number of cases to the discovery of molecules
that were not recognized previously as functional extracellular mediators. The
chemical diversity among endogenous ligands of GPCRs is unique as it includes
ions, bioamines, lipids, peptides, and large proteins, as well as a large
number of odorant molecules. The recent identification of prokineticins
(2), UDP-glucose
(3), lysophosphatidylcholine
(4,
5), sphingosylphosphorylcholine
(5,
6), relaxin
(7), eicosanoid
(8), kisspeptin
(9,
10), and psychosin
(11) as new ligands for GPCRs
has uncovered completely new extracellular pathways regulating cellular and
tissue functions.
Among orphan receptors, a cluster of receptors poorly related to other
subfamilies includes four members, GPR40, GPR41, GPR42, and GPR43
(Fig. 1)
(12). GPR41 and GPR42 have the
same length and share 98% amino acid identity. The four genes encoding these
receptors are intronless and are clustered onto chromosomal region 19q13.1.
Although little information is available concerning these receptors, GPR41 was
shown to induce apoptosis via a p53/Bax pathway in an ischemia/reperfusion
paradigm (13). In addition,
GPR43 and its murine orthologue LSSIG are induced during the differentiation
of leukocyte progenitor cells to monocytes or neutrophils and were found
mainly in hematopoietic tissues, suggesting that this receptor could have an
important function in the differentiation and/or activation of leukocytes
(14).

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FIG. 1. Structure and clustering of SCFA and related receptors. A,
amino acid alignment of human GPR40, GPR41, GPR42, and GPR43. Residues
identical in all receptors are shaded in black, whereas
residues shared by a subset of the family are shaded in
gray. Putative transmembrane domains are boxed. B,
dendrogram representing sequence similarities among GPR43, GPR41, and a set of
structurally related receptors. Multiple alignment and clustering was
performed using the ClustalX algorithm, whereas the dendrogram was constructed
using TreeView. Accession numbers are as follows: human GPR92, CAC03715
[GenBank]
.1;
human GPR40, O14842
[GenBank]
; human GPR43, AF024690
[GenBank]
; human GPR41, AF024688
[GenBank]
; human
GPR42, O15529
[GenBank]
; human protease-activated receptor (PAR) 1, P25116
[GenBank]
; human PAR2,
P55085
[GenBank]
; human P2Y4, P51582
[GenBank]
; human P2Y2, P41231
[GenBank]
; human P2Y11, NP_002557
[GenBank]
; human
HM74, P49019
[GenBank]
; and human eicosanoid receptor, NP_683765
[GenBank]
. The scale indicates
the difference in the percentage of homology between receptors.
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In this report, we showed that propionate, acetate, and other SCFAs act as
specific activators of GPR41 and GPR43. An extensive pharmacological study
revealed differences in the rank order of potency of SCFA toward each
receptor, as well as in the G protein coupling leading to intracellular
cascade activation. Pharmacological data obtained on human polymorphonuclear
cells involved GPR43 as the main functional SCFA receptor on these cells.
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EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES
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ReagentsCulture media, antibiotics, fetal bovine serum
(FBS), and trypsin were from Bio-Whittaker. FuGENE 6, restriction, and DNA
modifying enzymes were from Roche Diagnostics. [35S]GTP S and
myo-D-[2-3H]inositol (17.7 Ci/mmol) was from
Amersham Biosciences. Dowex AG1X8 (formate form) was from Bio-Rad. Short chain
fatty acids (SCFAs) and Pertussis toxin were from Sigma. Forskolin and
isobutylmethylxanthine were from Eurobiochem (Louvain la Neuve, Belgium).
Oligonucleotide primers were from Eurogentec (Liège, Belgium). Total
and messenger RNAs were from Ambion (Huntingdon, Great Britain).
Cloning and Sequencing of Human GPR43 and Human GPR41
Oligonucleotide primers were synthesized on the basis of the sequence of the
human GPR41 and GPR43 receptors (GenBankTM accession numbers AF024688
[GenBank]
and
AF024690
[GenBank]
, respectively). For GPR43 cloning, sense primer
5'-CCGGAATTCACCATGCTGCCGGACTGGAAG-3' and antisense primer
5'-CTTGTCTAGACTACTCTGTAGTGAAGTC-3' were used in a PCR
amplification using human genomic DNA as template and Pfu DNA
polymerase (Stratagene) under the following conditions: 1 min at 94 °C, 30
s at 52 °C, 1 min at 72 °C, 3 cycles; 1 min at 94 °C, 30 s at 63
°C, 1 min at 72 °C, 30 cycles. A fragment of 1 kb containing the
entire coding sequence of human GPR43 gene was amplified, digested by
EcoRI and XbaI, and cloned in the bicistronic pEFIN5
expression vector. In the bicistronic vector, designated pEFIN5, both the
recombinant receptor and the neomycin phosphotransferase selection marker are
transcribed from a single promoter element.
For GPR41 cloning, sense primer
5'-CCGGATATCACCATGGATACAGGCCCCGAC-3' and antisense primer
5'-CTTGTCTAGACTAGCTTTCAGCACAGGC-3' were used in a similar
strategy, except that the coding sequence was cloned using EcoRV and
XbaI. All the inserts of the resulting plasmids were sequenced on
both strands using the Big-Dye Terminator cycle sequencing kit (Applied
Biosystems). Sequence alignment was performed using the ClustalX software,
version 1.8 (15), and
dendrograms were constructed using TreeView.
Tissue Distribution of GPR41 and GPR43Reverse transcription
(RT)-PCR experiments were carried out using a panel of total RNA (peripheral
blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), dendritic cells, monocytes, T lymphocytes,
small intestine) and poly(A)+ RNA (thymus, spleen, lymph node, bone
marrow, lung, stomach, adipose, breast). The total RNA from neutrophils was
prepared from venous blood of healthy donors using TriPure (Roche
Diagnostics). Approximately 50 ng of poly(A)+ RNA or 500 ng of
total RNA was reverse-transcribed with Superscript II (Invitrogen) and used
for PCR. Human GPR43 and GPR41 receptors transcripts were detected by PCR
using the following primers: 5'-TTCTACAGCAGCATCTACTG-3' (GPR43
forward), 5'-GAAGCACACCAGGAAATTGA-3' (GPR43 reverse),
5'-TACGTCATAGAATTCTCAGG-3' (GPR41 forward), and
5'-TGTTCACTGGTCTTTCTTTC-3' (GPR41 reverse). The expected sizes of
the amplified DNA bands were 439 and 508 bp for GPR43 and GPR41, respectively.
PCR was performed using the Taq polymerase under the following
conditions: 94 °C for 5 min; 30 cycles at 94 °C for 1 min, 53 °C
for 1 min 30 s, and 72 °C for 40 s (for GPR43); or 94 °C for 5 min, 30
cycles at 94 °C for 1 min, 52 °C for 1.5 min, and 72 °C for 35 s
(for GPR41). A control was performed with glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate
dehydrogenase cDNA fragment (509 bp) as described previously
(16). Aliquots of the PCR were
analyzed by 1% agarose gel electrophoresis.
Cell Culture and TransfectionThe recombinant pEFIN5-GPR41,
pEFIN5-GPR43 plasmids, and the empty pEFIN5 vector were transfected in CHO-K1
cells (CRL-9618; ATCC, Manassas, VA), WTA11 cells (a CHO-K1 cell line
coexpressing mitochondrial apoaequorin and G 16), or human
embryonic kidney 293 cells (ATCC CRL-1573), using FuGENE 6. The transfected
cells were selected with 400 µg/ml G418 in Nutrient Ham's F-12 medium
supplemented with 10% FBS, 100 units/ml penicillin, and 100 µg/ml
streptomycin, from 2 days after transfection. The medium of WTA11 cells
contained, in addition, 250 µg/ml zeocin. The resistant clones were
selected by RT-PCR and sequencing. COS-7 and human embryonic kidney 293 cells
were grown in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium containing 10% FBS, 1
mM sodium pyruvate, 100 units/ml penicillin, and 100 µg/ml
streptomycin and transfected using LipofectAMINE 2000 (Invitrogen), with the
pEFIN5 plasmids encoding GPR41 or GPR43. The cells were used in functional
assays 2 days after transfection.
Aequorin AssayThe functional response to SCFAs was analyzed
by measuring the luminescence of aequorin as described previously
(17). For all assays, data
were analyzed with the PRISM software (Graph-Pad Prism Software, San Diego,
CA) using nonlinear regression applied to a sigmoidal dose-response model, as
for all assays used in this work. cAMP AssayCHO-K1 cells were
spread on Petri dishes (250,000 cells per 35-mm dish) and cultured overnight
in Nutrient Ham's F-12 medium containing 10% FBS, 100 units/ml penicillin, 100
µg/ml streptomycin, and 400 µg/ml G418. Cells were preincubated for 30
min in Krebs-Ringer HEPES buffer composed of 25 mM HEPES, pH 7.4,
124 mM NaCl, 5 mM KCl, 1.25 mM
MgSO4, 1.45 mM CaCl2, 1.25 mM
KH2PO4, and 8 mM glucose and then incubated
for 20 min in the same medium supplemented with 10 µM forskolin
and variable concentrations of agonists. The reaction was stopped by removing
the supernatant and the addition of 100 µl of lysis buffer in each well.
The cAMP contents were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (CS200
kit; Applied Biosystems).
[35S]GTP S Binding AssayThe
measurement of agonist-stimulated [35S]GTP S binding to
membranes of cells expressing human GPR41 or human GPR43 was performed as
described previously (9).
Briefly, membranes (10 µg) from CHO-GPR41 or CHO-GPR43 cells were incubated
for 15 min at room temperature in binding buffer (20 mM HEPES, pH
7.4, 100 mM NaCl, 3 mM MgCl2, 3
µM GDP, 10 µg/ml saponin) containing different concentrations
of SCFA in 96-well microplates (Basic FlashPlates; PerkinElmer Life Sciences).
After addition of 0.1 nM [35S]GTP S, microplates
were shaken for 1 min and further incubated at 30 °C for 30 min. The
incubation was stopped by centrifugation of the microplate for 10 min, at 800
x g and 4 °C, and removal of the supernatant. Microplates
were counted in a TopCount (PerkinElmer Life Sciences) for 1 min per well.
Fluorescence-based Intracellular Ca2+
MobilizationCHO/GPR43 and CHO/GPR41 cells were seeded into black
96-well assay plates the day before the experiment. Cells are loaded for 1 h
with 4 µM Fluo-3/AM (Molecular Probes) in Hank's balanced salt
buffer and washed before being transferred to a microplate reader (FDSS;
Hamamatsu Photonics KK, Hamamatsu, Japan) for compounds injection and
simultaneous fluorescence recording for 3 min (excitation and emission
wavelengths, 340 and 510 nm, respectively). Results were expressed as a
percentage of fluorescence change as compared with basal level.
Phosphoinositide AccumulationCells expressing GPR41 or
GPR43 receptors were labeled overnight with 10 µCi/ml
[3H]myo-inositol in culture medium. Cells were then washed
three times and incubated in Krebs buffer (10 mM HEPES, pH 7.4, 150
mM NaCl, 4.2 mM KCl, 1 mM CaCl2,
0.5 mM MgCl2, 5.6 mM D-glucose) for 15 min in
medium containing1mM LiCl. SCFA agonists were then added for 30
min. The reaction was stopped by replacing the incubation medium with 1 ml of
5% HClO4. The total inositol phosphate pool was then extracted and
purified on Dowex columns as described by Joly et al.
(18). Results were expressed
as the ratio between the radioactivity collected in the inositol phosphate
fraction over the radioactivity recovered from the cellular membranes
solubilized in 10% Triton and 0.1 N NaOH and used as standard. The
use of this ratio allows for greater homogeneity in the data, as it reduces
variations resulting from differences in cell numbers from individual
wells.
Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase AssayERK1/2 activation was
assayed by Western blotting, using an anti-phospho-p42/44 monoclonal antibody.
Briefly, cells serum-starved for 24 h were collected and resuspended in
serum-free Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium. After stimulation of cells at
the indicated time with 10 mM propionate or acetate, in the
presence or not of 100 ng/ml Pertussis toxin, cells were collected by
centrifugation (12.000 rpm, 3 min) and heated to 100 °C for 5 min in lysis
buffer (100 mM Tris-HCl, pH 6.8, 4 mM EDTA, 4% SDS, 20%
glycerol, and 0.02% -mercaptoethanol). For Western blot analysis,
solubilized proteins corresponding to 6 x 106 cells were
loaded onto Nupage 10% BisTris gel (Invitrogen) in a Nupage MOPS SDS running
buffer. After transfer to nitrocellulose membranes, proteins were probed with
mouse anti-phospho p42/p44 (1:1000) antibody (Cell Signaling Technology).
Polymorphonuclear Cell Pharmacology: Intracellular Calcium Release and
Chemotaxis AssaysPolymorphonuclear cells were purified from buffy
coats of healthy volunteers. PMN chemotaxis was performed in Boyden
microchambers (Neuro Probe, Gaithersburg, MD) with polyvinylpyrrolidone-free
polycarbonate membranes (5-µm pore size; Corning Separations Division,
Acton, MA) as described previously
(19). For intracellular
Ca2+ assays, cells were incubated in Hanks' balanced
salt medium containing 0.1% bovine serum albumin and 2.8 µg/ml Fura-2/AM
(Molecular Probes) at 37 °C for 45 min. Cells were washed, resuspended at
5 x 106 cells/ml, and allowed to re-equilibrate for 10 min at
37 °C. Cells were then transferred to cuvettes, and calcium transients
were monitored through fluorescence measurements using an LSB 50B
spectrofluorimeter (PerkinElmer Life Sciences).
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RESULTS
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Identification of GPR43 and GPR41 as Receptors for Short Chain Fatty
AcidsIn the frame of a general strategy for characterizing ligands
for orphan G protein-coupled receptors, a CHO-K1 cell line coexpressing GPR43,
G 16, and apoaequorin (GPR43-WTA11) was established and
screened in an aequorin-based functional assay against a large collection of
reference compounds comprising peptides, lipids, carbohydrates, and small
chemical compounds. A biological activity specific for GPR43-expressing cells
was observed for a number of peptide solutions containing acetate as the
counter ion. Control tests revealed that the acetate ion itself, and not the
peptides, was responsible for the agonist activity on GPR43. A pH effect could
rapidly be excluded, as neutral acetate buffers displayed the same activity as
acetic acid. Furthermore, different salts of acetate
(Na+,NH3+, and K+) confirmed the
activity of the acetate anion. We also excluded that the effect of acetate on
intracellular calcium release was subsequent to the acidification of the cell
cytosol, as several organic acids with a similar
pKa were not active on GPR43-expressing cells.
This specificity of the GPR43 response to acetate was further demonstrated by
testing in the same assay a set of about 60 orphan and characterized receptors
belonging to different GPCR classes and subclasses, in addition to the
wild-type cell lines WTA11. None of these responded to acetate. The
determination of concentration-action curves allowed us to estimate the
EC50 of GPR43 for sodium acetate at 268 ± 26
µM (Fig.
2A). Additional SCFAs were tested at this stage and were
found to activate GPR43, as well, in the aequorin-based assay (data not
shown).

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FIG. 2. Aequorin-based functional assay of GPR41 and GPR43. CHO-K1 cell
lines coexpressing apoaequorin and G 16 (WTA11 cells) were
further transfected with a bicistronic vector expressing GPR43 (A) or
GPR41 (B). The selected stable clones were used in a functional assay
based on the activation of aequorin, following the release of intracellular
Ca2+, in response to acetate or propionate. The data
represent the mean ± S.E. for triplicate data points. The displayed
curves are representative of at least three independent
experiments.
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We also screened the receptors structurally related to GPR43 and found that
GPR41, which shares 42% amino acid identity with GPR43, was also activated by
acetate, although to a lower extent (Fig.
2B). Indeed, the EC50 of GPR41 for acetate was
estimated at 1390 ± 220 µM, and the other SCFA propionate
was found to display a higher potency on this receptor, with an
EC50 of 11.6 ± 1.4 µM
(Fig. 2B).
Intracellular Coupling of GPR41 and GPR43The natural
coupling properties and the intracellular signaling pathways activated by
GPR43 and GPR41, upon stimulation by acetate or propionate, were investigated
in CHO-K1 cells expressing the human receptors but devoid of aequorin or
additional coupling proteins such as G 16 (CHO/GPR43 and
CHO/GPR41 cells). We first demonstrated that both receptors coupled negatively
to adenylyl cyclase through a Pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein
(Gi/o class), while being unable to promote accumulation of cAMP in
the absence of forskolin (not shown). This cAMP accumulation assay was used to
characterize further the detailed pharmacology of the receptors (see
Fig. 3, A and
B, and see below). A [35S]GTP S binding
assay was used alternatively as a functional test to monitor Gi/o
coupling of these receptors in a cell-free assay, to exclude further the
possibility that cell activation would result from nonspecific actions on the
cell metabolism or cytoplasmic components. The activity of acetate and
propionate on GPR43 and GPR41 was confirmed in this assay
(Fig. 4, A and
B). Propionate was equipotent on GPR43 (EC50 =
259 ± 67 µM) and GPR41 (EC50 = 274 ± 75
µM), whereas acetate was more potent on GPR43 (EC50 =
537 ± 31 µM) than on GPR41 (EC50 = 1299
± 65 µM). PTX treatment inhibited the response to SCFAs
for both receptors. Stimulation of GPR41 and GPR43 also resulted in the
release of intracellular calcium, with a similar rank order of potency (see
Fig. 4, C and
D and Table
I). Although the EC50 values observed in both assays
were similar for GPR41, they were higher in the Ca2+
assay as compared with the cAMP assay for GPR43. Furthermore, PTX abolished
the response of GPR41 but not of GPR43
(Fig. 4, C and
D). This suggested a unique Gi/o coupling for
GPR41 and a dual coupling through the Gi/o and Gq
families for GPR43.

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FIG. 3. Pharmacology of GPR41 or GPR43 in a cAMP accumulation assay. CHO-K1
cell lines expressing GPR43 (A) or GPR41 (B) were incubated
with various concentrations of SCFA and analogs, together with 5
µM forskolin. The data represent the mean ± S.E. for
triplicate data points. The displayed curves are representative of at
least three independent experiments.
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FIG. 4. Intracellular cascades activated by GPR41 and GPR43. A and
B, the binding of [35S]GTP S to membranes of CHO-K1
cells expressing GPR43 (A) or GPR41 (B) was measured
following stimulation by acetate or propionate. C and D,
intracellular calcium mobilization was measured in CHO-K1 cells expressing
GPR43 (C) or GPR41 (D), after culturing the cells in the
presence or absence of Pertussis toxin. The data represent the mean ±
S.E. for triplicate data points, and the displayed curves are
representative of at least three independent experiments. E and
F, inositol phosphate accumulation was determined in COS-7 cells
transiently expressing GPR43 (E) or cotransfected with GPR43 or GPR41
and the chimeric Gqi5 protein (F). G and
H, phosphorylation of ERK1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinases
following stimulation of GPR43 (G) and GPR41 (H) expressed
in CHO-K1 cells by acetate or propionate for 5 min. The cellular extract
(20-µg proteins) was separated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis,
transferred to nylon membranes, and labeled with antibodies specific for the
phosphorylated forms of ERK1 and ERK2.
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TABLE I pEC50 values of SCFA and related molecules
for GPR41 and GPR43
The functional parameters of GPR43 and GPR41 activation by SCFAs and
related molecules were determined using a cAMP accumulation assay (in the
presence of forskolin) and a fluorescent-based calcium mobilization assay.
Values are the mean pEC50 and S.E. for at least three independent
determinations. The number in parentheses indicates the potency order for each
assay and each receptor. ND, not determined.
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The activity of SCFAs was confirmed following expression of GPR43 and GPR41
in other cell lines (COS-7 and human embryonic kidney 293), with similar
EC50 values observed for acetate and propionate. Moreover,
transient expression of GPR43 in COS-7 cells led to the accumulation of
inositol phosphate products in a PTX-independent mechanism with an
EC50 of 325 ± 36 µM for propionate and 132
± 40 µM for acetate
(Fig. 4E). Stimulation
of GPR41 expressed in COS-7 cells resulted in the accumulation of inositol
phosphates, only following the cotransfection of the chimeric G protein
Gqi5 (Fig.
4F). Furthermore, the cotransfection of GPR43 and
Gqi5 increased significantly the basal level of inositol
phosphates, as compared with control conditions, or the expression of one of
the plasmids alone, suggesting that GPR43 is endowed with constitutive
activity (data not shown).
Stimulation of GPR43 and GPR41 expressed in CHO-K1 cells with 10
mM propionate induced a time-dependent phosphorylation of p42 and
p44 mitogen-activated protein kinases (ERK1/2), reaching a maximum by 3 to 5
min and returning to basal levels within 10 min
(Fig. 4, G and
H). On GPR41, stimulation of p42/p44 phosphorylation by
acetate was less efficient than by propionate at the same concentration (10
mM). This activation was abolished after PTX pre-treatment,
demonstrating the involvement of Gi/o family proteins in this
pathway, as well. On GPR43, similar levels of p42/p44 phosphorylation were
obtained following acetate or propionate stimulation, and its blockade by PTX
pre-treatment was also efficient (Fig.
4H).
In Vitro Pharmacology of Human Recombinant GPR41 and
GPR43The pharmacology of both receptors was extended by assaying a
number of short carboxylic acids and related molecules in a cAMP accumulation
assay, using CHO-K1 cells, expressing stably GPR41 or GPR43, and stimulated
with forskolin. The tested compounds included carboxylic acids containing 1 to
8 carbons, either linear or branched. The full list of active compounds is
displayed in Table I, together
with the functional parameters.
Among the compounds displaying an agonist activity on GPR43, acetate,
propionate, and butyrate were characterized by a similar micromolar potency
(Fig. 3A). The rank
order of potency was propionate > acetate = butyrate > isobutyrate >
caproate > isovalerate > valerate > formate > pivalate >
L-OH-butyrate, caprylate, and heptanoate, which were active only at
concentrations of 10 mM (Table
I). For human GPR41, the rank order of potency showed notable
differences as compared with GPR43. The order was propionate > isobutyrate
> butyrate > valerate > isovalerate > caproate > pivalate >
acetate (see Fig. 3B
and Table I). Formate was
totally inactive on this receptor. Other molecules including acetaldehyde,
acetamide, acetate esters, acetone, ethanol, pyruvate, lactate, and glyoxylate
were tested and found to be inactive on both receptors.
Distribution of GPR41 and GPR43 in Tissues and Leukocyte
PopulationsThe tissue distribution of the receptors was determined
by RT-PCR in a number of human peripheral tissues, brain areas, lymphoid
organs, and leukocyte populations purified from human blood. GPR43 expression
was characterized by a high specificity. Transcripts were found at high level
in PMN and at lower levels in PBMC, as well as in purified monocytes. GPR43
transcripts were also detected in bone marrow and spleen
(Fig. 5). GPR41 expression
appeared more widespread, with significant and grossly similar expression in
spleen, lymph node, bone marrow, and PBMC. No expression could be detected in
PMN, monocytes, dendritic cells, and a number of peripheral organs
(Fig. 5).

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FIG. 5. Distribution of human GPR43 and GPR41 transcripts. The presence of
transcripts encoding the SCFA receptors GPR43 and GPR41 was investigated by
RT-PCR in a panel of tissues and leukocyte populations. The expected size of
the amplified bands was 439 and 508 bp, respectively. Aliquots (10 µl) of
the PCR reactions were analyzed on a 1% agarose gel. Amplification of
glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) transcripts was
performed in parallel as a control (size of band, 509 bp).
DC, dendritic cells.
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Functional Effects of SCFAs on Polymorphonuclear Cells
SCFAs have been described as displaying activities on leukocyte
populations, particularly PMN cells
(2022).
Given the identification of specific receptors for these molecules and the
characterization of their expression profile we investigated the effects of
SCFAs on human leukocytes. PMN cells were particularly investigated, provided
the strong and specific expression of GPR43 in this population and the
previously described activity of SCFAs on these cells. Stimulation of PMN
cells by propionate or acetate resulted in a transient increase of
intracellular calcium (Fig. 6, A
and B), as described before the identification of
specific receptors for these agents
(2325).
The Ca2+ response was similar to that obtained with the
bacterial peptide formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLP), the prototypical agonist of the
formyl peptide receptor. Prior stimulation of the cells with acetate or
propionate inhibited subsequent responses to propionate or acetate
(Fig. 6B), suggesting
a homologous desensitization of a common receptor for the two agonists.
Acetate or propionate did not affect, however, the functional responses to
fMLP, interleukin-8, or leukotriene B4
(Fig. 6A). Conversely,
a first stimulation of PMN with fMLP, interleukin-8, or leukotriene B4 reduced
or abolished, in a concentration-dependant manner, the subsequent response to
acetate or propionate (Fig.
6C). Concentration-action curves were established for
propionate (Fig. 6D)
and acetate (Fig. 6E),
demonstrating that both molecules were equally active on PMNs, with
EC50 values of 537 ± 36 µM for acetate and 540
± 36 µM for propionate. This calcium-mobilizing effect
was not sensitive to PTX and not abolished in the presence of EGTA in
extracellular medium, indicating the mobilization of calcium from
intracellular pools (data not shown).

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|
FIG. 6. Functional activation and chemotaxis of polymorphonuclear cells, in
response to acetate and propionate. Freshly prepared neutrophils were
tested for their functional response to acetate, propionate, and fMLP, as well
as cross-desensitization, using a fluorescence-based
Ca2+ mobilization assay. A, neutrophils were
stimulated successively with 30 mM propionate and 100 nM
fMLP. B, neutrophils were stimulated twice with 30 mM
acetate C, neutrophils were stimulated first with 100 nM
fMLP and then with 30 mM propionate. Each panel is
representative of at least three independent experiments. D,
concentration-action curve for propionate. E,
concentration-action curve for acetate. F, neutrophil
chemotaxis assay in response to acetate and propionate. The data represent the
index relative to basal migration across the membrane. The chemotaxis data
represent the mean ± S.E. for triplicate wells of five independent
experiments.
|
|
PMN cells were also tested for their chemotactic response to sodium acetate
and sodium propionate. Both SCFAs resulted in a classical bell-shaped
dose-response curve with an optimal concentration of 1 mM
(Fig. 6F). The potency
of SCFAs in neutrophil chemotaxis was significantly lower than that of fMLP,
which was still fully active at concentrations of 1 nM (data not
shown). Furthermore, the efficacy of fMLP was also higher than that of SCFAs,
as the maximal chemotactic index obtained with fMLP was on average at least
3-fold higher than with SCFAs. Additional experiments indicated that, at
optimal agonistic concentrations (1 mM), SCFAs could inhibit
neither spontaneous neutrophil migration nor chemotaxis induced by 10
nM fMLP (data not shown).
 |
DISCUSSION
|
|---|
GPR43 and GPR41 belong to a cluster of four orphan GPCRs, together with
GPR40 and GPR42, which share little structural similarities with other
subfamilies of G protein-coupled receptors. GPR43 is mainly expressed on
leukocyte populations, particularly neutrophils, whereas GPR41 expression is
more widely distributed in tissues. The involvement of GPR43 in leukocyte
function and host defense is supported by the induction of its mRNA during the
differentiation and activation of monocytes and PMN cells
(14).
The screening of a library of reference bioactive molecules allowed us to
identify acetate and then other short chain fatty acids as specific agonists
for GPR43. The SCFAs were then used to screen the structurally related
receptors, and we found that GPR41 was also activated by SCFA with a different
rank order of potency, although its amino acid identity with GPR43 was somehow
limited (39%). A cell line expressing GPR40 did not respond to SCFAs in our
hands, whereas GPR42, which shares 98% amino acid identity with GPR41, has not
been tested in this study. Acetate was 100-fold less potent on GPR41 as
compared with propionate and butyrate, whereas the three ligands activated
GPR43 with a similar potency. A number of observations in various cell
environments and functional assays suggested that the two receptors are
coupled differently to intracellular signaling cascades. GPR41 appears to be
coupled exclusively to the to Gi/o family of proteins, whereas a
dual coupling through Gq and Gi/o families is observed
for GPR43. In both cases, the resulting intracellular pathways activated by
the receptors included inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate generation, intracellular
Ca2+ release, ERK1/2 activation, and inhibition of cAMP
accumulation.
Among the compounds tested, a set of ten carboxylic acids and related
molecules were found to be active on both GPR41 and GPR43 in cAMP accumulation
and intracellular Ca2+ release assays.
Structure-activity relationships of the active compounds showed that the
carboxylic moiety is required for activity. Indeed, aldehydes, ketones, or
alcohols with similar carbon chains were totally inactive, as well as ester
derivatives of the active compounds. A carboxylic moiety has to be located at
the end of aliphatic chain comprising one to six carbon atoms, linear or
branched. The optimal length is two to three carbon atoms for activity on
GPR43 and three to five carbon atoms for GPR41. The presence of two (or more)
carboxyl groups is, however, not tolerated as a number of di-acids were
inactive, whatever the length of the carbon chain. These inactive compounds
included oxalate (C2), malonate (C3), succinate (C4), aspartate (C4),
glutamate (C5), and citrate (C6).
In vivo relevant SCFAs include, but are not limited to, acetate,
propionate, and butyrate. These molecules are produced in considerable amounts
by microbial fermentation in the hindgut, where they reach local
concentrations as high as 70 to 100 mM
(26). SCFAs are also produced
as metabolic by-products of anaerobic bacteria present in the periodontal
pocket. SCFAs are rapidly transferred from these compartments to the
bloodstream, and the usual concentration in peripheral blood is around 100 to
150 µM for acetate, 4 to 5 µM for propionate, and
1 to 3 µM for butyrate
(27). Moreover, the plasmatic
concentration of acetate can increase up to 10-fold as compared with basal
values, following ethanol administration
(28,
29). A few inherited diseases,
caused by specific enzyme defects, result in the accumulation of propionate
and butyrate (30,
31).
The high and specific expression of GPR43 in neutrophils can be related to
the well established effects of SCFAs on these cells. Indeed, the observed
calcium mobilization and chemotaxis of neutrophils, in response to SCFAs,
confirms an abundant literature describing activation of PMN by SCFAs, which
includes morphological changes and cell polarization,
Ca2+ release, actin cytoskeleton remodeling, and
cytoplasmic pH oscillations
(20,
25). Our pharmacological data
suggest that GPR43 is the functional receptor responsible for these previously
reported actions of SCFAs on neutrophils.
The identification of functional receptors for SCFAs, expressed on
leukocytes, opens new perspectives in the modulation of immune system
functions in various pathophysiological situations. The average concentrations
of propionate and butyrate in blood are too low to activate GPR41 or GPR43,
but the blood concentrations reached by acetate are well within the active
range for GPR43. Moreover, the main sources of SCFAs are bacteria in the gut,
where their local concentrations are known to be much higher than in the
blood. It has been established that products of the gut commensal flora can
promote the activation of the mucosal immune system in the presence of an
impaired or injured mucosal barrier, contributing to the development of
inflammatory bowel diseases
(32). Leukocytes also
infiltrate diffusely the intestinal wall, in the absence of obvious
morphological, clinical, or endoscopic evidence of inflammatory processes.
Neutrophils play a key role in the early steps of a number of inflammatory
processes of the gastrointestinal tract, including gastritis, enterocolitis,
ulcerative colitis, and ischemia reperfusion injury. Following migration from
the systemic circulation into the mucosal interstitial space, neutrophils
undergo activation to produce reactive oxygen intermediates and chemokines,
leading to the perpetuation of the inflammatory response, as well as
contributing to the ultimate mucosal injury. The development of therapeutic
strategies to block neutrophil recruitment and activation might be highly
beneficial in a number of diseases characterized by an inflammatory component.
Cyclosporin A, which inhibits neutrophil and T cell recruitment, is an
efficient treatment for inflammatory bowel diseases. The identification of
GPR43 as a functional receptor for SCFA could potentially lead to new
therapeutic strategies.
Acetate concentration can increase up to 10-fold and reach millimolar
concentrations after alcohol ingestion, as a consequence of the conversion of
60 to 75% of alcohol to acetate
(29). It has been established
that acute and chronic alcohol intake increases the susceptibility to
infections caused by bacterial and viral pathogens
(33,
34). The impaired host defense
associated with alcohol is the consequence of a defective inflammatory
response, with altered cytokine production and decreased neutrophil function
(35,
36). Chronic ethanol intake
was shown to affect fMLP-induced chemotactic activity, superoxide production
by neutrophils, and their bactericidal activity
(37,
38). Some of these effects
might involve the desensitization of neutrophil SCFA receptors by high blood
concentrations of acetate, resulting in a reduction of their recruitment to
sites of bacterial infection. Leukocyte infiltration is also an important
component of alcoholic liver disease. In acute alcoholic hepatitis, PMN are
selectively recruited to the liver where alcohol is metabolized into acetate
(37,
39).
As a conclusion, we have identified two specific receptors of SCFAs. These
receptors could play a role similar to that of the fMLP receptor
(40), by recognizing a
bacterial metabolite and promoting leukocyte recruitment to the site of
infection, as well as their activation. The pharmacological profile of GPR43
and its specific expression in neutrophils suggest, therefore, an early role
in the induction of immune and inflammatory responses, with a possible
involvement in inflammatory bowel diseases, as well as in
alcoholism-associated disease susceptibility. The precise function of GPR41,
given its broader distribution, is less clear. Additional studies, including
in vivo pharmacology and the generation of knockout models, will be
necessary for identifying further the precise roles of these two receptors and
their potential applications as therapeutic targets. During the completion of
the present work, two publications describing the independent identification
of GPR40 as a receptor for medium fatty acids and of GPR41 and GPR43 as
receptors for SCFAs became available on-line
(41,
42). These authors describe a
pharmacological profile of SCFAs for GPR41 and GPR43 that is similar to that
reported here.
 |
FOOTNOTES
|
|---|
* This work was supported in part by the "Actions de Recherche
Concertées de la Communauté Française de Belgique,"
the Belgian program on Interuniversity Poles of attraction initiated by the
Belgian State, Prime Minister's Office, Science Policy Programming, the Cell
Factory program of the European Community (Grant QLK3-2000-00237), the
"Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique Médicale de Belgique,"
and the "Fondation Médicale Reine Elisabeth" (to M. P. and
G. V.). The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the
payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked
"advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734
solely to indicate this fact. 
Contributed equally to this work. 

To whom correspondence should addressed. Tel.: 32-2-555-41-71; Fax:
32-2-555-46-55; E-mail:
mparment{at}ulb.ac.be.
1 The abbreviations used are: GPCR, G protein-coupled receptor; FBS, fetal
bovine serum; fMLP, formyl-Met-Leu-Phe; PBMC, peripheral blood mononuclear
cells; PTX, Pertussis toxin; SCFA, short chain fatty acid; PMN,
polymorphonuclear cells; RT, reverse transcription;
[35S]GTP S, 35S-labeled guanosine
5'-3-O-(thio)triphosphate; CHO, Chinese hamster ovary; ERK,
extracellular signal-regulated kinase; BisTris,
2-[bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]-2-(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diol; MOPS,
3-(N-morpholino)propane sulfonic acid. 
 |
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
|
|---|
We thank G. André, M. Bosefe, C. Jeanty, S. Lamoral, and N. Tazir
for expert technical assistance and J. M. Boeynaems, C. Govaert, F. Ooms, and
J. Vakili for continuous support and advice.
 |
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A. Vinson, M. C. Mahaney, V. P. Diego, L. A. Cox, J. Rogers, J. L. VandeBerg, and D. L. Rainwater
Genotype-by-diet effects on co-variation in Lp-PLA2 activity and LDL-cholesterol concentration in baboons fed an atherogenic diet
J. Lipid Res.,
June 1, 2008;
49(6):
1295 - 1302.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
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Y. Tian, R. F. Corkey, G. C. Yaney, P. B. Goforth, L. S. Satin, and L. Moitoso de Vargas
Differential modulation of L-type calcium channel subunits by oleate
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab,
June 1, 2008;
294(6):
E1178 - E1186.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
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S. R. Srinivas, P. D. Prasad, N. S. Umapathy, V. Ganapathy, and P. S. Shekhawat
Transport of butyryl-L-carnitine, a potential prodrug, via the carnitine transporter OCTN2 and the amino acid transporter ATB0,+
Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol,
November 1, 2007;
293(5):
G1046 - G1053.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
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S. Seifert and B. Watzl
Inulin and Oligofructose: Review of Experimental Data on Immune Modulation
J. Nutr.,
November 1, 2007;
137(11):
2563S - 2567S.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
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M. G. Latour, T. Alquier, E. Oseid, C. Tremblay, T. L. Jetton, J. Luo, D. C.-H. Lin, and V. Poitout
GPR40 Is Necessary but Not Sufficient for Fatty Acid Stimulation of Insulin Secretion In Vivo
Diabetes,
April 1, 2007;
56(4):
1087 - 1094.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
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J. R. Grider and B. E. Piland
The peristaltic reflex induced by short-chain fatty acids is mediated by sequential release of 5-HT and neuronal CGRP but not BDNF
Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol,
January 1, 2007;
292(1):
G429 - G437.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
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J. Wang, X. Wu, N. Simonavicius, H. Tian, and L. Ling
Medium-chain Fatty Acids as Ligands for Orphan G Protein-coupled Receptor GPR84
J. Biol. Chem.,
November 10, 2006;
281(45):
34457 - 34464.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
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J. Thimmarayappa, J. Sun, L. E. Schultz, P. Dejkhamron, C. Lu, A. Giallongo, J. L. Merchant, and R. K. Menon
Inhibition of Growth Hormone Receptor Gene Expression by Saturated Fatty Acids: Role of Kruppel-Like Zinc Finger Factor, ZBP-89
Mol. Endocrinol.,
November 1, 2006;
20(11):
2747 - 2760.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
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Q. F. Collins, Y. Xiong, E. G. Lupo Jr., H.-Y. Liu, and W. Cao
p38 Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Mediates Free Fatty Acid-induced Gluconeogenesis in Hepatocytes
J. Biol. Chem.,
August 25, 2006;
281(34):
24336 - 24344.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
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J. Wang, N. Simonavicius, X. Wu, G. Swaminath, J. Reagan, H. Tian, and L. Ling
Kynurenic Acid as a Ligand for Orphan G Protein-coupled Receptor GPR35
J. Biol. Chem.,
August 4, 2006;
281(31):
22021 - 22028.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
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V. Kuzina and E. Cerda-Olmedo
Modification of Sexual Development and Carotene Production by Acetate and Other Small Carboxylic Acids in Blakeslea trispora and Phycomyces blakesleeanus.
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.,
July 1, 2006;
72(7):
4917 - 4922.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
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G. Stewart, T. Hira, A. Higgins, C. P. Smith, and J. T. McLaughlin
Mouse GPR40 heterologously expressed in Xenopus oocytes is activated by short-, medium-, and long-chain fatty acids
Am J Physiol Cell Physiol,
March 1, 2006;
290(3):
C785 - C792.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
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J. Gromada
The Free Fatty Acid Receptor GPR40 Generates Excitement in Pancreatic {beta}-Cells
Endocrinology,
February 1, 2006;
147(2):
672 - 673.
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Y.-H. Hong, Y. Nishimura, D. Hishikawa, H. Tsuzuki, H. Miyahara, C. Gotoh, K.-C. Choi, D. D. Feng, C. Chen, H.-G. Lee, et al.
Acetate and Propionate Short Chain Fatty Acids Stimulate Adipogenesis via GPCR43
Endocrinology,
December 1, 2005;
146(12):
5092 - 5099.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
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A. K. P. Taggart, J. Kero, X. Gan, T.-Q. Cai, K. Cheng, M. Ippolito, N. Ren, R. Kaplan, K. Wu, T.-J. Wu, et al.
(D)-{beta}-Hydroxybutyrate Inhibits Adipocyte Lipolysis via the Nicotinic Acid Receptor PUMA-G
J. Biol. Chem.,
July 22, 2005;
280(29):
26649 - 26652.
[Abstract]
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G. A. O'May, N. Reynolds, A. R. Smith, A. Kennedy, and G. T. Macfarlane
Effect of pH and Antibiotics on Microbial Overgrowth in the Stomachs and Duodena of Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Feeding
J. Clin. Microbiol.,
July 1, 2005;
43(7):
3059 - 3065.
[Abstract]
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S. Katsuma, N. Hatae, T. Yano, Y. Ruike, M. Kimura, A. Hirasawa, and G. Tsujimoto
Free Fatty Acids Inhibit Serum Deprivation-induced Apoptosis through GPR120 in a Murine Enteroendocrine Cell Line STC-1
J. Biol. Chem.,
May 20, 2005;
280(20):
19507 - 19515.
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G. S. Patten, M. J. Adams, J. A. Dallimore, and M. Y. Abeywardena
Depressed Prostanoid-Induced Contractility of the Gut in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR) Is Not Affected by the Level of Dietary Fat
J. Nutr.,
November 1, 2004;
134(11):
2924 - 2929.
[Abstract]
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M. Sugita, H. Kongo, and Y. Shiba
Molecular Dissection of the Butyrate Action Revealed the Involvement of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase in Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Biogenesis
Mol. Pharmacol.,
November 1, 2004;
66(5):
1248 - 1259.
[Abstract]
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E. Gopal, Y.-J. Fei, M. Sugawara, S. Miyauchi, L. Zhuang, P. Martin, S. B. Smith, P. D. Prasad, and V. Ganapathy
Expression of slc5a8 in Kidney and Its Role in Na+-coupled Transport of Lactate
J. Biol. Chem.,
October 22, 2004;
279(43):
44522 - 44532.
[Abstract]
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D.-S. Im
Discovery of new G protein-coupled receptors for lipid mediators
J. Lipid Res.,
March 1, 2004;
45(3):
410 - 418.
[Abstract]
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Copyright © 2003 by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
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