1. Academic Validation
  2. MFSD2B is a sphingosine 1-phosphate transporter in erythroid cells

MFSD2B is a sphingosine 1-phosphate transporter in erythroid cells

  • Sci Rep. 2018 Mar 21;8(1):4969. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-23300-x.
Naoki Kobayashi 1 2 Shoko Kawasaki-Nishi 3 Masato Otsuka 1 Yu Hisano 3 Akihito Yamaguchi 4 Tsuyoshi Nishi 5 6
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Osaka, 573-0101, Japan.
  • 2 Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Teikyo Heisei University, Nakano-ku, Tokyo, 164-8530, Japan.
  • 3 Department of Biomolecular Science and Regulation, Osaka University, Ibaraki, Osaka, 567-0047, Japan.
  • 4 Department of Cell Membrane Structural Biology, Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Ibaraki, Osaka, 567-0047, Japan.
  • 5 Department of Biomolecular Science and Regulation, Osaka University, Ibaraki, Osaka, 567-0047, Japan. tnishi@sanken.osaka-u.ac.jp.
  • 6 Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan. tnishi@sanken.osaka-u.ac.jp.
Abstract

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is an intercellular signaling molecule present in blood. Erythrocytes have a central role in maintaining the S1P concentration in the blood stream. We previously demonstrated that S1P is exported from erythrocytes by a glyburide-sensitive S1P transporter. However, the gene encoding the S1P transporter in erythrocytes is unknown. In this study, we found that the mouse erythroid cell line, MEDEP-E14, has S1P export activity and exhibits properties that are consistent with those of erythrocytes. Using microarray analysis of MEDEP-E14 cells and its parental cell line, E14TG2a, we identified several candidate genes for S1P export activity. Of those genes, only one gene, Mfsd2b, showed S1P transport activity. The properties of S1P release by MFSD2B were similar to those in erythrocytes. Moreover, knockout of MFSD2B in MEDEP-E14 cells decreased S1P export from the cells. These results strongly suggest that MFSD2B is a novel S1P transporter in erythroid cells.

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