Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Mammalian facilitative hexose transporters mediate the transport of dehydroascorbic acid

Nature volume 364, pages 79–82 (1993)Cite this article

Abstract

ALTHOUGH vitamin C is critical to human physiology1–5, it is not clear how it is taken up into cells. The kinetics of cell and tissue accumulation of ascorbic acid in vitro indicate that the process is mediated by specific transporters at the cell membrane6. Some experimental observations have linked the transport of ascorbic acid with hexose transport systems in mammalian cells, although no clear information is available regarding the specific role(s) of these transporters, if any, in this process7–16. Here we use the Xenopus laevis oocyte expression system to show that the mammalian facilitative hexose transporters are efficient transporters of the oxidized form of vitamin C (dehydroascorbic acid). Two transport pathways, one with low affinity and one with high affinity for dehydroascorbic acid, were found in oocytes expressing the mammalian transporters, and these oocytes accumulated vitamin C against a concentration gradient when supplied with dehydroascorbic acid. We obtained similar results in experiments using normal human neutrophils. These observations indicate that mammalian facilitative hexose transporters are a physiologically significant pathway for the uptake and accumulation of vitamin C by cells, and suggest a mechanism for the accumulation of ascorbic acid against a concentration gradient.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Crandon, J. H. & Lund, C. C. New Engl. J. Med. 223, 353–369 (1940).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Hodges, R. E. Baker, E. M., Hood, J. H., Sauberlich, H. E. & Baker, E. M. Am. J. clin. Nutr. 22, 535–548 (1969).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Hodges, R. E., Baker, E. M., Hod, J. H., Sauberlich, H. E. & Baker, E. M. Am. J. clin. Nutr. 24, 432–443 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Englard, S. & Steifter, S. A. Rev. Nutr. 6, 365–406 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Padh, H. Biochem. Cell Biol. 68, 1166–1173 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Rose, R. C. Biochim. biophys. Acta 947, 335–366 (1988).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Siliprandi, L., Vanni, P., Kessler, M. & Semenza, G. Biochim. biophys. Acta 552, 129–142 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Toggenburger, G. et al. Biochim. biophys. Acta 646, 433–443 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Bigley, R., Wirth, M., Layman, D., Riddle, M. & Stankova, L. Diabetes 32, 545–548 (1983).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Bianchi, J., Wilson, F. A. & Rose, R. C. Am. J. Physiol. 250, G461–G468 (1986).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Ingermann, R. L., Stankova, L. & Bigley, R. H. Am. J. Physiol. 250, C637–C641 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Rose, R. C. Am. J. Physiol. 250, F627–F632 (1986).

    CAS  PubMed  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Padh, H. & Aleo, J. J. Biochim. biophys. Acta 901, 283–290 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. McLennan, S. et al. Diabetes 37, 359–361 (1988).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Wilson, J. X. & Dixon, J. S. J. Membr. Biol. 111, 83–91 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Waskho, P. & Levine, M. J. biol. Chem. 267, 23568–23574 (1992).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Winkler, B. S. Biochim. biophys. Acta 925, 258–264 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Wunderling, M., Paul, H.-H. & Lohmann, W. Biol. Chem. Hoppe-Seyler 367, 1047–1054 (1986)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Birnbaum, M., Haspel, H. & Rosen, O. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83, 5784–5788 (1986).

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. Vera, J. C. & Rosen, O. Molec. cell. Biol. 9, 4187–4195 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Vera, J. C. & Rosen, O. Molec. cell. Biol. 10, 743–751 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Oka, Y. et al. Nature 345, 550–553 (1990).

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. Jung, C. Y. & Rampal, A. L. J. biol. Chem. 252, 5456–5463 (1977).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Wheeler, T. J. & Hinkle, P. C. A. Rev. Biochem. 47, 503–517 (1985).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Thorens, B., Sarkar, H., Kaback, H. & Lodish, H. Cell 55, 281–290 (1988).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Washko, P., Rotrosen, D. & Levine, M. J. biol. Chem. 264, 18996–19002 (1989).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Dhariwal, K. R., Hartzell, W. O. & Levine, M. Am. J. clin. Nutr. 54, 712–716 (1991).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Moser, U. & Weber, F. Int. J. Vit. Nutr. Res. 54, 47–53 (1984).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Bergsten, P. et al. J. biol. Chem. 265, 2584–2587 (1990).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Bigley, R. H. & Stankova, L. J. exp. Med. 139, 1084–1092 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Raghoebar, M., Huisman, J. A. M., van den Berg, W. B. & van Ginnekan, C. A. M. Life Sci. 40, 499–510 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Program in Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, New York, 10021, USA

    Juan Carlos Vera, Coralia I. Rivas & David W. Golde

  2. Departments of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics and Ophthalmology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, 10032, USA

    Jorge Fischbarg

Authors
  1. Juan Carlos Vera
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Coralia I. Rivas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jorge Fischbarg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. David W. Golde
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vera, J., Rivas, C., Fischbarg, J. et al. Mammalian facilitative hexose transporters mediate the transport of dehydroascorbic acid. Nature 364, 79–82 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1038/364079a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/364079a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing