Effect of ageing on the transport of glycyl-glutamine in the kidney

The renal H+/peptide cotransporters (PEPT1 and PEPT2) play important roles in the reabsorption of di- and tri- peptides. Based os structural similarity, PEPT1 and PEPT2 are also capable of transporting a broad range of peptidomimetic drugs including certain angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, -lactam antibiotics, anti-tumor and anti-viral agents. In the present study, the effect of ageing on L-glycyl-L-glutamine (gly-gln) transport was measured using a novel approach involving the use of the fluorescent indicator, 3,3-Dipropylthiacarbocyanine iodide (DiS-C3-(3)) in membrane vesicles isolated from the superficial cortex and outer medulla of two groups of male Wister rats of approximately 6-weeks (young) and 9-months (middle-aged) old. This study showed for the first time that DiS-C3-(3) fluorescence could be used as a reporter of the membrane potential difference in membrane vesicles isolated from different kidney regions and from rats of different ages. Furthermore it was shown that gly-gln uptake was consistently greater in the younger age group and in the superficial cortex compared to the outer medulla.

Autorentext

Was born and grew up in Saudi Arabia. In 2007 he was awarded a BSc for Biology from the University of Al-Taif. This led to the award of an educational scholarship by the Saudi authorities and the conferral of a Masters degree from the University of New England (UNE) in Australia. He is currently studying for a PhD at UNE.