Characteristics of L-lactic acid transport in basal membrane vesicles of human placental syncytiotrophoblast

The characteristics of L-lactic acid transport across the trophoblast basal membrane were investigated and compared with those across the brush-border membrane by using membrane vesicles isolated from human placenta. The uptake of L-[C-14] lactic acid into basal membrane vesicles was Na+ independent, and an uphill transport was observed in the presence of a pH gradient ([H+](out) > [H+](in)). L-[C-14]lactic acid uptake exhibited saturation kinetics with a Km value of 5.89 +/- 0.68 mM in the presence of a pH gradient. p-Chloromercuribenzenesulfonate and alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate inhibited the initial uptake, whereas phloretin or 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate did not. Mono- and dicarboxylic acids suppressed the initial uptake. In conclusion, L- lactic acid transport in the basal membrane is H+ dependent and Na+ independent, as is also the case for the brush-border membrane transport, and its characteristics resemble those of monocarboxylic acid transporters. However, there were several differences in the effects of inhibitors between basal and brush-border membrane vesicles, suggesting that the transporter(s) involved in L- lactic acid transport in the basal membrane of placental trophoblast may differ from those in the brush-border membrane.