Liver SVCT Systems: Vitamin C Uptake, Roles & Regulation

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This proposal has been designed to advance the Principle Investigator (PI)towards his goal of academic independence. To attain that objective he will learn advanced molecular biology and mouse genetic techniques as well as liver pathology/histology in his studies of vitamin C regulation in the liver. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is a required essential micronutrient and effective antioxidant in humans. Two isoforms of the sodium-dependent vitamin C transporters (SVCT1 and SVCT2) are expressed in many human and mouse tissues, including the liver. Nothing is known regarding the regulation or relative contribution of the SVCT systems toward the overall vitamin C uptake process in the liver. Understanding these mechanisms is clinically relevant since many liver related diseases benefit from optimizing vitamin C body homeostasis. Our studies will use both an in vitro and in vivo approach to perform a comprehensive examination of the human liver vitamin C uptake process and regulation. We will determine the characteristics/kinetics of vitamin C uptake, characterize the hSVCTI and hSVCT2promoters, establish the relative contribution of hSVCTI and hSVCT2 towardtotal uptake using an siRNA approach and perform studies regardingthe effects of adaptive regulation of the vitamin C uptake process, all in human liver cells. In addition we will determine the characteristics/kinetics of vitamin C uptake in the liver of an in vivo mouse model that like humans is unable to synthesize vitamin C, establish the relative contribution of mSVCTI and mSVCT2 toward total uptake using the cre/lox system to generate liver specific knockouts of each gene independently, and continue our studies into adaptive regulation of vitamin C uptake in this in vivo model. Our studies into the mechanisms involved in maintaining and regulating normal vitamin C body homeostasis will potentially allow clinicians to develop effective strategies for patients during conditions of deficiency. The extensive training and educational opportunities will allow the PI to launch into a career as an independent academic researcher.