An amino acid transporter in the small intestine mediates basolateral efflux of plant-derived nicotianamine iron complexes.

ABSTRACT: Nicotianamine (NA), a plant-derived metal chelator abundant in vegetables, is a bioavailable iron-chelating compound in mammals. We recently reported that NA-iron (NA-Fe) complexes are absorbed in the small intestine via a proton-conjugated amino acid transporter (PAT1). However, the subsequent process remains unknown. In this study, using radioactive iron tracers and NA export quantification in Xenopus laevis oocytes, we identified the heterodimeric amino acid transporter as being responsible for transporting NA-Fe(II) complexes into the vascular system; this complex is composed of L-type amino acid transporter 2 (LAT2) and 4F2 heavy chain (4F2hc). Oocytes expressing LAT2/4F2hc exhibited significantly higher efflux of NA-⁵⁹Fe(II) than free Fe via ferroportin 1, indicating an NA

SUBMITTER: Murata Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12552558 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature