Milk protein synthesis is regulated by T1R1/T1R3, a G protein-coupled taste receptor, through the mTOR pathway in the mouse mammary gland
MOLECULAR NUTRITION & FOOD RESEARCH
Authors: Liu, Junqiang; Wang, Yanhong; Li, Dewei; Wang, Yanhuan; Li, Menglu; Chen, Caifa; Fang, Xingtang; Chen, Hong; Zhang, Chunlei
Abstract
Scope: Understanding the regulatory mechanism of milk protein synthesis is important to develop strategies to improve milk protein and enhance lactation performance. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is a crucial modulator of protein synthesis. In this study, we want to investigate if T1R1/T1R3 can regulate milk protein synthesis and mediate the mTOR pathway in the mice mammary gland in vivo. Methods and results: T1R1 knockout mice, WT mice, and mammary explants were used. The weigh-suckle-weigh method was used to quantify the milk yield. The expression level of 13-casein and AA transporter mRNA were analyzed by qPCR. Western blot was used to analyze protein abundance of members of the mTOR pathway. As expected, the knockout of T1R1 not only reduced the total milk yield in the mice mammary glands, but also repressed 13-casein synthesis. Additionally, the phosphorylation of 4EB P1 and S6K was significantly decreased in T1R1 knockout mice. The T1R1 knockout also increased the protein abundance of the AA transporter SLC3A2 and mRNA expression of SLC7A5/SLC3A2 and SLC1A5. Activation of the mTOR pathway was repressed by inhibition of T1R3 or T1R1 knockout in mammary gland explants. Conclusion: T1R1/T1R3 modulates the mTOR pathway to regulate milk protein synthesis in the mouse mammary gland in vivo.
Wnt regulates amino acid transporter Slc7a5 and so constrains the integrated stress response in mouse embryos
EMBO REPORTS
Authors: Poncet, Nadege; Halley, Pamela A.; Lipina, Christopher; Gierlinski, Marek; Dady, Alwyn; Singer, Gail A.; Febrer, Melanie; Shi, Yun-Bo; Yamaguchi, Terry P.; Taylor, Peter M.; Storey, Kate G.
Abstract
Amino acids are essential for cellular metabolism, and it is important to understand how nutrient supply is coordinated with changing energy requirements during embryogenesis. Here, we show that the amino acid transporter Slc7a5/Lat1 is highly expressed in tissues undergoing morphogenesis and that Slc7a5-null mouse embryos have profound neural and limb bud outgrowth defects. Slc7a5-null neural tissue exhibited aberrant mTORC1 activity and cell proliferation; transcriptomics, protein phosphorylation and apoptosis analyses further indicated induction of the integrated stress response as a potential cause of observed defects. The pattern of stress response gene expression induced in Slc7a5-null embryos was also detected at low level in wild-type embryos and identified stress vulnerability specifically in tissues undergoing morphogenesis. The Slc7a5-null phenotype is reminiscent of Wnt pathway mutants, and we show that Wnt/beta-catenin loss inhibits Slc7a5 expression and induces this stress response. Wnt signalling therefore normally supports the metabolic demands of morphogenesis and constrains cellular stress. Moreover, operation in the embryo of the integrated stress response, which is triggered by pathogen-mediated as well as metabolic stress, may provide a mechanistic explanation for a range of developmental defects.