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Updated: Oct 14, 2025

Using Multi-fluorinated Bile Acids and In Vivo Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Measure Bile Acid Transport
Published on: November 27, 2016
Perfluoroalkyl Carboxylic Acids Interact with the Human Bile Acid Transporter NTCP
Melissa J Ruggiero1, Haley Miller1, Jessica Y Idowu1
1Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
Perfluoroalkyl carboxylates, including PFOA, PFNA, and PFDA, are substrates of the Na+/taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP). These compounds interact with NTCP, potentially affecting bile acid transport and perfluoroalkyl substance elimination.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Pharmacokinetics
- Biochemistry
Background:
- The Na+/taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP) facilitates bile acid enterohepatic circulation.
- NTCP's role in the elimination of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) suggests a link to their long serum half-lives.
- While some perfluoroalkyl sulfonates are known NTCP substrates, the interaction of perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) with NTCP remains largely uncharacterized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) interact with NTCP.
- To determine if PFCAs function as substrates for NTCP-mediated transport.
- To elucidate the specific interactions between different chain lengths of PFCAs and NTCP.
Main Methods:
- Utilized human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293) engineered to stably express NTCP.
- Measured sodium-dependent transport of [3H]-taurocholate in the presence of varying concentrations of PFCAs.
- Conducted inhibition kinetics studies to determine the mode of interaction and binding affinities (Km values).
Main Results:
- Perfluoroalkyl carboxylates with 8 (PFOA), 9 (PFNA), and 10 (PFDA) carbons demonstrated significant inhibition of taurocholate transport.
- Inhibition kinetics revealed a competitive inhibition pattern, with PFNA, PFDA, and PFOA acting as inhibitors.
- All three PFCAs were confirmed as substrates for NTCP, with PFOA exhibiting the highest affinity (Km = 1.8 ± 0.4 mM).
Conclusions:
- Perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) are identified as substrates for NTCP, in addition to previously identified sulfonates.
- PFCAs, particularly PFOA, PFNA, and PFDA, interact with and are transported by NTCP.
- These findings suggest that NTCP-mediated transport plays a role in the pharmacokinetics of PFCAs, potentially influencing their accumulation in the body.
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