Functional effects of monocarboxylate transporter 1 expression in activated hepatic stellate cells

Monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) belongs to the SLC16 transporter gene family. MCT1 is involved in the transmembrane transport of lactic acid and other monocarboxylic acids in healthy tissue. Furthermore, it has been recognized that MCT1 contributes to the maintenance of the metabolic phenotype of tumor cells but the role of MCT1 in liver disease is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the expression and function of MCT1 and its chaperone CD147 (basigin), a transmembrane protein that is responsible for targeting MCT1 to the cell membrane, in hepatic fibrosis. Methods and Results: Quantitative PCR and…