Selective impairment of taurine transport by cyclosporin A in a human placental cell line.

We investigated, using a human placental choriocarcinoma cell line as a model, the effects of the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporin A on several placental transport systems mediating the transfer of glucose and amino acids from mother to fetus. The results of the investigation show that the transport system responsible for the transfer of taurine is selectively impaired by the drug, whereas the other transport systems are either stimulated or not affected. The inhibitory effect of the drug on taurine transport appears to be due to interference with calmodulin-dependent processes because calmodulin antagonists such as W-7, calmidazolium, and CGS 9343B mimic the effects of cyclosporin A. FK506, another immunosuppressive drug that is currently undergoing clinical trials, does not have this inhibitory effect.