We isolated cDNA encoding a multispecific organic anion transporter 2 (OAT2) from the mouse kidney cDNA library. Isolated mouse OAT2 (mOAT2) consisted of 1623 base pairs that encoded a 540-amino acid residue protein with 12 putative membrane-spanning domains, and the amino acid sequence was 87% identical to that of rat OAT2 (rOAT2). The gene coding for mOAT2, Slc22a7, is found on chromosome 17C. Northern blot analysis revealed that the mOAT2 mRNA is abundantly expressed in the male mouse kidney, whereas it was predominantly expressed in both the liver and kidney of female mice. When expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, mOAT2 mediated the high affinity transport of glutarate (K m ϭ 15.8 Ϯ 3.2 M) and prostaglandin E 2 (K m ϭ 5.2 Ϯ 0.5 nM) in a sodium-independent manner. mOAT2-expressing oocytes also mediated the uptake of ␣-ketoglutarate, glutarate, prostaglandin E 2 , p-aminohippuric acid, methotrexate, ochratoxin A, valproate, and allopurinol. However, we did not observe mOAT2-mediated uptake of salicylate. A wide range of structurally unrelated organic anions inhibited mOAT2-mediated glutarate uptake especially erythromycin, a potent inhibitor. These results indicate that isolated mOAT2 is a multispecific organic anion transporter having some differences in substrate specificity compared with rOAT2. In addition, we found that there exists a sex-and speciesrelated differential gene expression of the OAT2 isoform.Organic anion transporters play central roles in the elimination of a wide range of endogenous and exogenous anionic compounds including drugs, environmental toxicants, and their metabolites. Current extensive molecular studies have identified several families of multispecific organic anion transporters that are involved in the elimination of various organic anions (Moller and Sheikh, 1983;Boyer et al

We succeeded in isolating a novel organic solute carrier from a human placenta cDNA library. The isolated cDNA consisted of 1137 base pairs that encoded a 379-amino acid protein, hOSCP1. Northern blot and reverse transcription PCR analyses revealed that the hOSCP1 mRNA is expressed in the placenta and testis and weakly expressed in the thymus and small intestine. When expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, hOSCP1 mediated the high affinity transport of p-aminohippurate (PAH) (K m ‫؍‬ 35.0 ؎ 7.5 M) and tetraethylammonium (K m ‫؍‬ 62.3 ؎ 12.2 M) in a sodium-independent manner. However, the hOSCP1-expressing oocyte did not mediate the transport of L-carnitine. The transport of PAH by hOSCP1 was sensitive to pH, but the tetraethylammonium was not transported at the high pH examined. hOSCP1 transported prostaglandin E 2 , prostaglandin F 2␣ , estrone sulfate, glutarate, L-leucine, L-ascorbic acid, and tetracycline. Thus, hOSCP1 also showed broad substrate specificity. A wide range of structurally unrelated organic compounds inhibited the hOSCP1-mediated PAH uptake. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the hOSCP1 protein is localized in the basal membrane of the syncytiotrophoblast in the human placenta. Our results suggest that hOSCP1 is a novel polyspecific organic solute carrier protein responsible for drug clearance from the human placenta.