Advance Access publication February 21, 2008 Characterization of Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptide 1b2-null

The liver-specific importer organic anion transporting poly-peptide 1b2 (Oatp1b2, Slco1b2, also known as Oatp4 and Lst-1) and its human orthologs OATP1B1/1B3 transport a large variety of chemicals. Oatp1b2-null mice were engineered by homologous recombination and their phenotype was characterized. Oatp1b2 protein was absent in livers of Oatp1b2-null mice. Oatp1b2-null mice develop normally and breed well. However, adult Oatp1b2-null mice had moderate conjugated hyperbilirubinemia. Com-pared with wild-types, Oatp1b2-null mice had similar hepatic messenger RNA expression of most transporters examined except a higher Oatp1a4 but lower organic anion transporter 2. Intra-arterial injection of the mushroom toxin phalloidin (an Oatp1b2-specific substrate identified in vitro) caused cholestasis in wild-type mice but not in Oatp1b2-null mice. Hepatic uptake of fluorescence-labeled phalloidin was absent in Oatp1b2-null mice