title: Methotrexate: studies on cellular metabolism. IV. Effect on the mitochondrial oxidation of cytosolic-reducing equivalents in HeLa cells.
abstract: The effect of methotrexate (MTX) on the mitochondrial oxidation of cytosolic-reducing equivalents in HeLa cells was studied. MTX inhibited (100 per cent) malate dehydrogenase activity, but no effect was observed on that of GOT. MTX (0.5 mM) inhibited (100 per cent) the activity of reconstituted enzymatic system MDH-GOT, probably as a consequence of inhibition of malate dehydrogenase activity. MTX decreased pyruvate production (54 per cent), demonstrating its inhibitory action on the malate-aspartate shuttle. Blockage of the malate-aspartate shuttle by MTX accounts for the decrease in cellular energetic gain. The results obtained are consistent with the view that in HeLa cells, as well as in other tumour cells, the transport of reducing equivalents from cytoplasmic NADH into the respiratory chain of mitochondria is via the malate-aspartate shuttle.
authors: Departamento de Bioquímica da Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brasil.
authors: M T
authors: MT
authors: Bastos
authors: M B
authors: MB
authors: Oliveria
authors: A P
authors: AP
authors: Campello
authors: M L
authors: ML
authors: Klüppel
mesh_terms: D001151:Arsenic / Q000494:pharmacology; D018053:Arsenites; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008291:Malate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008293:Malates / Q000378:metabolism; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction
chemical_list: D018053:Arsenites; D008293:Malates; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D008291:Malate Dehydrogenase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; C015001:arsenite; D001151:Arsenic; D008727:Methotrexate