title: Targeted inhibition of transferrin-mediated iron uptake in Hep G2 hepatoma cells.
abstract: We have used a model system consisting of two human hepatoma cell lines, Hep G2, representing well differentiated normal hepatocytes, and PLC/PRF/5, representing poorly differentiated malignant hepatocytes, to demonstrate that the differential presence of asialoglycoprotein receptor activity in these cell lines can be used to influence transferrin-mediated iron uptake. We based our experiments on the following facts: Hep G2 cells possess receptors that bind, internalize, and degrade galactose-terminal (asialo-)glycoproteins; PLC/PRF/5 cells have barely detectable asialoglycoprotein receptor activity; both cell lines possess active transferrin-mediated iron uptake; transferrin releases iron during acidification of intracellular vesicular compartments; primary amines, e.g. primaquine, inhibit acidification and iron release from transferrin. When added to culture medium, [55Fe]transferrin delivered 55Fe well to both cell lines. As expected, in the presence of [55Fe]transferrin, free primaquine caused a concentration-dependent decrease in 55Fe uptake in both cell lines. To create a targetable conjugate, primaquine was covalently coupled to asialofetuin to form asialofetuin-primaquine. When PLC/PRF/5 (asialoglycoprotein receptor (-)) cells were preincubated with this conjugate, transferrin-mediated 55Fe uptake was unaffected. However, transferrin-mediated 55Fe uptake by Hep G2 (asialoglycoprotein receptor (+)) cells under identical conditions was specifically decreased by 55% compared to control cells incubated without the conjugate.
mesh_terms: D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D011319:Primaquine / Q000494:pharmacology; D014168:Transferrin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D014168:Transferrin; D007501:Iron; D011319:Primaquine