title: Transport of methotrexate into PC-3 human prostate cancer cells.
abstract: Transport of methotrexate (MTX) into human prostatic PC-3 cells was studied. Uptake of MTX vs concentration was saturable at pH 7.4 in cells grown in normal medium and in cells incubated for 24 h in folate-free medium (Km = 3.24 and 4.84 microM, respectively (P > 0.05, n = 3) and Vmax = 0.64 and 0.92 nmol x min(-1) x 10(-9) cells, respectively (P < 0.05, n = 3)). In contrast, uptake at pH 4.5 showed both a saturable component (Km = 1.03 microM, Vmax = 0.42 nmol x min(-1) x 10(-9) cells) and a nonsaturable, linear component. Uptake was inhibited by the structural analogs 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, 5-formyltetrahydrofolate, and folic acid (K(i) = 6.8, 10.9, and 89.6 microM, respectively). Uptake was inhibited by increasing concentrations of chloride ion, suggesting that MTX transport in PC-3 cells may be via an anion-exchange mechanism. Uptake was significantly decreased by high concentrations of sodium cyanide and sodium arsenate but not by sodium azide. Uptake was inhibited by the sulfhydryl inhibitor p-chloromercuriphenylsulfonate and by the anions probenecid and 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid. Uptake of MTX was independent of sodium ions in the medium. It is concluded that PC-3 human prostate cancer cells have a carrier-mediated system for the uptake of MTX and other folates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37212, USA. donald.w.horne@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Horne
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Reed
mesh_terms: D001667:Binding, Competitive / Q000187:drug effects; D001693:Biological Transport, Active / Q000187:drug effects; D002021:Buffers; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D002712:Chlorides / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D002021:Buffers; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002712:Chlorides; D005492:Folic Acid; D008727:Methotrexate