Ovarian Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Ovarian Cancer, including details on symptoms, causes, treatment, information.

Contribution of an unidentified sodium-dependent nucleoside transport system to the uptake and cytotoxicity of anthracycline in mouse M5076 ovarian sarcoma cells.

Nagai K, Nagasawa K, Koma M, Kihara Y, Fujimoto S

Department of Environmental Biochemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, 5 Nakauchi-cho, Misasagi, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan. nagai@mb.kyoto-phu.ac.jp

In the present study, we investigated whether an unidentified system for Na(+)-dependent nucleoside transport is expressed by mouse M5076 ovarian sarcoma cells, besides concentrative nucleoside transporter 2 (CNT2(M)), and is involved in the uptake and cytotoxicity of anthracyclines. In a transport assay involving CNT2(M)-transfectants, CNT2(M) was found to transport [(3)H]cytidine in a Na(+)-dependent manner, and 500 microM cytidine completely inhibited the Na(+)-dependent uptake of [(3)H]uridine via the transporter. In contrast, the Na(+)-dependent [(3)H]uridine uptake by M5076 cells decreased with 500 microM cytidine only to 70% of the control level. Furthermore, transfection of CNT2(M)-specific siRNAs into M5076 cells resulted in a reduction in the Na(+)-dependent uptake of [(3)H]uridine by only 23%, although the expression of CNT2(M) mRNA and Na(+)-dependent uptake of [(3)H]cytidine disappeared in the cells. The uptake of pirarubicin (THP), an anthracycline, by M5076 cells requiring extracellular Na(+) was significantly inhibited by 500 microM uridine, but not 500 microM cytidine. The Na(+)-dependent and cytidine-insensitive uptake of [(3)H]uridine and the that of THP by M5076 cells significantly increased on cotreatment with both cholate and taurocholate, and the enhancement of THP uptake by the bile acids was reversed by cotreatment with 500 microM uridine. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of THP and doxorubicin, which were previously reported to be taken up via the same transporter, toward M5076 cells was enhanced by cotreatment with both the bile acids. Therefore, it was indicated that an unidentified Na(+)-dependent transport system for nucleosides is expressed by M5076 cells, and contributes to the uptake and cytotoxicity of the anthracyclines.

Published 27 January 2006 in Biochem Pharmacol, 71(5): 565-73.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Ovarian Cancer Research Today. All Rights Reserved.