The Influence of Amino Acids and Antimetabolites on Glycine Retention by Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma Cells
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The Influence of Amino Acids and Antimetabolites on Glycine Retention by Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma Cells R. M. JOHNSTONE* AND P. G. SCHOLEFIELDt (McGill-Montreal General Hospital Research Institute, 3619 University Street, Montreal, P.Q., Canada) The transport of biologically important sub- Many workers have shown that compounds stances across cell membranes has been studied in such as dinitrophenol, which interfere with the a wide variety of systems. For example, transport availability of energy in the form of adenosine of ions into and out of cells has long formed an triphosphate (ATP), also interfere with the integral part of studies in physiology (8), and it capacity of Ehrlich ascites cells to take up or to has been known since 1913 from the studies of Van transport amino acids (2, 10). However, it was felt Slyke and Meyer (20) that amino acids given to an that the information obtained from this approach animal appear in the tissues at concentrations could well be supplemented by a study of the which are higher than those of the surrounding kinetics of interaction of glycine with other amino medium. The transport of sugars and amino acids acids and with amino acid analogs. Christensen from the mucosal to the serosal side of the small et al. (3) and Tenenhouse and Quastel (17) have intestine in in vitro preparations has also been well already shown that certain amino acids inhibit established (6, 7, 18). the transport of other amino acids into Ehrlich The demonstration of the capacity of isolated ascites cells. Cohen and Monod (4), in their tumor cells to transport actively such substances studies of the displacement of thiogalactosides as ions, sugars, and amino acids (3, 5, 12) has in E. coli, concluded that such displacement is provided the means of more precise studies of this competitive and Tenenhouse and Quastel (17) have general phenomenon. Thus, the results of Chris- reached a similar conclusion with reference to tensen, Riggs, Fischer, and Palatine (3) show that amino acid interactions during the process of glycine may be concentrated in vitro by Ehrlich transport into Ehrlich ascites cells. It has also ascites carcinoma cells to the extent of more than been shown by Riggs, Coyne, and Christensen (14) twelvefold. Later results, obtained by Heinz and that amino acids, previously concentrated, may Mariani (10) using radioactive glycine, showed be displaced from Ehrlich ascites cells on addition that there were possibly three separate reactions of other amino acids. In the studies made by Riggs involved in the establishment of a steady state et al. (14), the amino acids were added at concen- concentration of glycine within the ascites cells. trations of 30-60 mmolar, and the final analyses 1. A specific mechanism for the transport of were made 2 or 3 hours later. A more detailed in- glycine (or other amino acids) across the cell vestigation of this phenomenon was undertaken to membrane. obtain information concerning the factors con- 2. A nonspecific influx and effiux dependent trolling the extent of glycine retention under only on the difference between the concentration various experimental conditions. of amino acid in the medium and that in the cell. Studies by Wiseman and Ghadially (19), in 8. An exchange of glycine in the cell with that which RD3 carcinoma cells were used, and by of the medium without any net flow of glycine, Birt and Hird (1), in which carrot slices were the exchange reaction occurring, according to utilized, showed that methionine is not well con- Heinz and Mariani (10), at a rate which is 5-6 centrated by these preparations but that it is an times as great as that of the rate of actual trans- effective inhibitor of the concentration of other port. amino acids such as glycine. In the present work, * Fellow of the National Cancer Institute of Canada. therefore, methionine has been used extensively t Research Associate of the National Cancer Institute of in studies of glycine retention by Ehrlich ascites Canada. cells. Further, the effects of the antimetabolites Received for publication April 6, 1959. studied on the incorporation of glycine into the 1140 Downloaded from cancerres.aacrjournals.org on September 30, 2021. © 1959 American Association for Cancer Research. JOHNSTONE AND SCHOLEFIELD--GlycineRetention by Ehrlich Ascites Cells 1141 alcohol-insoluble material (mainly into the pro- not more than 2 per cent of the remaining incuba- tein) has been determined in an attempt to esti- tion mixture. mate the specificity and nature of the effect of the Alcohol-soluble glycine.--The 2-ml. samples were inhibitors. In many cases the influence of added added directly to 3 ml. ice-cold calcium-free glucose was also investigated to assess the relative Krebs-Ringer solution, centrifuged, the super- effects of glycolysis and its consequences, such as natant removed, and the cells resuspended in a glycolytic ATP production, on the processes of further 5 ml. ice-cold calcium-free Krebs-Ring- uptake and incorporation of glycine. er solution. The suspension was again centri- fuged, the supernatant removed, and the interior MATERIALS AND METHODS of the tubes dried with paper tissues. To the Ascites cells.--The Ehrlich aseites cells were washed cells was then added 2 ml. 95 per cent harvested from CF1 mice 6 or 7 days after intra- ethanol, and a minimum period of 30 minutes was peritoneal transplantation. After a twenty-fold allowed for completion of the extraction of the dilution with ice-cold isotonic saline, the suspen- alcohol-soluble materials. After centrifugation, an sion was centrifuged for 20 seconds at maximum aliquot (300 gl.) of the supernatant was plated on speed in the six-place head of the International aluminum discs and the radioactivity assayed. A Clinical Model centrifuge. The supernatant, con- Geiger-Mtiller thin end-window tube and Baird taining most of the blood elements, was decanted Atomic "Abacus" Scaler were employed. No cor- and the procedure repeated twice. The packed-cell rection for self-absorption was necessary. volume was then determined by centrifugation of "Alcohol-insoluble" glycine.--The precipitate the loosely packed cells for 2 minutes, and finally remaining after extraction with 95 per cent ethanol the cells were resuspended in sufficient calcium- was washed twice with 5-ml. aliquots of 95 per free Krebs-Ringer solution to yield a 1 : 12 dilution. cent ethanol and once with 5 ml. acetone. The Ten ml. of such a suspension was used per 30 ml. residue was suspended in approximately 0.2 ml. incubation medium. acetone and quantitatively transferred with wash- The S-37 mouse tumor was obtained originally ings to aluminum discs. The precipitate was caused from the Roscoe B. Jackson Memorial Labora- to adhere to the plates by roughening the surface tories and the Ehrlich ascites carcinoma from Dr. and by addition of 0.2 ml. 50:50 (v/v) acetone : J. S. Colter. Both were maintained in the solid water just before complete evaporation of the ace- form by weekly subcutaneous injections and in the tone. The plates were then dried by means of a liquid form by weekly intraperitoneal injections. heat lamp. The dry weight did not exceed 1.5 rag/ At first there was difficulty in growing the S-37 sq cm and was quite consistent among plates in tumor in an ascitic form in CF1 mice, but it took any given experiment. The radioactivity of the readily in DBA mice, and the ascitie tumor thus plates was therefore measured as such, and no at- obtained took readily in CF1 mice. In the experi- tempt was made to apply any correction for self- ments reported here the S-37 ascites were har- absorption. Control experiments indicated that at vested from DBA mice. least 85 per cent of the radioactivity was present Incubation technic.--The incubation medium in the protein and that the specific activity was a calcium-free Krebs-Ringer phosphate solu- (counts/min/mg protein) was not appreciably tion. The cells were allowed to incubate in the altered on isolation of the protein by standard medium for 7 min. at 37 ~ C., and then sufficient methods. 60 mn glycine-l-C ~4 added to yield a final concen- tration of 2 mM. Approximately 10 gc. was added RESULTS to each 30 ml. of incubation medium. The incuba- The effects of methionine, leucine, and valine.-- tions were performed in Erlenmeyer flasks shaken The results reported by Christensen et al. (3) show aerobically in a Research Specialties Company that glycine entry into Ehrlich ascites carcinoma shaker at 37 ~ C. The rate of shaking varied ac- cells may be decreased by addition to the medium cording to the size of the flasks employed. Thus, a of other amino acids. Further, the results of Riggs shaking rate of 100/rain was needed with 25-ml. et al. (14) concerning the interaction of glycine, capacity flasks, but, to avoid clumping of the cells, tryptophan, and diaminobutyric acid show that this speed was reduced to 60 per minute when previously concentrated amino acids may be dis- 200-ml. capacity flasks were employed. Samples placed by other acids. The present results show (2 ml.) were removed for analysis at intervals as that the addition of many other amino acids leads required. Inhibitors were usually added after 30 to an efitux of glycine from cells which are in min. of incubation in the solid form whenever pos- equilibrium with a glycine-containing medium. sible or as a neutral solution with a total volume of Thus, on addition of sufficient methionine to yield Downloaded from cancerres.aacrjournals.org on September 30, 2021. © 1959 American Association for Cancer Research. 114~ Cancer Research Vol. 19, December, 1959 a final concentration of 5 raM, the glycine content tain a measure of the glycine incorporation.