Growth-inhibitory effects of 5,10-dideazatetrahydrofolic acid on variant murine L1210 and human CCRF-CEM leukemia cells with different membrane-transport characteristics for (anti)folate compounds.

5,10-Dideazatetrahydrofolic acid (DDATHF) is a potent inhibitor of glycinamide ribonucleotide transformylase, one of the folate-dependent key enzymes in de novo purine biosynthesis. The present report demonstrates that multiple membrane-transport routes may be involved in the cellular uptake of DDATHF. These routes include the classic reduced folate carrier and a membrane-associated folate-binding protein (mFBP). The role of an mFBP in the uptake of DDATHF was suggested from observations that (a) the mFBP showed a very high binding affinity for DDATHF, (b) murine and human leukemia cells expressing an mFBP were highly sensitive to growth inhibition by DDATHF, and (c) protection against this growth inhibition could be achieved using folic acid rather than reduced folate compounds.