Characterization of serotonin uptake in cultured neuroblastoma cells. Difference between differentiated and nondifferentiated cells.

Neuroblastoma cells clone N-2a, differentiated by serum deprivation, were found to take up tritiated serotonin ([3H]5-HT) from the external medium by means of a saturable mechanism which follows Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The apparent Km of uptake was 1.27 microM and the Vmax 720 fmoles/min/10(6) cells. The uptake was temperature-dependent and partially sodium-dependent, and was inhibited by ouabain and by selected metabolic inhibitors (sodium azide, 2,4-dinitrophenol, and iodoacetamide). Fluoxetine and desmethylimipramine (DMI) were equally effective inhibitors of [3H]5-HT uptake (IC50 = 13.7 microM and 13.6 microM). The uptake was structurally specific, since unlabeled 5-HT was a better inhibitor of [3H]5-HT uptake than norepinephrine (NE) (IC 50 = 0.6 microM and 9.4 microM). The neurotoxins 6-hydroxydopamine and 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine were cytotoxic to differentiated N-2a cells, causing time- and concentration-dependent inhibition of [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA, 5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine had little cytotoxic effect. Non-differentiated N-2a cells, supplemented with 5% fetal calf serum, were also found to take up [3H]5-HT by a concentration-, temperature-, and energy-dependent process. The apparent Km of uptake was 0.96 microM and the Vmax was 619 fmoles/min/10(6) cells. However, in nondifferentiated cells [3H]5-HT uptake was not sodium-dependent, not inhibited by ouabain, less effectively inhibited by fluoxetine and DMI (IC50 = 148 microM and 107 microM), and not selectively inhibited by unlabeled 5-HT as compared with NE (IC50 = 7.9 microM and 6.0 microM).