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The impact of 5-formyltetrahydrofolate on the anti-tumor activity of pralatrexate, as compared to methotrexate, in HeLa cells in vitro

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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the impact of 5-formyltetrahydrofolate on the activities of pralatrexate, as compared to methotrexate (MTX), in vitro.

Methods

Cells were exposed to (6S)5-formyltetrahydrofolate (5-formylTHF) for 24 h, before or after a 6-h exposure to antifolates following which the cellular accumulation and activities of the drugs were evaluated in HeLa cells.

Results

A 24-h delay between a 6-h exposure to antifolates and a subsequent 24-h exposure to 4 μM 5-formylTHF sustained the full activities of both antifolates. A 72-h interval was required between a single exposure of up to 4 μM 5-formylTHF and subsequent exposure to drugs to sustain activities of the antifolates. When cells were incubated with 4 μM 5-formylTHF for 24 h weekly, for 4 weeks, there was no significant increase in the IC50 for pralatrexate, but the MTX IC50 increased 2.5-fold as compared to cells growing continuously in 25 nM 5-formylTHF. This cyclical exposure to 5-formylTHF increased the cell folate pool by 16 %, had no significant effect on the intracellular pralatrexate level, but decreased intracellular MTX by 15 %. An extracellular concentration of MTX 50-fold higher than that of pralatrexate was required to achieve an intracellular level, and growth inhibition, comparable to that of pralatrexate.

Conclusions

Cyclical exposures to 5-formylTHF at levels in excess of what is achieved in most clinical “rescue” regimens do not affect pralatrexate accumulation nor antitumor activity in HeLa cells, in contrast to MTX. An important element in preserving pralatrexate activity is achieving a sufficient interval between exposure to 5-formylTHF and the next dose of antifolate.

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Abbreviations

(6S)5-formylTHF:

(6S)5-formyltetrahydrofolate

Leucovorin:

R,S,5-formyltetrahydrofolate

AICART:

Phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase

DHFR:

Dihydrofolate reductase

FPGS:

Folylpolyglutamate synthetase

GARFT:

Glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase

TS:

Thymidylate synthase

RFC:

Reduced folate carrier

MTX:

Methotrexate

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a grant from Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc (Irvine, CA).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Chanin 2, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, USA

    Michele Visentin & I. David Goldman

  2. Department of Medicine, Jacobi Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1400 Pelham Parkway S, Bronx, NY, USA

    Ersin Selcuk Unal

  3. Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Chanin 2, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, USA

    I. David Goldman

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  1. Michele Visentin
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Correspondence to I. David Goldman.

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Visentin, M., Unal, E.S. & Goldman, I.D. The impact of 5-formyltetrahydrofolate on the anti-tumor activity of pralatrexate, as compared to methotrexate, in HeLa cells in vitro. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 73, 1055–1062 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00280-014-2441-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00280-014-2441-9

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