This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Haraguchi, M. Articles by Akiyama, S.-i. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Haraguchi, M. Articles by Akiyama, S.-i.

Sensitivity of Human KB Cells Expressing Platelet-derived Endothelial Cell Growth Factor to Pyrimidine Antimetabolites¹

Institute for Cancer Research, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima 890, Japan

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Thymidine phosphorylase (dThdPase) is an enzyme involved in pyrimidine nucleoside metabolism. However, little is known about its physiological functions. We previously purified dThdPase from human placenta, isolated a complementary DNA clone for this enzyme, and sequenced it. There was complete sequence identity between 120 amino acids of human dThdPase and the sequence of platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF). Human KB epidermal carcinoma cells transfected with platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor complementary DNA expressed a 55-kDa protein that was detected with anti-dThdPase antibody and the cell lysate had dThdPase activity. The sensitivity of transfected cells to the antimetabolites was compared with that of untransfected KB cells. The sensitivity of the transfected cells to Doxifluridine (5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine) was higher than that of untransfected KB cells. Transfected cells were also more sensitive to Tegafur than untransfected KB cells. These results demonstrate that dThdPase is involved in the activation of these anticancer agents. Since many cancer tissues contain high dThdPase activity compared with normal tissues, these transfected and untransfected KB cells are useful for studying the role of dThdPase in the activation of pyrimidine antimetabolites and also in angiogenesis.

¹ Supported by Grants-in-Aid from the Ministry of Education.

The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked advertisement in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.

Received 5/21/93. Accepted 9/22/93.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y. Nakajima, T. Gotanda, H. Uchimiya, T. Furukawa, M. Haraguchi, R. Ikeda, T. Sumizawa, H. Yoshida, and S.-i. Akiyama Inhibition of Metastasis of Tumor Cells Overexpressing Thymidine Phosphorylase by 2-Deoxy-L-Ribose Cancer Res., March 1, 2004; 64(5): 1794 - 1801. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Miura, T. Ohta, C. I. Miura, and K. Yamauchi Complementary Deoxyribonucleic Acid Cloning of Spermatogonial Stem Cell Renewal Factor Endocrinology, December 1, 2003; 144(12): 5504 - 5510. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. M. Boedefeld II, K. I. Bland, and M. J. Heslin Recent Insights Into Angiogenesis, Apoptosis, Invasion, and Metastasis in Colorectal Carcinoma Ann. Surg. Oncol., October 1, 2003; 10(8): 839 - 851. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. van Triest, H. M. Pinedo, J. L. G. Blaauwgeers, P. J. van Diest, P. S. Schoenmakers, D. A. Voorn, K. Smid, K. Hoekman, H. F. W. Hoitsma, and G. J. Peters Prognostic Role of Thymidylate Synthase, Thymidine Phosphorylase/ Platelet-derived Endothelial Cell Growth Factor, and Proliferation Markers in Colorectal Cancer Clin. Cancer Res., March 1, 2000; 6(3): 1063 - 1072. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. Toi, T. Ueno, H. Matsumoto, H. Saji, N. Funata, M. Koike, and T. Tominaga Significance of Thymidine Phosphorylase as a Marker of Protumor Monocytes in Breast Cancer Clin. Cancer Res., May 1, 1999; 5(5): 1131 - 1137. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]