Subcellular distribution of adenine nucleotides in two Ehrlich cell lines metabolizing glucose

Adenine nucleotide compartmentation and cytochrome redox state were studied in two Ehrlich ascites tumor cell lines incubated in the presence of 5mM glucose to show differences between their energy metabolisms. Changes in the subcellular distribution of adenine nucleotides were very different in both cell lines. Glucose seemed to energize the less malignant cell line, as shown by the asymmetry of the ATP/ADP ratios between cytosolic and mitochondrial compartments, but this was not the case for the more malignant cell line. The cytochrome contents were similar in both cell lines, but the degree of cytochrome oxidation was higher in the less malignant cell line; this result is in agreement with a higher oxygen consumption in the less malignant cell line.