Tempo-phosphate as an ESR tool to study phosphate transport

TEMPO-phosphate has been introduced as a phosphate analogue to study phosphate transport in erythrocytes. The nitroxide is reduced intracellularly upon entering the cells, the membrane transport being the rate-limiting step of the loss of ESR signal. The use of TEMPO-phosphate is convenient and avoids the hazard of radioactivity. We studied the inhibition of TEMPO-phosphate transport to human erythrocytes by various compounds. DIDS and SITS, inhibitors of Band 3, inhibited the TEMPO-phosphate transport. 1-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid, inhibitor of monocarboxylate transporters, did not affect the permeation of TEMPO-phosphate. The transport of TEMPO-phosphate was inhibited by various polyphenols, especially curcumin, naringin, quercetin, luteolin and kaempferol. Interestingly, 3-bromopyruvic acid, an alkylating agent and potential anticancer agent, induced an apparent enhancement of TEMPO-phosphate transport into erythrocytes.