Kinetic parameters of hexose transport in hybrids between malignant and nonmalignant cells

Matched pairs of isogeneic hybrid cells, in which one member of the pair was malignant and the other not, were used to examine the linkage between malignancy and functional alterations in hexose transport. The kinetic parameters of uptake of 2-deoxy-D-glucose were measured in a range of such hybrids, both human and murine. Some other malignant cell lines were also examined and were compared with non-tumorigenic derivatives of tumour cells selected by exposure to the lectin, wheat-germ agglutinin. In every case, malignancy, as defined by the ability of cells to grow progressively in vivo, was found to be linked to a decrease in the Michaelis constant of hexose uptake. Independent measurement of the transport and phosphorylation reactions involved in hexose uptake revealed that this decrease was determined by the membrane transport system. The difference in Michaelis constant between malignant and non-malignant cells was observed with 3-O-methylglucose, a hexose that is transported into the cell but not further metabolized. The activity of hexokinase in cell homogenates was higher than the level that would be required to cope with transport and showed no correlation with tumorigenicity. Measurement of the uptake of D-glucose itself, by a rapid filtration centrifugation method, gave results similar to those obtained with 2-deoxy-D-glucose.