Uptake of compounds that selectively kill multidrug-resistant cells: the copper transporter SLC31A1 (CTR1) increases cellular accumulation of the thiosemicarbazone NSC73306.

Acquired drug resistance in cancer continues to be a challenge in cancer therapy, in part due to overexpression of the drug efflux transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp, MDR1, ABCB1). NSC73306 is a thiosemicarbazone compound that displays greater toxicity against cells expressing functional P-gp than against other cells. Here, we investigate the cellular uptake of NSC73306, and examine its interaction with P-gp and copper transporter 1 (CTR1, SLC31A1). Overexpression of P-gp sensitizes LLC-PK1 cells to NSC73306. Cisplatin (IC50 = 77 μM), cyclosporin A (IC50 = 500 μM), and verapamil (IC50 = 700 μM) inhibited cellular accumulation of [(3)H]NSC73306. Cellular hypertoxicity of NSC73306 to P-gp-expressing cells was inhibited by cisplatin in a dose-dependent manner. Cells transiently expressing the cisplatin uptake transporter CTR1 (SLC31A1) showed increased [(3)H]NSC73306 accumulation. In contrast, CTR1 knockdown decreased [(3)H]NSC73306 accumulation. The presence of NSC73306 reduced CTR1 levels, similar to the negative feedback of CTR1 levels by copper or cisplatin. Surprisingly, although cisplatin is a substrate of CTR1, we found that CTR1 protein was overexpressed in high-level cisplatin-resistant KB-CP20 and BEL7404-CP20 cell lines. We confirmed that the CTR1 protein was functional, as uptake of NSC73306 was increased in KB-CP20 cells compared to their drug-sensitive parental cells, and downregulation of CTR1 in KB-CP20 cells reduced [(3)H]NSC73306 accumulation. These results suggest that NSC73306 is a transport substrate of CTR1.