Re: Folate internalization by red cells

Oscar Kai wrote:

>Has any one tried to look at ways of studying folate uptake by red
>cells? Be it Parasitized RBC or normal RBC by flow cytometry. We need
>help to set this up in our Labs.

I don't know whether this has been done in red cells, but fluorescent 
derivatives of methotrexate have been used with flow cytometry to 
study both folate transporters and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) 
levels in other cell types. Molecular Probes has four labeled 
fluorescein derivatives in its catalogue, and a bibliography 
including many references, a substantial number of which are 
available free in full text on the Web.

Mature red cells don't take up much folic acid, but parasitized cells 
probably would, and I suspect that folate uptake and/or levels of 
DHFR might be different in cells that are sensitive and resistant to 
antimalarial drug combinations with antifolate activity, such as 
Fansidar. I'm guessing that this is why you are interested in 
studying folate uptake. Let me know if I can be of further help.

-Howard