Inhibition by monochloramine of the transport of glutamine and glucose in HeLa cells and lymphocytes.

1. Chloramine was previously shown to inhibit glutamine uptake by human lymphoblast tumour cells. In the present study, the effect of monochloramine on the glutamine and glucose transport systems in HeLa cells and rat mesenteric lymphocytes was investigated. 2. Initial exposure to monochloramine slightly inhibited both the glutamine and glucose transport systems in HeLa cells. However, pre-exposing the cells to monochloramine increased its inhibitory action. 3. Similar results were obtained using rat mesenteric lymphocytes, which suggests that monochloramine's effects are not cell specific. 4. Only the Na(+)-independent (system L) component of glutamine transport activity in HeLa cells was inhibited by monochloramine. 5. Dithiothreitol protected both the glucose and glutamine transport carriers in HeLa cells against monochloramine inhibition. 6. Monochloramine did not inhibit HeLa cell metabolism, nor enhance cell lysis, which, in conjunction with other experimental data, suggests that monochloramine inhibits cellular transport activity by binding to thiol groups present on the membrane.