Transport properties of 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine and 2′,3′-dideoxyinosine in the rat choroid plexus

Transport properties of 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT) and 2′, 3′-dideoxyinosine (DDI) were characterized in the isolated rat choroid plexus. AZT and DDI competitively inhibited the active transport of ³H]benzylpenicillin, a prototypic organic anion, with K_i values of 85·4±13·1 and 155±22 μM, respectively. Accumulation of ³H]DDI was against an electrochemical potential via a saturable process (K_m=29·7±4·9 μM, V_max=13·5±2·4 pmol min^?1/μL tissue) that was inhibited by metabolic inhibitors (carbonylcyanide p -trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone, 10 μM, and rotenone, 30 μM) and sulphydryl reagents (p -chloromercuribenzoic acid, 100 μM, and p -chloromercuribenzenesulphonic acid, 100 μM), but did not require an inwardly directed Na⁺ gradient. Accumulation of ³H]DDI was inhibited by benzylpenicillin and AZT in a dose-dependent manner, with IC₅₀ values of 91·6±28·9 and 294±84 μM, respectively. In contrast, no significant accumulation of ³H]AZT was observed. These results suggest that DDI is transported, at least in part, by the transport system for organic anions located on the rat choroid plexus, whereas AZT is recognized, but not transported by this system. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.