Methotrexate recognition by the human reduced folate carrier SLC19A1

• Published in: Nature (London) 2022-09, Vol.609 (7929), p.1056-1062
• Main Authors: Wright, Nicholas J., Fedor, Justin G., Zhang, Han, Jeong, Pyeonghwa, Suo, Yang, Yoo, Jiho, Hong, Jiyong, Im, Wonpil, Lee, Seok-Yong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 101/28; 631/154/152; 631/535/1258/1259; 631/57/2283; 631/67/1059/99; 631/92/577; 82; 82/83; 96; Amino acids; Anion exchanging; Anions - metabolism; Apoproteins - genetics; Apoproteins - metabolism; Binding sites; Biological Transport; Carbon - metabolism; Cell membranes; Chemotherapy; Chloride; Cofactors; Cryoelectron Microscopy; Depletion; Electron microscopy; Essential nutrients; Feature recognition; Folic acid; Folic Acid - metabolism; Folic Acid Antagonists - chemistry; Folic Acid Antagonists - metabolism; Genetic diversity; Genetic variance; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Ligands; Methotrexate; Methotrexate - chemistry; Methotrexate - metabolism; Microscopy; Molecular dynamics; Molecular Dynamics Simulation; multidisciplinary; Mutation; Nucleic acids; Nutrients; Reduced Folate Carrier Protein - genetics; Reduced Folate Carrier Protein - metabolism; Reduced Folate Carrier Protein - ultrastructure; Science; Science & Technology - Other Topics; Science (multidisciplinary); Selectivity; Substrate Specificity; Substrates; Vitamin B
• ISSN: 0028-0836; 1476-4687
• DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05168-0

Folates are essential nutrients with important roles as cofactors in one-carbon transfer reactions, being heavily utilized in the synthesis of nucleic acids and the metabolism of amino acids during cell division 1 , 2 . Mammals lack de novo folate synthesis pathways and thus rely on folate uptake from the extracellular milieu 3 . The human reduced folate carrier (hRFC, also known as SLC19A1) is the major importer of folates into the cell 1 , 3 , as well as chemotherapeutic agents such as methotrexate 4 – 6 . As an anion exchanger, RFC couples the import of folates and antifolates to anion export across the cell membrane and it is a major determinant in methotrexate (antifolate) sensitivity, as genetic variants and its depletion result in drug resistance 4 – 8 . Despite its importance, the molecular basis of substrate specificity by hRFC remains unclear. Here we present cryo-electron microscopy structures of hRFC in the apo state and captured in complex with methotrexate. Combined with molecular dynamics simulations and functional experiments, our study uncovers key determinants of hRFC transport selectivity among folates and antifolate drugs while shedding light on important features of anion recognition by hRFC. Cryo-EM structures provide insight into how the antifolate methotrexate, a chemotherapy drug, is recognized by the reduced folate carrier.