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A novel assay reveals that weakly basic model compounds concentrate in lysosomes to an extent greater than pH-partitioning theory would predict.

Many weakly basic drugs incubated with cells have been shown to specifically accumulate in lysosomes. The mechanistic basis and substrate specificity for this sequestration have not been rigorously evaluated; however, conditions are favorable for a pH-partitioning type accumulation. In some circumstances, this compartmentalization can be very extensive, which can impact the therapeutic efficacy of a drug. Despite the pharmaceutical importance, direct quantitative assessments of drug accumulation in lysosomes have not been previously described. We report here a novel magnetic capture technique that allows for quick and efficient isolation of lysosomes from cultured HL-60 cells that have been preincubated with model compounds. The amount of compound associated with the isolated fraction is determined by HPLC. Extensive biochemical and morphological characterizations of isolated lysosomes, together with HPLC data, allowed for estimates to be made regarding the concentration of model compounds in lysosomes. The corresponding theoretically determined concentration values, based on pH-partitioning theory, were also calculated for comparison purposes. Interestingly, experimentally determined values were approximately 3-15 times higher than theoretically predicted values. This finding suggests that mechanisms, in addition to pH-partitioning, may play a significant role in the accumulation of drugs in lysosomes.