Transmembrane partitioning of boron and other elements in RAW 264.7 and HL60 cell cultures

The trace element boron is essential for all higher plants and is beneficial or has been established as essential for several animal models of human nutrition. To help identify the biomolecules that require boron for function in humans, we determined whether intracellular boron is retained against a concentration gradient. Cells (Abelson leukemia virus BALB murine monocyte-macrophage RAW 264.7 [RAW] and HL60) and supplemented media (Dulbecco's modified essential media [+ 10% fetal calf serum] and Iscove's modified Dulbecco's medium [+ 5% fetal calf serum], respectively) were analyzed for mineral concentrations after culture and subculture. Special corrections were made for trapped extracellular media in cell pellets and endocytosed media. For RAW cells, the partitioning coefficients (PC; intracellular/extracellular ratios) were, in rank order, as follows: Mn, 110; Fe, 67; P, 65; Zn, 32; K, 15; Cu, 7.1; Mg, 4.3; B, 1.7; Ca, 0.4; Na, 0.3. For HL60 cells, the partitioning coefficients were, in rank order, as follows: Mn, 212; Zn, 211; P, 123; K, 21; Fe, 16; Mg, 11; B, 1.7; Ca, 0.8; Na, 0.3. Trapped extracellular media was estimated to be 6.7 +/- 0.8%; trapped extracellular and endocytosed media together was 24.8 +/- 0.3% of the mass within the isolated cell pellets. The partitioning coefficients indicate a positive gradient for intracellular accumulation of boron, zinc, phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, potassium, iron, and copper in RAW264.7 and HL60 cells. Specifically, the data indicate the existence of a selective boron-binding molecular species within the cell or the existence of a boron-specific membrane transporter.