Most nucleoside-derived anticancer drugs are taken up by the high-affinity Na-dependent nucleoside transporter CNT1. Since such drugs are to some extent cell-cycle-dependent in their cytotoxic action, we examined the relationship between CNT1 expression and cell-cycle progression in the rat hepatoma cell line FAO. Cell cultures were synchronized either at late G1 or early S stages by combining mimosin treatment with either previous synchronization or not by serum starvation. Cell-cycle progression was then assessed by measuring [methyl-H-3]thymidine incorporation into DNA and monitoring cyclin E and A protein levels. In these conditions, CNT1 protein amounts increase at the G1-S transition. When cells were synchronized using hydroxyurea (HU), which directly interacts with nucleotide metabolism by inhibiting ribonucleotide reductase, CNT1 protein amounts increased in synchronized cells and remained high during cell-cycle progression. These data indicate that CNT1 adapts to cell-cycle progression and responds to nucleos(t)ide metabolism status, a feature that might contribute to the cytotoxic action of cell-cycle-dependent anticancer drugs. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.