Biomedical subjects

H J Broxterman

Publications and source records attributed to H J Broxterman.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1995

Regulation by glutathione of drug transport in multidrug-resistant human lung tumour cell lines overexpressing multidrug resistance-associated protein.

Previous studies have shown that multidrug resistance (MDR) in the doxorubicin-selected lung tumour cell lines COR-L23/R, GLC4/ADR and MOR/R is associated with overexpression of the MRP gene. In this study we report that resistance to daunorubicin, vincristine and rhodamine 123 can be partially reversed in these cell lines by exposing the cells to buthionine sulphoximine (BSO), an inhibitor of glutathione (GSH) synthesis. This effect of BSO on drug resistance was associated with an increased intracellular accumulation of daunorubicin and rhodamine 123, owing to inhibition of the enhanced drug efflux. In contrast, the accumulation of daunorubicin was not increased by BSO treatment in a P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-mediated MDR cell line. BSO treatment (25 microM, 20 h) of the cell lines resulted in 60-80% depletion of cellular GSH levels. The effects of BSO on daunorubicin accumulation in the COR-L23/R and GLC4/ADR cells were associated with cellular GSH depletion. In addition, increase of cellular GSH levels in BSO-treated COR-L23/R and GLC4/ADR cells as a result of incubation with 5 mM GSH ethyl ester restored the accumulation deficit of daunorubicin. However, the transport of daunorubicin did not increase the GSH release in any of the cell lines. These results demonstrate that drug transport in MRP- but not in P-gp-overexpressing MDR tumour cell lines can be regulated by intracellular GSH levels.

Biological Transport↗

PubMed1995

Functional detection of MDR1/P170 and MRP/P190-mediated multidrug resistance in tumour cells by flow cytometry.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) in tumour cells is often caused by the overexpression of the plasma membrane drug transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) or the recently discovered multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP). In this study we investigated the specificity and sensitivity of the fluorescent probes rhodamine 123 (R123), daunorubicin (DNR) and calcein acetoxymethyl ester (calcein-AM) in order to detect the function of the drug transporters P-gp and MRP, using flow cytometry. The effects of modulators on the accumulation and retention of these probes were compared in several pairs of sensitive and P-gp- as well as MRP-overexpressing cell lines. R123, in combination with the modulator PSC833, provided the most sensitive test for detecting P-gp-mediated resistance. Moreover, in a 60 min drug accumulation assay R123 can be regarded as a P-gp-specific probe, since R123 is not very efficiently effluxed by MRP. In contrast to R123, a 60 min DNR or calcein-AM accumulation test could be used to detect MRP-mediated resistance. The MRP-specific modulator genistein could be used in combination with DNR, but not with calcein-AM. Vincristine (VCR) can be used to increase the cellular uptake of calcein-AM in MDR cells, but is not specific for MRP. Thus, although the combination of DNR with genistein appeared to be as sensitive as the combination of calcein-AM with VCR, the former may be used to probe specific MRP activity whereas the latter provides a combined (P-gp + MRP) functional MDR parameter. With these functional assays the role and relative importance of P-gp and MRP can be studied in, for example, haematological malignancies.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

PubMed1995

Multidrug resistance proteins and other drug transport-related resistance to natural product agents.

The term multidrug resistance is defined in this article as cellular resistance to anticancer agents due to a decreased concentration of active drug at the target sites that is caused by increased metabolism or altered transport or routing of the active drug species. Resistance related to alterations in the drug targets or apoptotic pathways is not discussed. Until recently multidrug resistance was associated almost exclusively with p-glycoprotein (Pgp)-overexpression. However, other non-Pgp-related mechanisms have been tracked down. It has been shown that transfection of the gene that encodes a novel drug transport protein, the multidrug resistance protein, induces cross-resistance for many multidrug resistance drugs as well as active transport of daunorubicin from tumor cells. Surprisingly, it has also been found that multidrug resistance protein mediates transport of negatively charged species that are not classic multidrug resistance drugs, such as leukotriene C4 and other glutathione conjugates as well as negatively charged dyes. It was therefore suggested that multidrug resistance protein is identical with the multispecific organic anion transporter. The transport rate of several positively charged drugs (vincristine, rhodamine-123, daunorubicin) by multidrug resistance protein appeared to be dependent on the cellular glutathione levels. Multidrug resistance protein seems to be constitutively expressed in normal tissues at a low level with few tissues having higher expression. Multidrug resistance protein overexpression in in vitro-selected MDR cell lines occurs relatively frequently in lung cancer and leukemia cell lines and often precedes Pgp overexpression. Differential expression has been demonstrated in tumor samples, which suggests a role in resistance to chemotherapy in at least certain tumor types. Modulation studies of multidrug resistance protein activity are still scarce. Other non-Pgp, non-multidrug resistance protein multidrug resistance mechanisms probably exist but have not been identified at the molecular level as yet.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

PubMed1995

Functional multidrug resistance phenotype associated with combined overexpression of Pgp/MDR1 and MRP together with 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine sensitivity may predict clinical response in acute myeloid leukemia.

Overexpression of P-glycoprotein (Pgp) or MDR1 mRNA has been shown to be a negative prognostic factor for clinical outcome in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, resistance to chemotherapy also occurs in the absence of Pgp overexpression. Therefore, besides Pgp expression, we have assessed the expression of MRP, a novel drug transporter gene, along with the functional multidrug-resistant (MDR) phenotype of leukemic cells. These MDR parameters are correlated with clinical outcome in individual patients. We found functional changes in fresh leukemic cells from de novo or relapsed patients similar to those reported for tumor cell lines with the MDR phenotype. These changes were reduced drug accumulation as assessed with radiolabeled doxorubicin (factor 1.6), daunomycin (factor 1.13), and vincristine (factor 1.6) in patients who were refractory to the combination treatment of 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C) and daunomycin or mitoxantrone as opposed to patients who had complete responses. Also, the intracellular distribution of doxorubicin fluorescence (nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio), as assessed with laser scan microscopy, was reduced 1.4-fold in blasts from refractory patients. Based on historically known clinical response to single-agent daunomycin or ara-C in the group of responding de novo AML patients, we have set a threshold level such that a defined part of the samples that had the highest drug accumulation or nuclear to cytoplasmic ratios were above this threshold value. This allowed discrimination between patients responding to daunomycin from those who were refractory to this drug. By using this threshold level, in the refractory group clinical resistance corresponded with high sensitivity with a resistant phenotype. A similar threshold was set for the data of the in vitro ara-C sensitivity test. By combining both assays for all individual patients, clinical refractoriness as well as sensitivity could be predicted with high accuracy. There appeared to be no stringent relationship between the functional MDR phenotype with expression of either Pgp (fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis) or MRP mRNA (RNase protection). However, by combining both parameters the functional MDR phenotype correlated with the overexpression of either one or both of the parameters in 94% of the samples studied. It is concluded that this combined overexpression in conjunction with functional changes for MDR drugs and ara-C reveal a correlation of MDR phenotype with clinical resistance to combination chemotherapy in AML patients and hereby may adequately predict clinical MDR in individual AML patients.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

PubMed1994

Daunorubicin efflux against a concentration gradient in non-P-glycoprotein multidrug-resistant lung-cancer cells.

Multidrug-resistant, human non-small-cell lung carcinoma SW-1573/2R120 (2R120) cells, not containing the drug efflux pump P-glycoprotein (Pgp), have reduced initial daunorubicin (DN) accumulation rates and decreased cellular steady-state drug concentrations. Previously we found indications of the presence of a plasma membrane "vacuum cleaner", pumping DN directly from the membrane, and reported evidence of active DN pumping using digitonin. Further evidence of active DN pumping is now provided via a different methodology and the active drug pump flux is estimated. Cells were exposed to a flowing medium containing the cytotoxic agent DN. After reaching a steady state, in which net DN uptake equals net DN efflux, high concentration pulses of vincristine (VCR) were injected into the flowing medium. A rapid increase in cellular DN content was observed, while only a minimal effect was seen in SW-1573 wild-type cells. After passage of the VCR pulse, the extra accumulated DN was effluxed against a concentration gradient. Upon increasing the VCR concentration, a maximum pump inhibition was reached which was similar to the effect of cellular energy depletion. Similar effects were observed for Pgp-containing SW-1573/2R160 (2R160) cells as well as non-Pgp MDR human small-cell lung carcinoma GLC4/ADR cells. With increasing extracellular DN concentrations, saturation of the VCR-induced DN influx was observed (DN medium concentration 2.5 microM at 1/2 Vmax). At an extracellular DN concentration of 5 microM, higher concentrations of VCR were needed to reach the maximum effect in 2R120 cells than at 0.5 microM DN. This is an indication of competitive interaction between DN and VCR for the putative DN efflux system. In summary, we found indications of inhibition of active DN efflux by VCR and DN efflux against a concentration gradient in non-Pgp MDR 2R120 and GLC4/ADR cells. These features are consistent with the presence of a multidrug transporter, different from Pgp, in the plasma membrane of these cells.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

PubMed1994

Competitive inhibition by genistein and ATP dependence of daunorubicin transport in intact MRP overexpressing human small cell lung cancer cells.

In several multidrug resistant tumor cell lines without overexpression of P-glycoprotein (non-Pgp MDR), a decreased accumulation of drugs has been shown to contribute to resistance. We have recently reported that daunorubicin (DNR) accumulation was decreased in the multidrug resistance-associated protein overexpressing GLC4/ADR non-Pgp MDR small cell lung cancer cell line due to an enhanced energy-dependent efflux which could be inhibited by the isoflavonoid genistein. The purpose of this work was 2-fold: (i) to investigate the mechanism by which genistein inhibits the DNR efflux in the GLC4/ADR cells; and (ii) to characterize the dependence of DNR transport on ATP concentration in intact GLC4/ADR cells. The active transport of DNR in GLC4/ADR cells appeared to be a saturable process with an apparent Km of DNR of 1.4 +/- 0.4 microM. Genistein increased the apparent Km value of DNR, suggesting that this agent is a competitive inhibitor of DNR transport. These data provide additional evidence that energy-dependent DNR transport in GLC4/ADR cells is a protein-mediated process. In addition, genistein decreased cellular ATP concentration in a dose-dependent manner in sensitive as well as in resistant cells. Marked inhibition of DNR transport activity in intact GLC4/ADR cells was found when cellular ATP concentration was decreased below 2 mM by sodium azide or 2-deoxy-D-glucose. Thus, since DNR transport in intact GLC4/ADR is already inhibited at modest cellular ATP depletion, a limitation in ATP supply might open ways to make MDR cells more susceptible to drug toxicity.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1994

The human multidrug resistance-associated protein MRP is a plasma membrane drug-efflux pump.

The multidrug-resistance associated protein MRP is a 180- to 195-kDa membrane protein associated with resistance of human tumor cells to cytotoxic drugs. We have investigated how MRP confers drug resistance in SW-1573 human lung carcinoma cells by generating a subline stably transfected with an expression vector containing MRP cDNA. MRP-overexpressing SW-1573 cells are resistant to doxorubicin, daunorubicin, vincristine, VP-16, colchicine, and rhodamine 123, but not to 4'-(9-acridinylamino)methanesulfon-m-anisidide or taxol. The intracellular accumulation of drug (daunorubicin, vincristine, and VP-16) is decreased and the efflux of drug (daunorubicin) is increased in the transfectant. The decreased accumulation of daunorubicin is abolished by permeabilization of the plasma membrane with digitonin, showing that MRP can lower the intracellular daunorubicin level against a concentration gradient. Anti-MRP antisera predominantly stain the plasma membrane of MRP-overexpressing cells. We conclude that MRP is a plasma membrane drug-efflux pump.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

PubMed1993

Analysis of the expression of MRP, the gene for a new putative transmembrane drug transporter, in human multidrug resistant lung cancer cell lines.

Human cells can become multidrug resistant (MDR) by an increase in the activity of the MDR1 P-glycoprotein or by other, as yet unknown mechanisms, referred to as non-P-glycoprotein mediated MDR (non-Pgp MDR). S. P. C. Cole et al. [Science (Washington DC), 258: 1650-1654, 1992] recently reported that in two cell lines non-Pgp MDR was associated with the overexpression of a new putative membrane transporter gene, MRP. Using an RNase protection assay we have analyzed the expression of MRP in non-Pgp MDR sublines of the human lung cancer cell lines SW-1573 (non-small cell lung cancer) and GLC4 (small cell lung cancer). In all of ten SW-1573 derived lines examined the MRP mRNA level was equal to that in the parental line, whereas MRP was 25-fold overexpressed in a resistant subline of GLC4. We conclude that overexpression of MRP cannot account for all forms of non-Pgp MDR.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1993

Overexpression of a M(r) 110,000 vesicular protein in non-P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug resistance.

A M(r) 110,000 protein (p110) is overexpressed in P-glycoprotein-negative multidrug-resistant tumor cell lines of different histogenetic origins. These cell lines show an ATP-dependent drug accumulation defect, suggesting the presence of drug transporter molecules different from P-glycoprotein. Immunohistochemical staining with a p110-specific monoclonal antibody (LRP-56) showed that, like P-glycoprotein, the molecule has a high expression in normal epithelial cells and tissues chronically exposed to xenobiotics and potentially toxic agents, such as bronchial cells, cells lining the intestines, and kidney tubules. Staining of LRP-56 is primarily cytoplasmic, in a coarsely granular fashion, indicating that it reacts with a molecule closely associated with vesicular/lysosomal structures. Involvement of p110 in the energy-dependent drug transport process present in the cell lines is unknown.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

PubMed1993

Changes in subcellular doxorubicin distribution and cellular accumulation alone can largely account for doxorubicin resistance in SW-1573 lung cancer and MCF-7 breast cancer multidrug resistant tumour cells.

Doxorubicin accumulation defects in multidrug resistant tumour cells are generally small in comparison to the resistance factors. Therefore additional mechanisms must be operative. In this paper we show by a quantitative approach that doxorubicin resistance in several P-glycoprotein-positive non-small cell lung cancer and breast cancer multidrug resistant cell lines can be explained by a summation of accumulation defect and alterations in the efficacy of the drug once present in the cell. This alteration of efficacy was partly due to changes in intracellular drug localisation, characterised by decreased nuclear/cytoplasmic doxorubicin fluorescence ratios (N/C-ratios). N/C-ratios were 2.8-3.6 in sensitive cells, 0.1-0.4 in cells with high (> 70-fold) levels of doxorubicin resistance and 1.2 and 1.9 in cells with low or intermediate (7.5 and 24-fold, respectively) levels of doxorubicin resistance. The change of drug efficacy was reflected by an increase in the total amount of doxorubicin present in the cell at equitoxic (IC50) concentrations. N/C ratios in highly resistant P-glycoprotein-containing cells could be increased with the resistance modifier verapamil to values of 1.3-2.7, a process that was paralleled by a decrease of the cellular doxorubicin amounts present at IC50. At the low to moderate residual levels of resistance, obtained with different concentrations of verapamil, a linear relationship between IC50 and cellular doxorubicin amounts determined at IC50 was found. This shows that at this stage of residual resistance, extra reversal by verapamil should be explained by further increase of drug efficacy rather than by increase of cellular drug accumulation. A similar relationship was found for P-glycoprotein-negative MDR cells with low levels of resistance. Since in these cells N/C ratios could not be altered, verapamil-induced decrease of IC50 must be due to increased drug efficacy by action on as yet unidentified targets. Although the IC50 of sensitive human cells cannot be reached with resistance modifiers, when using these relationships it can be shown by extrapolation that cellular and nuclear doxorubicin amounts at IC50 at complete reversal of resistance were the same as in sensitive cells. It is concluded that doxorubicin resistance factors for multidrug resistant cells can for a large part, and in the case of P-glycoprotein-containing cells probably fully, be accounted for by decreased amounts of drug at nuclear targets, which in turn is characterised by two processes only: decreased cellular accumulation and a shift in the ratio nuclear drug/cytoplasmic drug.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

PubMed1993

Genistein modulates the decreased drug accumulation in non-P-glycoprotein mediated multidrug resistant tumour cells.

In tumour cells the pharmacological basis for multidrug resistance (MDR) often appears to be a reduced cellular cytostatic drug accumulation caused by the drug efflux protein, P-glycoprotein (Pgp MDR), or by other drug transporters (non-Pgp MDR). Here we report the reversal of the decreased daunorubicin (DNR) accumulation in five non-Pgp MDR cell lines (GLC4/ADR, SW-1573/2R120, HT1080/DR4, MCF7/Mitox and HL60/ADR) by genistein. Genistein inhibited the enhanced DNR efflux in the GLC4/ADR cells. In these cells the decreased VP-16 accumulation was also reversed by genistein. Three other (iso)flavonoids biochanin A, apigenin and quercetin also increased the DNR accumulation in the GLC4/ADR cells. In contrast to the effects on non-Pgp MDR cells, 200 microM genistein did not increase the reduced DNR accumulation in three Pgp MDR cell lines (SW-1573/2R160, MCF7/DOX40 and KB8-5) or in the parental cell lines. In conclusion the use of genistein provides a means to probe non-Pgp related drug accumulation defects.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

PubMed1993

Cortisol is transported by the multidrug resistance gene product P-glycoprotein.

The physiology of the multidrug transporter P-glycoprotein (Pgp) is still poorly understood. We now show evidence that cell lines with a high expression of Pgp display a reduced accumulation of cortisol and an ATP-dependent outward transport of the hormone. Cortisol efflux from Pgp negative cells does not have such an active component. Further we show that the steroid hormones cortisol, testosterone, and progesterone cause an immediate, dose-dependent increase of daunorubicin accumulation in Pgp overexpressing cells. These effects are particularly apparent for the more lipophilic steroids. These results demonstrate that Pgp may function as a transporter for cortisol and suggest a physiological role of the protein in steroid handling by organs such as the adrenal.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

PubMed1992

Probing daunorubicin accumulation defects in non-P-glycoprotein expressing multidrug-resistant cell lines using digitonin.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) in tumor cells is frequently associated with reduced cellular cytostatic drug accumulation, caused by the drug efflux protein, P-glycoprotein (Pgp). The action of Pgp in tumor cells can be detected by measuring the increase of daunorubicin accumulation upon blocking Pgp with drugs such as verapamil. A number of MDR cell lines have been described, characterized by decreased drug accumulation without Pgp being present. For such non-Pgp MDR cells no gene probes or functional assays are available to study this phenotype in clinical tumor specimens. We have worked out a method which enables the detection of drug-transport-related decreases in cellular daunorubicin accumulations without the need for the use of specific Pgp blockers. The cells used were SW-1573-, GLC4- and HT1080-sensitive cell lines, which accumulated (corrected for DNA content) 272%, 1,288% and 203% more daunorubicin than the non-Pgp MDR sublines SW-1573/2R120, GLC4/ADR and HT1080/DR4. When the plasma membranes of these MDR lines were permeabilized with 20 microM digitonin an increase to 282%, 1,260% and 239% of 14C-daunorubicin control accumulation was measured (at pH = 7.35). The intracellular pH measured with BCECF was the same in parent and corresponding MDR cells, excluding the role of pH differences in the measured effects. This method provides a tool allowing the detection of cellular mechanisms (including Pgp) which are related to active outward transport of daunorubicin.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

PubMed1992

Drug-transporter proteins in clinical multidrug resistance.

Upon exposure to chemotherapeutic drugs, mammalian cells can acquire resistance to structurally and functionally unrelated compounds, a property known as multidrug resistance (MDR). One MDR mechanism, i.e. by the overexpression of a plasma membrane protein, P-glycoprotein (P-gp), has been identified at the molecular level. The mdr1 gene-encoded P-gp acts as a drug efflux pump, lowering intracellular drug concentration by active extrusion of drugs from the cell. The role of P-gp in determining clinical resistance to multiple anticancer drugs is likely to be largely different for various tumor types. Recently we selected a monoclonal antibody (mAb LRP56) for strong, granular cytoplasmic reactivity with MDR tumor cell lines without P-gp (over)expression. None or weak reactivity was observed with parental and P-gp positive cell lines. We hypothesize that as yet-undefined drug transport-mediating proteins are inserted in intracellular membranes lining the exocytotic compartment and thus may contribute to clinical multidrug resistance.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

PubMed1992

Energy-dependent processes involved in reduced drug accumulation in multidrug-resistant human lung cancer cell lines without P-glycoprotein expression.

Mechanisms contributing to reduced cytotoxic drug accumulation were studied in two multidrug-resistant (MDR) human lung cancer cell lines without P-glycoprotein expression. In these (non-small cell) SW-1573/2R120 and (small cell) GLC4/ADR MDR cells, the steady-state accumulation of [14C]daunorubicin was 30 and 12%, respectively, of that in the parent cells. When cells, at steady state, were permeabilized with digitonin, the amount of daunorubicin binding increased only in the resistant cells. The reduced accumulation of daunorubicin in the SW-1573/2R120 and GLC4/ADR cells was accompanied by a lower initial (2 min) uptake rate of this drug. No difference in initial efflux rate of daunorubicin from preloaded cells could be detected between sensitive and resistant SW-1573 cells. However, daunorubicin was extruded 5-fold faster from GLC4/ADR cells than from the parental cells. In the presence of the energy metabolism inhibitors sodium azide and deoxyglucose, the reduced daunorubicin accumulations in the SW-1573/2R120 and GLC4/ADR MDR cells were (almost) completely reversed. The effects of these inhibitors on drug uptake were already apparent during the earliest measured time points (less than 15 s). Also, the enhanced efflux of daunorubicin from GLC4/ADR cells was inhibited. In ATP-depleted cells, the intracellular pH was lowered by approximately 0.3 units in resistant as well as in sensitive cells. The lower intracellular pH, however, could not account for the increase in daunorubicin accumulation in the resistant cells. Also, for vincristine and etoposide, the increases in drug accumulation under energy-deprived conditions were more pronounced in the resistant SW-1573/2R120 cells than in the parent SW-1573 cells. These results suggest that accumulation of drugs in the non-P-glycoprotein MDR human lung carcinoma cell lines SW-1573/2R120 and GLC4/ADR is reduced by an energy-dependent drug export mechanism which prevents efficient transport of drug to the target. Since P-glycoprotein expression in lung tumors is generally low, these MDR lung cancer cell lines can be used as a model to study alternative mechanisms leading to multidrug resistance in this tumor type.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1992

Different types of non-P-glycoprotein mediated multiple drug resistance in children with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Although cellular drug resistance is considered to be an important cause of the poor prognosis of children with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), the knowledge of drug resistance in these patients is very limited. Different aspects of drug resistance were studied in 17 children with relapsed ALL. The in vitro sensitivity profile was determined using the MTT assay. Cells from relapsed children were significantly more resistant to 6-thioguanine, prednisolone, cytosine arabinoside, daunorubicin (DNR), mustine-HCl and mafosfamide but not to L-asparaginase and vincristine (VCR) than cells from 41 children with ALL at initial diagnosis. Some relapsed patients showed a general drug resistance while others were resistant to only 1-3 drugs. The relevance of the multidrug resistance (MDR) model was analysed: In all DNR- and VCR resistant cases a co-resistance to drugs not involved in the MDR model was found. P-glycoprotein was not detected in any of 28 untreated and 14 relapsed samples tested. VCR- and DNR accumulation in the most resistant cells were not lower than in sensitive cells. Resistance modifiers did not potentiate the cytotoxicity of VCR and DNR. We conclude that resistance to anthracyclines and vinca alkaloids in childhood relapsed ALL is not due to P-glycoprotein mediated MDR. Different types of drug resistance varying from a resistance to only one drug to a general chemoresistance, can be detected in children with relapsed ALL. VCR and L-asparaginase seemed to be only infrequently involved in drug resistance. Knowledge of drug resistance might lead to more effective and less toxic therapies for children with relapsed ALL.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

PubMed1991

P-glycoprotein drug efflux pump involved in the mechanisms of intrinsic drug resistance in various colon cancer cell lines. Evidence for a saturation of active daunorubicin transport.

We studied the resistance of colon tumors to anticancer agents in vitro. Using daunorubicin (DN), a number of cellular parameters which normally indicate acquired or multidrug resistance (MDR), were compared for several human wild-type colon cell lines, i.e. HT29, SW1116 and COLO 320, and the murine colon cell line C-26. The sensitive/MDR human ovarian cancer cell line couple A2780/2780AD was used as a reference. The amount of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) was in the order HT29, A2780 less than or equal to SW1116 less than C26 less than or equal to COLO 320 less than 2780AD. The MDR modifiers verapamil, Cremophor EL, cyclosporin A and Ro 11-2933/001 had significant effects on DN cytotoxicity, total DN accumulation and efflux, only if P-gp was present. A flow-through system was used to study the mechanism of DN transport. For the first time, evidence for saturation of an active transport of DN from the cells is reported. We discussed the possible presence of cooperative activity between at least two binding sites on the protein responsible for DN efflux, likely to be P-gp.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

PubMed1991

Early multidrug resistance, defined by changes in intracellular doxorubicin distribution, independent of P-glycoprotein.

Resistance to multiple antitumour drugs, mostly antibiotics or alkaloids, has been associated with a cellular plasma membrane P-glycoprotein (Pgp), causing energy-dependent transport of drugs out of cells. However, in many common chemotherapy resistant human cancers there is no overexpression of Pgp, which could explain drug resistance. In order to characterise early steps in multidrug resistance we have derived a series of P-glycoprotein-positive (Pgp/+) and P-glycoprotein-negative (Pgp/-) multidrug resistant cell lines, from a human non-small cell lung cancer cell line, SW-1573, by stepwise selection with increasing concentrations of doxorubicin. These cells were exposed to doxorubicin and its fluorescence in nucleus (N) and cytoplasm (C) was quantified with laserscan microscopy and image analysis. The fluorescence N/C ratio in parent cells was 3.8 and decreased both in Pgp/+ and Pgp/- cells with increasing selection pressure to 1.2-2.6 for cells with a resistance factor of 7-17. N/C ratios could be restored partly with verapamil only in Pgp/+ cells. N/C ratio measurements may define a general Pgp-independent type of defense of mammalian cells against certain anticancer agents which may precede Pgp expression in early doxorubicin resistance.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗