PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R G Deeley

Publications and source records attributed to R G Deeley.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

ATP-dependent glutathione disulphide transport mediated by the MRP gene-encoded conjugate export pump.

We have previously shown that the multidrug resistance protein (MRP) mediates the ATP-dependent membrane transport of the endogenous glutathione conjugate leukotriene C4 (LTC4) and of structurally related anionic conjugates of lipophilic compounds [Jedlitschky, Leier, Buchholz, Center and Keppler (1994) Cancer Res. 54, 4833-4836; Leier, Jedlitschky, Buchholz, Cole, Deeley and Keppler (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 27807-27810]. We demonstrate in the present study that MRP also mediates the ATP-dependent transport of GSSG, as shown in membrane vesicles from human leukaemia cells overexpressing MRP (HL60/ADR cells) or HeLa cells transfected with an MRP expression vector (HeLa T5 cells) in comparison with the respective parental or control cells. The Km value for ATP-dependent transport of GSSG was 93 +/- 26 microM (mean value +/- S.D., n=5) in membrane vesicles from HeLa T5 cells. GSH, at a concentration of 100 microM, was not a substrate for any significant ATP-dependent MRP-mediated transport. The transport of GSSG was competitively inhibited by LTC4, by the leukotriene D4 receptor antagonist 3-([{3-(2-[7-chloro-2-quinolinyl]ethenyl)phenyl}-{(3-dimethylamino-3- oxopropyl)-thio}-methyl]thio)propanoic acid (MK 571) and by S-decylglutathione, with K1 values of 0.3, 0.6 and 0.7 microM respectively. These studies identify MRP as the membrane glycoprotein which mediates the ATP-dependent export of GSSG from these cells.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

Reduction of expression of the multidrug resistance protein (MRP) in human tumor cells by antisense phosphorothioate oligonucleotides.

Multidrug resistance protein (MRP) is a member of the ATP-binding cassette superfamily of transport proteins which has been demonstrated to cause multidrug resistance when transfected into previously sensitive cells. Sixteen eicosomeric oligonucleotides complementary to different regions along the entire length of the MRP mRNA reduced MRP mRNA and protein levels in drug-resistant small cell lung cancer cells that highly overexpress this protein. In MRP-transfected HeLa cells that express intermediate levels of MRP, one oligonucleotide, ISIS 7597, targeted to the coding region of the MRP mRNA, decreased the levels of MRP mRNA to < 10% of control levels in a concentration-dependent manner. This effect was rapid but transient with a return to control levels of MRP mRNA 72 hr after treatment. A double treatment with ISIS 7597 produced a sustained inhibition, resulting in a greater than 90% reduction in MRP mRNA for 72 hr and a comparable decrease in protein levels. Increased sensitivity to doxorubicin was observed under these conditions. Northern blotting analyses using two DNA probes corresponding to sequences 5' and 3' of the ISIS 7597 target sequence, respectively, revealed the presence of low levels of two smaller sized RNA fragments as expected from an RNase H-mediated mechanism of action of the antisense oligonucleotide. These studies indicate that a specific reduction in MRP expression can be achieved with antisense oligonucleotides, a finding that has potential implications for the treatment of drug-resistant tumors.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Functional expression of the multidrug resistance-associated protein in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) is a member of the ATP binding cassette superfamily of transporters which includes the mammalian P-glycoproteins (P-gp) family. In order to facilitate the biochemical and genetic analyses of MRP, we have expressed human MRP in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and have compared its functional properties to those of the mouse Mdr3 P-gp isoform. Expression of both MRP and Mdr3 in the anthracycline hypersensitive mutant VASY2563 restored cellular resistance to Adriamycin in this mutant. MRP and Mdr3 expression produced pleiotropic effects on drug resistance in this mutant, as corresponding VASY2563 transformants also acquired resistance to the anti-fungal agent FK506 and to the K+/H+ ionophore valinomycin. The appearance of increased cellular resistance to the toxic effect of Adriamycin (ADM) in MRP and Mdr3 transformants was concomitant with a reduced intracellular accumulation of [14C]ADM in spheroplasts prepared from these cells. Moreover, MRP and Mdr3, but not control spheroplasts, could mediate a time-dependent reduction in the overall cell-associated [14C]ADM from preloaded cells, suggesting the presence of an active ADM transport mechanism in MRP and Mdr3 transformants. Finally, human MRP was found to complement the biological activity of the yeast peptide pheromone transporter Ste6 and partially restored mating in a sterile ste6 null mutant. These findings suggest that despite their relatively low level of structural homology, MRP and P-gp share similar functional aspects, since both proteins can mediate transport of chemotherapeutic drugs and the a mating peptide pheromone in yeast.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B↗

The biological significance of the multidrug resistance gene MRP in inversion 16 leukemias.

Multidrug resistance represents an important mechanism by which leukaemic and solid tumour cells escape cell death after exposure to anthracyclines and other natural products. Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) associated with the inversion chromosome 16: inv(16)(p13q22) has a favourable prognosis and is known to be chemosensitive. The inversion chromosome is seen in a number of FAB subclasses but is most commonly associated with acute myelomonocytic leukaemia with abnormal eosinophils, M4Eo. It results in the creation of a fusion between the myosin heavy chain gene (MYH11) on the short arm and the gene for a transcription factor, core binding factor beta (CBFB) on the long arm. In a subset of these inv(16) AML patients, inversion also results in loss of the gene for the multidrug resistance protein (MRP) at the short arm breakpoint. This gene maps to 16p13.13, centromeric to the primary short arm breakpoint, separated from MYH11 by a distance of approximately 150kb. Deletion of the MRP gene has been demonstrated by in situ hybridisation, gene dosage studies and by loss of heterozygosity of a flanking microsatellite marker (D16S405). Twenty two patients with inv(16) leukaemia were analysed for deletion of the MRP gene. Deletion of the gene was detected in seven patients, fourteen patients showed retention of the gene and in one case the findings were indeterminate. Clinical data from 13 of these patients were analysed revealing deletion of the MRP gene to be significantly associated with longer time from diagnosis until failure (death or relapse from complete remission) in these patients (p = 0.007). From this work and the growing literature concerning MRP, it appears likely that the deletion of an MRP allele, may favourably affect the biology of inv(16) AML and may have important prognostic implications.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

Expression of multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) mRNA in blast cells from acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients.

A specific and quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was developed for measuring the mRNA of the multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP). A region corresponding to bp 3897-4471 of MRP cDNA is amplified, which encompasses approximately half of the second nucleotide-binding domain (NBD2). In two multidrug resistant (MDR) sublines of the HL-60 human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell line which overexpress MRP but not P-glycoprotein, the assay detects elevated levels of MRP mRNA (4- to 8-fold) relative to the drug-sensitive parental cells (designated HL-60/W). Blast cells from 24 patients with AML were also studied for MRP expression using this RT-PCR method. Expression of MRP was normalized for that of beta-actin in the blast cells, which was also determined by RT-PCR. All of these blast cell samples had MRP expression that was detectable after 35 PCR cycles. Eighteen of these patients samples had levels of expression of MRP mRNA equal to or less than that expressed by HL-60/W cells. In six patient blast cell specimens, the expression of MRP mRNA was up to 1.7-fold higher than that of HL-60/W cells. In 21 specimens, the steady-state intracellular accumulation of daunorubicin (1 microgram/ml, 3h) was also determined. The blast cells with MRP mRNA expression higher than HL-60/W had a lower median accumulation of daunorubicin compared to those whose MRP expression was less than HL-60/W, suggesting a functional defect in drug transport in the cells with higher MRP expression; a similar trend toward lower daunorubicin accumulation was also noted in the one-third of samples that displayed the highest expression of MDR1 mRNA (also determined by RT-PCR). These studies illustrate the range of expression of MRP in AML blast cell specimens. The identification of MRP overexpression in MDR AML cell lines and in some AML patient blast cells with low intracellular daunorubicin accumulation warrants further study of MRP as a component of clinical drug resistance in AML.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Structure and expression of the messenger RNA encoding the murine multidrug resistance protein, an ATP-binding cassette transporter.

In vitro, overexpression of the human multidrug-resistance protein (MRP) causes a form of multidrug resistance similar to that conferred by P-glycoprotein, although the two proteins are only very distantly related. Studies with MRP-enriched membrane vesicles have demonstrated that the protein can bind and transport cysteinyl leukotrienes, as well as some other glutathione conjugates, with high affinity. In contrast, there is no direct evidence of the ability of MRP to bind or transport unmodified forms of the drugs to which it confers resistance. To facilitate studies of the physiological function(s) of MRP and its ability to cause multidrug resistance in vivo, we cloned and characterized the mRNA specifying its murine homolog. The murine MRP mRNA encodes a protein of 1528 amino acids that is 88% identical to human MRP. Although detectable by Northern blotting at variable levels in a wide range of tissues, in situ hybridization experiments revealed that MRP mRNA expression in some tissues is cell-type specific. High levels of the mRNA were detected in epithelia lining bronchi and bronchioles, as well as stage-specific expression in the seminiferous epithelium of the testes. Comparison of the predicted hydropathy profiles of human and murine MRP suggests a highly conserved membrane topology, the most distinctive feature of which is an extremely hydrophobic NH2-terminal region containing five or six potential transmembrane sequences. This structural feature is shared with the sulfonylurea receptor and the yeast cadmium factor 1 but is not present in members of the superfamily, such as the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator and P-glycoproteins. Finally, we used overlapping cDNAs to construct an episomally replicating murine MRP expression vector that was stably transfected into HeLa cells. MRP-Transfected cell populations expressed markedly elevated levels of a 180-190-kDa protein that cross-reacted with a polyclonal antiserum raised against a peptide that is completely conserved in murine and human MRPs. The MRP transfectants also displayed increased resistance to vincristine (5-6-fold) and doxorubicin (< 2-fold).

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

The LRP gene encoding a major vault protein associated with drug resistance maps proximal to MRP on chromosome 16: evidence that chromosome breakage plays a key role in MRP or LRP gene amplification.

A cDNA encoding the novel drug resistance gene, LRP (originally termed lung resistance-related protein), was isolated from HT1080/DR4, a 220-fold doxorubicin-resistant human fibrosarcoma cell line which displays a multidrug resistance phenotype and overexpresses the multidrug resistance protein (MRP) but does not overexpress P-glycoprotein encoded by the MDR1 gene. Using the full-length 2.8-kb cDNA probe, the gene for LRP was regionally localized to the 16p13.1-16p11.2 chromosomal segment in human metaphases. Dual color fluorescence in situ hybridization studies refined the localization of LRP to 16p11.2, a location approximately 27 cM proximal to MRP (16p13.1). Two color hybridization studies indicated that HT1080/DR4 fibrosarcoma cells contain amplification of both the MRP and LRP genes in a striking striped pattern in the homogeneously staining region, hsr(7)(p12p15). In contrast, only amplified MRP gene sequences were contained within the homogeneously staining region, hsr(18q). Amplification of LRP was not identified in any of seven other drug-resistant tumor cell lines characterized by 20-300-fold levels of doxorubicin resistance, including two cell lines known to overexpress LRP (SW1573/2R120 and GLC4/ADR). Amplified MRP gene sequences were identified in H69AR, GLC4/ADR, and HL-60/AR whereas only MDR1 gene amplification was observed in the S1B120 colon carcinoma cell line. These data indicate that although both the MRP and LRP genes map to the short arm of chromosome 16, they are rarely coamplified and are not normally located within the same amplicon. A key role for chromosome breakage in gene amplification is supported by the presence of non-random karyotypic anomalies near the MRP and LRP normal cellular loci.

Chromosome Mapping↗

Isolation and characterization of the chicken homeodomain protein AKR.

Expression of the avian apoVLDLII gene is liver specific and completely dependent on estrogen. Previous analyses of protein binding sites in the apoVLDLII promoter revealed interactions between liver-enriched and ubiquitous factors at a location, site F', between nucleotides -229 and -260 relative to the major transcriptional start site. Site-directed mutagenesis of G residues contacted by these factors decreased expression from the promoter approximately 5-fold in the avian hepatoma cell line LMH2A. We have used this site to screen a cDNA expression library constructed from day 9 embryonic liver RNA. One of the two DNA binding factors isolated is a novel homeodomain protein. With the exception of the homeodomain itself, which is atypically located close to the protein N-terminus, the factor displays little similarity to any known DNA binding protein. Its homeodomain is most similar to that of the maize protein Knotted-1, while the most closely related vertebrate domain is that of the human proto-oncoprotein Pbx1. We demonstrate that the DNA binding specificity of the factor is consistent with its involvement in the ubiquitous complex formed with site F' and that it is capable of suppressing expression from the apoVLDLII promoter in short-term transfection experiments. These studies, combined with its DNA binding specificity, the tissue distribution of its mRNA and its developmental regulation, suggest a role as a negative regulator of gene expression in non-hepatic tissues and in the liver early during embryogenesis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

cIRF-3, a new member of the interferon regulatory factor (IRF) family that is rapidly and transiently induced by dsRNA.

In mammals, some of the effects of interferon (IFN) on gene transcription are known to be mediated by a family of IFN-inducible DNA-binding proteins, the IFN regulatory factor (IRF) family, which includes both activators and repressors of transcription. Although IFN activities have been described in many vertebrates, little is known about regulation of IFN- or IFN-stimulated genes in species other than human and mouse. Here, we report the cloning of a chicken cDNA, cIRF-3, encoding a protein with a DNA-binding domain similar to that found in the mammalian IRF family of proteins. Similarity between cIRF-3 and the mammalian IRFs is comparable with that between known members of the family. It is most similar to the IRF proteins ICSBP and ISGF3 gamma but is equally divergent from both. Gel mobility shift assays indicate that cIRF-3 is capable of binding a known IFN-stimulated response element that is conserved between the mammalian and chicken Mx genes. Expression of the cIRF-3 gene can be induced to high levels by poly(I).poly(C). Induction is rapid and transient with no requirement for protein synthesis. Co-treatment of cells with cycloheximide results in superinduction of cIRF-3 mRNA. The structural and regulatory characteristics of cIRF-3 indicate that it is the first example of a non-mammalian IRF protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Sequential coexpression of the multidrug resistance genes MRP and mdr1 and their products in VP-16 (etoposide)-selected H69 small cell lung cancer cells.

Resistance to drugs included in the multidrug-resistance phenotype has been attributed to overexpression of either mdr1 or MRP genes and their products in numerous cell lines, while coexpression, to our knowledge, has not previously been reported in the same cells. Human small cell lung cancer H69/VP cells were developed by continuous incubation in increasing doses of VP-16. In reverse transcription-PCR assays we found over-expression of both mdr1 and multidrug-resistance protein (MRP) genes, and immunoblots showed both elevated P-glycoprotein and MRP in H69/VP cells. Double immunocytochemical staining demonstrated the expression of both MRP and P-glycoprotein in the same cells, indicating that the observations do not result from the selection of two independent clones. Examination of early passages of H69/VP cells showed that overexpression of MRP mRNA occurred prior to mdr1. Thus, cell lines and clinical samples in the future should be tested for both mdr1/P-glycoprotein and MRP since a positive result for one of the phenotypes does not preclude the existence of the other.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Characterization of the M(r) 190,000 multidrug resistance protein (MRP) in drug-selected and transfected human tumor cell.

Overexpression of multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) has been detected in resistant cell lines derived from a variety of tumor types. The deduced amino acid sequence of MRP suggests that it is a member of the ATP-binding cassette transmembrane transporter superfamily that may be glycosylated and/or phosphorylated [S. P. C. Cole et al., Science Washington, DC), 258: 1650-1654, 1992]. Recently, transfection of HeLa cells with MRP expression vectors has demonstrated that the protein is capable of increasing resistance to natural product drugs such as anthracyclines, Vinca alkaloids, and epipodophyllotoxins (C. E. Grant et al., Cancer Res., 54: 357-361, 1994). Although the resistance phenotype of the transfectants is similar to that of the human small cell lung cancer cell line, H69AR, from which MRP was originally cloned, the transfectants differ in their drug accumulation characteristics, relative resistance to certain drugs, and MRP mRNA:protein ratio. Such differences have also been observed among drug-selected cell lines that overexpress MRP, and the underlying causes of these variable phenotypes are presently not known. We have utilized polyclonal anti-MRP-peptide antibodies to compare MRP post-translational modification, stability, processing, and subcellular distribution in the HeLa transfectants and in the drug-selected H69AR cells. These studies establish that MRP in both the transfected and selected cells is an ATP-binding, integral membrane glycophosphoprotein with an apparent molecular weight of 190,000. No obvious differences were detected in the extent or type of glycosylation or the kinetics of processing and turnover of the protein that might contribute to the different characteristics of the transfected and drug-selected cells. Analyses of the subcellular distribution of MRP by isopyknic density gradient centrifugation revealed that approximately 80% of MRP in the HeLa transfectants was associated with a low density plasma membrane fraction while the comparable fraction in the drug-selected H69AR cells contained only approximately 50% of the protein. The remaining MRP and plasma membrane markers were codistributed in higher density fractions consistent with the presence of MRP in endocytotic vesicles. The relatively high proportion of MRP associated with these fractions in H69AR cells may contribute to the lack of an observable accumulation defect in these cells when compared with the transfectants.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

An episomal expression vector system for monitoring sequence-specific effects on mRNA stability in human cell lines.

A plasmid expression system has been developed which allows sequence-specific effects on mRNA degradation rates to be determined. This system uses stable, nonintegrating vectors that provide consistent levels of mRNA expression without the position effects common to integrating vectors. cDNAs encoding putative instability elements may be subcloned into the 5' untranslated region (5'UTR), the coding region, or the proximal 3'UTR of a beta-globin cDNA reporter. The effects of these sequences on mRNA stability may then be determined by actinomycin time course analyses of the fusion mRNAs and recombinant beta-globin mRNA in human cell lines. To demonstrate the utility of the vector system we fused an 820-bp fragment of the cDNA encoding the proximal 3'UTR of human 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase to the 3'UTR of the beta-globin reporter and introduced the vector into the human hepatocarcinoma cell line, HepG2. The fusion mRNA was degraded at a rate 2- to 2.5-fold greater than that of beta-globin alone, at a rate similar to that reported for HMG CoA reductase mRNA in normal rat liver. Similar to a number of other relatively unstable mRNAs, the rate of fusion mRNA degradation was greatly decreased by treatment with cycloheximide.

Base Sequence↗

Expression of multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP), MDR1 and DNA topoisomerase II in human multidrug-resistant bladder cancer cell lines.

The acquisition of the multidrug resistance phenotype in human tumours is associated with an overexpression of the 170 kDa P-glycoprotein encoded by the multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1) gene, and also with a 190 kDa membrane ATP-binding protein encoded by a multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) gene. Human bladder cancer is a highly malignant neoplasm which is refractory to anti-cancer chemotherapy. In order to understand the mechanism underlying multidrug resistance in bladder cancer, we established three doxorubicin-resistant cell lines, T24/ADM-1, T24/ADM-2 and KK47/ADM, and one vincristine-resistant cell line, T24/VCR, from human bladder cancer T24 and KK47 cells respectively. Both T24/ADM-1 and T24/ADM-2 cells which had elevated MRP mRNA levels showed both a cross-resistance to etoposide and a decreased intracellular accumulation of etoposide. T24/VCR cells which had elevated levels of MDR1 mRNA and P-glycoprotein but not of MRP mRNA, showed cross-resistance to doxorubicin. On the other hand, KK47/ADM cells, which had elevated levels of both MRP and MDR1 mRNA and a decreased level of topoisomerase II mRNA, were found to be cross-resistant to etoposide, vincristine and a camptothecin derivative, CPT-11. Our present study demonstrates a concomitant induction of increased levels of MRP mRNA, decreased levels of topoisomerase II mRNA and decreased drug accumulation during development of multidrug resistance in human bladder cancer cells. The enhanced expression of the MRP gene is herein discussed in a possible correlation with the decreased expression of the topoisomerase II gene.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Cloning of an avian antithrombin: developmental and hormonal regulation of expression.

We present the complete amino acid sequence of a non-mammalian antithrombin together with a structural comparison to its mammalian homologs. In the majority of cases, but not all, the analyses indicate high degrees of primary structural identity within regions of predicted or demonstrated functional importance. We have also taken advantage of the avian model to define the ontogeny of antithrombin mRNA expression. Northern analyses indicate chicken antithrombin mRNA levels to be detectable in the liver early during development and increase to reach adult levels just prior to hatching. Although no sex-dependent differences in antithrombin mRNA levels were detected, the administration of estrogen to male roosters was observed to cause a 3-fold decrease in antithrombin mRNA levels, suggesting that the hormone may alter circulating antithrombin levels via a pre-translational mechanism.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Detection of the M(r) 190,000 multidrug resistance protein, MRP, with monoclonal antibodies.

MRP is a M(r) 190,000 integral membrane phosphoglycoprotein that is overexpressed in some drug-selected resistant cell lines and has been shown to cause multidrug resistance in transfected cells. Five murine hybridoma cell lines (QCRL-1, QCRL-2, QCRL-3, QCRL-4, and QCRL-6) have been generated which secrete monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) that react specifically with membrane proteins of MRP-overexpressing, multidrug-resistant, drug-selected H69AR cells and MRP-transfected HeLa cells (T5) but not the respective parental (H69) and vector-transfected (C1) cells. The ability of three of these MAbs (QCRL-1, QCRL-2, and QCRL-3) to selectively immunoprecipitate a M(r) 190,000 protein from 35S-labeled H69AR and T5 membranes indicates that these MAbs are specific for MRP. MAb QCRL-1 is also capable of detecting the low levels of MRP present in revertant H69PR cells by immunoblot analysis. Indirect immunofluorescence analyses show that MAbs QCRL-1, QCRL-2, and QCRL-3) strongly and differentially react with fixed T5 and H69AR cells but not with unfixed cells, suggesting that these MAbs recognize intracellular MRP epitopes. The availability of reagents for the specific and sensitive immunodetection of MRP should greatly facilitate biological and clinical studies of this novel drug resistance protein.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Pharmacological characterization of multidrug resistant MRP-transfected human tumor cells.

We have previously identified and characterized a novel member of the ATP-binding cassette superfamily of transport proteins, multidrug resistance protein (MRP), and subsequently demonstrated that its overexpression is sufficient to confer multidrug resistance on previously sensitive cells (Cole et al., Science (Washington DC), 258: 1650-1654, 1992; Grant et al., Cancer Res. 54: 357-361, 1994). In the present study, we have transfected two different eukaryotic expression vectors containing MRP complementary DNA into HeLa cells to study the pharmacological phenotype produced exclusively by overexpression of human MRP. The drug resistance patterns of the two MRP-transfected cell populations were similar. They were characterized by a moderate (5- to 15-fold) level of resistance to doxorubicin, daunorubicin, epirubicin, vincristine, and etoposide, and a low (< or = 3-fold) level of resistance to taxol, vinblastine, and colchicine. The transfectants were not resistant to 9-alkyl anthracyclines, mitoxantrone, or cisplatin. The MRP-transfected cells were also resistant to some heavy metal anions including arsenite, arsenate, and trivalent and pentavalent antimonials but were not resistant to cadmium chloride. Accumulation of radiolabeled vincristine was reduced by 45% in the MRP-transfected cells and could be restored to the levels found in sensitive cells by depletion of ATP. Rates of vincristine efflux did not differ greatly in the sensitive and resistant cells. The cytotoxic effects of vincristine and doxorubicin could be enhanced in a dose-dependent fashion by coadministration of verapamil. Cyclosporin A also increased vincristine toxicity but had less effect on doxorubicin toxicity. The degree of chemosensitization by verapamil and cyclosporin A was similar in MRP-transfected cells and in cells transfected with the vector alone, suggesting that sensitization involved mechanisms independent of MRP expression. Verapamil and cyclosporin A caused a modest increase in vincristine accumulation in the resistant cells but did not restore levels to those of the sensitive cells. Taken together, these data indicate that drug-resistant cell lines generated by transfection with MRP complementary DNA display some but not all of the characteristics of MRP-overexpressing cell lines produced by drug selection in vitro. They further demonstrate that the multidrug resistance phenotype conferred by MRP is similar but not identical to that conferred by P-glycoprotein and includes resistance to arsenical and antimonial oxyanions.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗