Multidrug resistance protein attenuates gemtuzumab ozogamicin-induced cytotoxicity in acute myeloid leukemia cells.

Gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO) is a novel immunoconjugate therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). P-glycoprotein (Pgp) confers resistance to GO and is associated with a worse clinical response. To address whether multidrug resistance protein (MRP) affects GO susceptibility, we characterized Pgp, MRP1, and MRP2 expression in CD33+ cell lines and CD33+ AML samples and analyzed the effect of the Pgp inhibitor cyclosporine (CSA) and the MRP inhibitor MK-571 on GO-induced cytotoxicity.