New insight into p-glycoprotein as a drug target.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) of cancer tissue is a phenomenon in which cancer cells exhibit reduced sensitivity to a large group of unrelated drugs with different mechanisms of pharmacological activity. Mechanisms that reduce cell sensitivity to damage induced by a variety of chemicals were found to be caused by diverse, albeit well-defined, phenotypic alterations. The molecular basis of MDR commonly involves overexpression of the plasma membrane drug efflux pump - P-glycoprotein (P-gp).

P-glycoprotein depresses cisplatin sensitivity in L1210 cells by inhibiting cisplatin-induced caspase-3 activation.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a phenomenon in which cells become resistant to cytostatic drugs and other substances with diverse chemical structures and cytotoxicity mechanisms. The most often observed molecular mechanism for MDR includes high levels of P-glycoprotein (P-gp)--an ABCB1 member of the ABC drug transporter family. Overexpression of P-gp in neoplastic tissue is an obstacle to chemotherapeutic treatment.

Tunicamycin depresses P-glycoprotein glycosylation without an effect on its membrane localization and drug efflux activity in L1210 cells.

P-glycoprotein (P-gp), also known as ABCB1, is a member of the ABC transporter family of proteins. P-gp is an ATP-dependent drug efflux pump that is localized to the plasma membrane of mammalian cells and confers multidrug resistance in neoplastic cells. P-gp is a 140-kDa polypeptide that is glycosylated to a final molecular weight of 170 kDa.

Does any relationship exist between P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug resistance and intracellular calcium homeostasis.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) of neoplastic tissue represents a real obstacle to the effective chemotherapy of cancer. Several mechanisms of MDR were identified, from which the over-expression and efflux activity of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) - a plasma membrane ATPase (ABCB1 member of ABC transporter family) - represents the most commonly observed reason for neoplastic disease chemotherapy malfunction. The process of P-gp-mediated MDR seems to be related to intracellular calcium homeostasis, at least indirectly, for the following reasons: i.

Vincristine-induced overexpression of P-glycoprotein in L1210 cells is associated with remodeling of cell surface saccharides.

Multidrug resistance of murine leukemic cell line L1210/VCR (R), obtained by adaptation of parental L1210 cells (S) on vincristine, is associated with overexpression of P glycoprotein (P-gp, the ATP-dependent drug efflux pump). Previously, we found that cytochemical staining of negatively charged cell surface binding sites (probably sialic acid) by ruthenium red (RR) revealed a compact layer of RR bound to the external coat of S cells. This is in contrast to R cells and L1210/VCR cells cultured in the presence of vincristine during the last cultivation prior to the experiment (V cells), where the RR layer was either reduced or absent.

Changes in ultrastructure and endogenous ionic channels activity during culture of HEK 293 cell line.

Human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells were characterised as an expression system for voltage-activated cationic channels. Current density for cationic channels intrinsically expressed in HEK 293 cells as well as cell ultrastructure was described after 7-11, 29-30 and 49-63 days of cell culture. Slowly activating outward potassium current with the current density varying between +10 and +26 pA/pF was observed in 72% to 95% of investigated cells.

LY294,002, a specific inhibitor of PI3K/Akt kinase pathway, antagonizes P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug resistance.

The transmembrane transport pump P-glycoprotein (P-gp) causes the efflux of chemotherapeutic agents from cells and is an important system that secures multidrug resistance (MDR) of neoplastic cells. In the present study drug sensitive L1210 and multidrug resistant L1210/VCR mouse leukemic cell lines were used as an experimental model. We found that LY 294,002, a specific inhibitor of PI3K/Akt kinase pathway, reduced the degree of vincristine resistance in L1210/VCR cells significantly and in a concentration-dependent manner.

P-glycoprotein--implications of metabolism of neoplastic cells and cancer therapy.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) of neoplastic tissues is a major obstacle in cancer chemotherapy. The predominant cause of MDR is the overexpression and drug transport activity of P-glycoprotein (P-gp, a product of the MDR gene). P-gp is a member of the ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters family, with broad substrate specificity for several substances including anticancer drugs, linear and cyclic peptides, inhibitors of HIV protease, and several other substances.