Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

T Tsuruo

Publications and source records attributed to T Tsuruo.

At least 379 records · Page 21Linked to original sources

Increase in the level of P-glycoprotein mRNA expression in multidrug-resistant K562 cell lines treated with sodium butyrate is not accompanied with erythroid differentiation.

We examined the effect of hemin, sodium butyrate and mitomycin C on levels of P-glycoprotein mRNA in human myelogenous K562 cells by northern blot analysis. After treatment with sodium butyrate a dose-dependent increase of P-glycoprotein mRNA expression was observed in the adriamycin-resistant K562 and vincristine-resistant K562 lines. With 10 mM sodium butyrate, the level of P-glycoprotein mRNA reached 20 times that of control adriamycin-resistant K562 and with 30 mM sodium butyrate, it exceeded 5 times that of control vincristine-resistant K562. In contrast, hemin and mitomycin C had almost no effect on P-glycoprotein mRNA. In this experiment, since expression of P-glycoprotein mRNA was not necessarily accompanied with induction of erythroid differentiation, the increased amount of P-glycoprotein mRNA is unlikely to be a result of differentiation.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Expression of the multiple drug resistance gene (mdr-1) and epitope masking in chronic lymphatic leukaemia.

Resistance to cytotoxic agents is a common clinical problem in the treatment of chronic lymphatic leukaemia (CLL). The multidrug resistant (MDR) phenotype characterized by increased levels of a specific cell membrane p-glycoprotein, confers cross resistance to a wide range of structurally dissimilar antineoplastic drugs. We have studied the expression of this p-glycoprotein in chronic lymphatic leukaemia measured by immunofluorescence using a monoclonal antibody MRK 16 by flow cytometry. Initial results showed that only 12% of lymphocyte samples from CLL patients showed increased p-glycoprotein, conflicting with a previous observation that 53% of CLL patients had an increased level of mdr-1 mRNA. Treatment of the cells with neuraminidase to remove sialic acid residues increased the proportion of patients showing increased p-glycoprotein to 52%. This suggest that in a subset of CLL patients post translational modification of the protein occurs masking the epitope recognized by MRK 16. Abnormal sialylation patterns associated with malignancy are a well-recognized phenomenon.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Synthesis and antitumor activity of fused quinoline derivatives.

Some tetracyclic quinolines (9 and 14) with a [2-methoxy-4-[(methylsulfonyl)amino]phenyl]amino side chain were prepared and their deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) intercalative properties, KB cytotoxicity, antitumor activity (P388 leukemia), and ability to induce topoisomerase II dependent DNA cleavage were investigated. The indoloquinoline derivative 9 exhibited the most potent activity (dose = 6.3 mg, T/C% = 300) in this series. The steric structural features of the chromophores of the compounds previously and newly synthesized were studied by a computer-associated molecular graphics technique. Relationships between the steric structural features of the chromophores and biological activities are also discussed.

Animals↗

Distribution of multi-drug resistance-associated P-glycoprotein in normal and neoplastic human tissues. Analysis with 3 monoclonal antibodies recognizing different epitopes of the P-glycoprotein molecule.

P-glycoprotein is a molecule strongly associated with multi-drug resistance to certain cytostatic drugs, including adriamycin, vincristine, and daunorubicin. Using 3 monoclonal antibodies directed at different epitopes of this molecule (JSB-1, MRK16, C219) we investigated the tissue distribution of P-glycoprotein in normal and malignant human tissues, employing a routine immunoperoxidase technique. P-glycoprotein was found in the gastrointestinal epithelium, epithelia of the bronchi, mammary gland, pancreatic ducts, renal tubules, prostate gland, salivary gland, sweat glands of the skin, as well as in bile canaliculi and ductules, the adrenal and in endothelium of capillaries in various organs, most notably the brain. Mostly the pattern of reactivity of the 3 antibodies was similar, but some distinctly different staining reactions were seen. Reactivity was found in a variety of human tumors, arising from tissues normally expressing P-glycoprotein. Knowledge of the distribution and function of this molecule in both normal and malignant tissues may predict resistance and thus may influence choice of therapy. The role of P-glycoprotein in normal tissues and its implications for chemotherapy is discussed.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

[Immunological diagnosis of multidrug resistant cancer in urological malignancies].

A monoclonal antibody, MRK16, recognizing specifically an epitope of P-glycoprotein (P-GP) was used to determine the degree of expression of P-GP in kidney and urinary bladder cancers. Immunohistochemistry, immunoelectronmicroscopy, and immunoprecipitation were used for this study. Expression of P-GP was found in 6 of 20 kidney cancers treated without anticancer drugs. Also expression of P-GP was found in 17 of 47 urinary bladder cancers. 11 of 31 in primary cases, 0 of 5 in recurrent cases treated without anticancer drugs, and 6 of 11 in recurrent cases treated with anticancer drugs were positively expressed. These results indicate that a certain proportion of kidney and urinary bladder cancers intrinsically acquired multidrug resistance, and also that prior administration of anticancer drugs may induce P-GP in initially negative tumors. We also succeeded to detect MDR1 mRNA by means of in situ hybridization. From our present data, our methods to detect P-GP and MDR1 mRNA appeared to be very useful from the point of clinical application.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

High-level expression of P-glycoprotein and 85 kD protein as assessed by flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry in leukemias and malignant lymphomas.

Acquired resistance developed after chemotherapy is characterized by lower sensitivity to anticancer agents. We utilized two monoclonal antibodies (MABs): MRK16 which recognized 170 to 180 kD P-glycoprotein and MRK20 which recognized 85 kD protein, to investigate the frequency of multidrug-resistant cancer cells appearing during treatment of 23 cases of leukemias and 27 cases of malignant lymphomas. The reactivities of these MABs with lymphocytes and blastic cells were examined by flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry. The following findings were obtained. First, among 50 cases, increases in MRK16-reactive cells and MRK20-reactive cells were noted in 17 cases (34%) and 28 cases (56%), respectively. Second, the increase of MRK16-positive cells in three cases and the increase of MRK20-positive cells in two cases were correlated with dosages of the corresponding anticancer drugs used. Although we investigated the total amounts of anti-cancer drugs used, we were not able to detect exactly when P-glycoprotein recognized by MRK16 and the 85 kDa protein recognized by MRK20 appeared in these resistant cells during treatment. More cases will be required to investigate the significance between treatment and reactivity of MRK16 or MRK20 with leukemia or lymphomas cells.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Multidrug resistance: a transport system of antitumor agents and xenobiotics.

Resistance of tumors to a variety of chemotherapeutic agents presents a major problem in cancer treatment. Resistance to such agents as doxorubicin, Vinca alkaloids, and actinomycin D can be acquired by tumor cells after treatment with a single drug. The gene responsible for multidrug resistance, termed mdr1, encodes a membrane glycoprotein (P-glycoprotein) that acts as a pump to transport various cytotoxic agents including various xenobiotics out of the cell. The amount of P-glycoprotein expression has been measured in tumor samples and was found to be elevated in intrinsically drug-resistant cancers of the colon, kidney, and adrenal as well as in some tumors that acquired drug resistance after chemotherapy. The protein was also found to be elevated in cells treated with xenobiotics. P-glycoprotein has been shown to bind anticancer drugs and several resistance-reversing agents including calcium channel blockers, and to be an ATPase. We recently reconstituted the purified P-glycoprotein into artificial liposomes. Reconstituted P-glycoprotein showed ATPase activity, ATP-dependent drug-transport activity, and calcium channel blocker-binding activity. This model provides many advantages for studies of the biochemical functions of P-glycoprotein. In addition to these basic interests, the protein is of considerable interest as a target for cancer chemotherapy because it appears to be involved in both acquired multidrug resistance and intrinsic drug resistance in human cancer. The selective killing of tumor cells expressing P-glycoprotein could be very important in future cancer therapy.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Elimination of chemoresistant myeloma clonogenic cells from human bone marrow by monoclonal antibody and complement.

We examined the effectiveness of a previously characterized plasma cell-reactive monoclonal antibody (MoAb), MM4, in eliminating multi-drug resistant (MDR1) multiple myeloma (MM) clonogenic colony-forming cells (CCCs). MDR1 sublines with 6-fold (RPMI8226/DOX6) and 40-fold (RPMI 8226/DOX40) resistance to doxorubicin (DOX) were selected from the chemosensitive MM parent line RPMI 8226/S. Both sublines remained reactive with plasma cell MoAbs MM4 and PCA-1, as measured by flow cytometric immunophenotype analysis. MM4 and rabbit complement (C') were cytotoxic to MDR DOX6 (74 +/- 8.5%) and DOX40 (75 +/- 11.3%) cells as well as to chemosensitive 8226/S (80 +/- 5.6%) cells. Treatment with MM4 + C' depleted up to 3 logs of chemosensitive and MDR myeloma CCCs (8226/S: 99.26 +/- 0.52%; DOX6 99.91 +/- 0.08%' DOX40 99.15 +/- 0.55%). In addition, this approach abrogated the selfrenewing capacity of chemoresistant and MDR1 myeloma cell lines, according to doubling time analyses. By comparison, the P-glycoprotein-reactive MoAb MRK-16 and C' was effective in deleting MDR1 CCCs (DOX10: 95.71 +/- 2.51%; DOX40: 99.61 +/- 0.43%) but affected chemosensitive myeloma CCCs only slightly (5.93 +/- 14.52%). When DOX40 cells were mixed with normal bone marrow (BM) in a ratio of 10:90 (MM:BM), treatment with MM4 plus C' deleted MM CCCs (98.80 +/- 0.71%) without affecting the majority of normal BM progenitors. The combination of MM4 and MRK-16 did not enhance MDR myeloma CCC depletion. These observations suggest that MM4 + C' may be useful for depleting MDR as well as chemosensitive myeloma clonogenic cells from human bone marrow.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Elimination of drug-resistant myeloma tumor cell lines by monoclonal anti-P-glycoprotein antibody and rabbit complement.

The effectiveness of ex vivo chemotherapy with drugs, such as vincristine, etoposide, and Adriamycin (doxorubicin, Adria Labs, Columbus, OH) for elimination of residual tumor cells from human bone marrow grafts could be undermined by the presence of multidrug-resistant tumor cells in the bone marrow. Therefore, to supplement chemoseparation, we investigated whether MRK-16, a monoclonal antibody (MoAb) to the surface moiety of multidrug resistance-associated P-glycoprotein antigen, can eliminate drug-resistant tumor cells in the presence of rabbit complement (RC). Two doxorubicin (DOX)-resistant human myeloma tumor cell line, 8226/DOX40 (resistant to 4 x 10(-7) mol/L DOX) and 8226/DOX6 (6 x 10(-8) mol/L DOX) with high and low amounts of cell surface P-glycoprotein, respectively, and the drug-sensitive parent cell line 8226/S were used as tumor models in this study. Using the limiting dilution assay, we have shown that three cycles of treatment with 25 micrograms/mL of MRK-16 MoAb and a 1:4 final dilution of RC eliminated 2.90 +/- 0.10 logs of 8226/DOX40 cells and 1.94 +/- 0.18 logs of 8226/DOX6 cells. One and two cycles of treatment were less effective, eliminating 0.47 +/- 0.40 and 1.94 +/- 0.36 logs of 8226/DOX40 and 0.12 +/- 0.20 and 1.63 +/- 0.58 logs of 8226/DOX6 cells, respectively. The 8226/S cell growth was unaffected by one to three cycles of treatment. The cell kill was not impaired when the antibody plus complement treatment was carried out on a mixture of 8226/DOX40 or 8226/DOX6 cells with a ninefold excess of irradiated bone marrow mononuclear cells (MNCs). The three cycles of treatment with antibody plus complement did not adversely affect granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming unit (GM-CFU) survival in hematologically normal marrows (92.5% to 104% survival) or in myeloma patient marrows (85% to 100%). These results show that it is possible to eliminate drug-resistant myeloma tumor cell lines from the admixed human bone marrow by treatment with MRK-16 MoAb plus RC. This method could prove to be effective for elimination of other drug-resistant tumor cell lines including those of leukemia and solid tumors, and will be further useful for supplementing chemopurging, and immunopurging of bone marrow with other antitumor cell antibodies.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Bispecific antibodies reactive with the multidrug-resistance-related glycoprotein and CD3 induce lysis of multidrug-resistant tumor cells.

We describe the lysis of multidrug-resistant (MDR) tumor cells by various lymphocytic effector cells, retargeted with bispecific antibodies (heteroconjugates). The Ab-heteroconjugate used was prepared by chemically cross-linking the OKT3 monoclonal antibody (MAb) reactive with CD3 antigen on T lymphocytes, with the MRK16 MAb, which recognizes the MDR-associated P-glycoprotein. Cloned TCR alpha beta/CD3+ T lymphocytes, OKT3-activated peripheral-blood mononuclear cells and peripheral-blood mononuclear blood lymphocytes, stimulated with allogeneic irradiated cells in a mixed lymphocyte culture, could be induced to lyse MDR ovarian tumor cells in the presence of Ab-heteroconjugate CD3/MRK16, whereas the drug-sensitive parental tumor cells lacking the P-glycoprotein were not lysed by these retargeted effector cells. Cloned TCR gamma delta/CD3+ T lymphocytes showed a high MHC-unrestricted lysis of MDR tumor cells. Addition of Ab-heteroconjugate CD3/MRK16 could therefore not enhance target-cell lysis. Melanoma tumor cells transfected with the mdr-I gene which codes for the P-glycoprotein were also efficiently lysed by Ab-heteroconjugate retargeted cloned TCR alpha beta/CD3+ T cells. Tumor cell lines derived from organs known to express the P-glycoprotein also were lysable by the retargeted effector cells.

Animals↗

A fluorine-containing anthracycline (ME2303) as a new antitumor agent against murine and human tumors and their multidrug-resistant sublines.

A new fluorine-containing anthracycline derivative, ME2303, showed excellent antitumor activity against various experimental tumor models. The i.p. or i.v. administrations of ME2303 on Day 1 or on Days 1, 5, and 9 against i.p.-implanted L1210 leukemia cells rendered more than 50% of mice tumor free at wide ranges of nontoxic doses, whereas the incidence of cure obtained with Adriamycin (ADM) was less than that obtained with ME2303. ME2303 given i.p. or i.v. on Day 1 or Days 1, 5, and 9 was also effective against i.p.-implanted P388 leukemia cells, and higher incidences of cure were obtained than with ADM. ME2303 administered i.v. on Days 1, 8, 15, and 22 showed prominent antitumor activity against s.c.-implanted colon adenocarcinomas 26 and 38, Lewis lung carcinoma, B16 melanoma, and M5076 sarcoma. Against colon adenocarcinoma 26, ME2303 induced cure in 16 of 20 mice at doses of 35 to 71 mumol/kg, whereas no cure was observed with ADM. Significant growth inhibition of colon adenocarcinoma 38, Lewis lung carcinoma, B16 melanoma, and M5076 sarcoma cell lines was also observed at a dose of 18 to 106 mumol/kg. ME2303 was effective against human and murine multidrug-resistant cells in vitro. For example, human myelogenous leukemia K562 resistant to ADM (K562/ADM) was only 2.8-fold more resistant to ME2303, while the cells were 200-fold more resistant to ADM when the values for the concentration of drug required for 50% inhibition of cell growth were compared. ME2303 was also more effective than ADM against human leukemia CCRF-CEM resistant to vinblastine, human ovarian carcinoma A2780 resistant to ADM, human epidermoid carcinoma KB cells resistant to colchicine, and mouse leukemia P388 resistant to ADM and vincristine. Therapeutic effects were obtained in vivo against ADM- and, especially, vincristine-resistant P388 leukemia. ME2303 is one of the most interesting potential antitumor agents to be studied further.

Animals↗

Reversal mechanism of multidrug resistance by verapamil: direct binding of verapamil to P-glycoprotein on specific sites and transport of verapamil outward across the plasma membrane of K562/ADM cells.

The calcium channel blocker verapamil has been shown to reverse multidrug resistance (T. Tsuruo et al., Cancer Res. 41: 1967-1972, 1981), but the mechanism of action of this agent has not been fully elucidated. A radioactive photoactive analogue of verapamil, N-[benzoyl-3,5-3H-(+/-)-5-[(3,4-dimethoxyphenetyl)methylamino]-2- (3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-isopropyl-N-p-azidobenzoylpentylamine, was used to label the plasma membranes of a human myelogenous leukemia cell line (K562), a multidrug-resistant subline selected for resistance to Adriamycin (K562/ADM) and its revertant cell (R1-3). Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic fluorograms revealed the presence of an intensely radiolabeled Mr 170,000-180,000 protein in the membranes from K562/ADM but not from the drug-sensitive parental K562 and revertant R1-3 cells. The Mr 170,000-180,000 verapamil acceptor was immunoprecipitated by monoclonal antibody MRK16 specific for P-glycoprotein associated with multidrug resistance, indicating that P-glycoprotein in the plasma membrane is a major target of verapamil in K562/ADM cells. The photolabeling of P-glycoprotein with N-[benzoyl-3,5-3H]-(+/-)-5-[(3,4-dimethoxyphenetyl)methylamino]-2- (3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-isopropyl-N-p-azidobenzoylphentylamine was significantly blocked by other calcium channel blockers, nicardipine and diltiazem, that have been shown to overcome multidrug resistance. In addition, the photolabeling was partially blocked by Adriamycin, vincristine, and colchicine, suggesting that the specific binding sites for verapamil on P-glycoprotein are closely related to the binding sites for these calcium channel blockers and antitumor agents. To determine whether verapamil could be a substrate for P-glycoprotein, the cellular accumulation of [3H]verapamil into K562 and K562/ADM was evaluated. The accumulation of [3H]verapamil in the multidrug-resistant cells was 30% of K562 cells and increased when K562/ADM cells were treated with vincristine and nicardipine at 5 microM, indicating that the P-glycoprotein transports verapamil as well as other antitumor agents in the multidrug-resistant cells. These results suggest that verapamil enhances antitumor agent retention through competition for closely related binding sites on P-glycoprotein.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Elimination of chemoresistant multiple myeloma clonogenic colony-forming cells by combined treatment with a plasma cell-reactive monoclonal antibody and a P-glycoprotein-reactive monoclonal antibody.

Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) commonly become refractory to chemotherapy despite a favorable response to induction treatment. We examined the effectiveness of a previously characterized plasma cell-reactive monoclonal antibody, MM4, in eliminating MM clonogenic colony-forming cells (CCC) with a multidrug-resistant (MDR) phenotype. Experiments were performed using MM cell lines that exhibit 6 (RPMI 8226/DOX6)- and 40 (RPMI 8226/DOX40)-fold resistance to doxorubicin (DOX). Both lines were selected from the chemosensitive MM line RPMI 8226/S and were cross-resistant to mitoxantrone, acronycine, etoposide, and vincristine. Surface marker analysis conducted in this study showed that DOX6 and DOX40 overexpressed the MDR1 gene product p170. Both MDR lines remained reactive to the plasma cell-reactive monoclonal antibodies MM4 and PCA-1 and expressed the relevant cytoplasmic immunoglobulin light chain. Treatment with MM4 and rabbit complement (C') was equally cytotoxic to RPMI 8226/S [80 +/- 5.6% (SD)], DOX6 [74 +/- 8.5], and DOX40 cells [75 +/- 11.3%], based on short-term chromium release studies. Furthermore, MM4 + C' deleted up to 3 logs of CCC colonies from chemosensitive and MDR lines (RPMI 8226/S, 99.87 +/- 0.11%; DOX6, 99.91 +/- 0.08%; DOX40, 99.55 +/- 0.44%). By comparison, the P-glycoprotein-reactive monoclonal antibody MRK-16 and C' inhibited tumor colony formation of MDR cells (8226/DOX6, 95.71 +/- 2.51%; 8226/DOX40, 99.61 +/- 0.43%) but affected that of chemosensitive cells only slightly (8.9 +/- 17.8%). In an attempt to optimize the depletion of myeloma CCC, MM4 was used together with MRK-16. This approach resulted in uniform depletion of myeloma clonogenic colony-forming cells from the chemosensitive (98.32 +/- 1.53%, n = 4) and MDR lines (8226/DOX6, 98.83 +/- 0.08%, n = 4; 8226/DOX40 99.29 +/- 0.62, n = 7) but did not result in enhanced CCC depletion. When DOX40 cells were mixed with normal bone marrow (BM) in the ratio of 90:10 (BM:MM), either MM4 or MRK-16 and C' depleted MM colonies (98.8 +/- 0.71% and 98.10 +/- 1.0%, respectively) without affecting the majority of BM progenitor cells. These observations suggest that either MM4 or MRK-16 is useful for depleting MDR myeloma clonogenic colony-forming cells.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

In vivo circumvention of vincristine resistance in mice with P388 leukemia using a novel compound, AHC-52.

A novel compound partially analogous to nifedipine, AHC-52, was found to sensitize multidrug-resistant tumor cells. AHC-52 at 0.5 microgram/ml completely reversed the in vitro resistance to vincristine (VCR) in VCR-resistant P388 cells (P388/VCR). Of various regimens examined for the in vivo treatment of P388/VCR-bearing mice, the combination of 0.05 mg/kg of VCR with 100 mg/kg twice a day of AHC-52 daily demonstrated the best result with a 206% increase in life prolongation. This result was comparable with that observed in parental P388-bearing mice treated with the optimal dose of VCR alone, indicating almost complete circumvention of resistance by combination VCR-AHC-52 therapy. In addition, the combination of both agents exhibited therapeutic effects in the treatment of P388-bearing mice with some long term survivors. This result was presumably due to the elimination of heterogeneity of VCR sensitivity in this cell population. These results suggest that combination chemotherapy using a sensitizing agent such as AHC-52 will be effective in not only circumvention of multidrug resistance but also retardation of its occurrence.

Animals↗

Competitive inhibition by verapamil of ATP-dependent high affinity vincristine binding to the plasma membrane of multidrug-resistant K562 cells without calcium ion involvement.

Verapamil, a calcium channel blocker, can inhibit the efflux of antitumor agents from multidrug-resistant cells and reverse drug resistance. We have recently reported that the plasma membrane prepared from an adriamycin (ADM)-resistant variant (K562/ADM) of human myelogenous leukemia K562 cells showed ATP/Mg2+-dependent high affinity binding of vincristine (VCR), which is closely related to the drug transport mechanism in this cell line. To clarify how calcium channel blockers inhibit the transport of antitumor agents from the resistant cells, we analyzed the effect of calcium channel blockers and Ca2+ ion on the VCR binding to K562/ADM plasma membrane. The ATP-dependent VCR binding was inhibited by calcium channel blockers (verapamil, nicardipine, and diltiazem), which are known to inhibit drug efflux from the resistant cells. Addition of [ethylenebis(oxyethylenenitrilo)]tetraacetic acid or high concentration of Ca2+ decreased the amount of VCR binding to some extent; however, a substantial amount of VCR still could bind to K562/ADM plasma membrane. The inhibitory effect of verapamil on the VCR binding was observed regardless of the Ca2+ concentration. Klotz plot analysis revealed that the inhibition of the VCR binding to K562/ADM plasma membrane by verapamil was competitive. Dissociation constant (Kd) of VCR and apparent inhibitory constant (Kiapp) of verapamil were calculated to be 0.1 +/- 0.1 microM (SD) and 1 +/- 1 microM, respectively. These results indicate that Ca2+ ion is not required for the VCR binding and that verapamil competitively inhibits the VCR binding without concerning Ca2+ ion. Antitumor agents (vinblastine, actinomycin D, ADM, and colchicine) and other agents known to reverse multidrug resistance (nicardipine, diltiazem, cyclosporin A, quinidine, and trifluoperazine) also inhibited the VCR binding competitively.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Steroid hormones inhibit binding of Vinca alkaloid to multidrug resistance related P-glycoprotein.

Multidrug-resistant cells are characterized by the presence of P-glycoprotein on the plasma membrane, which binds and probably transports antitumor agents outside the cells. P-glycoprotein is also present in various normal tissues such as the adrenal gland. To investigate the physiological function of P-glycoprotein, we examined possible endogenous materials which inhibit the binding of vincristine to the resistant cell membrane. The binding was inhibited by steroid hormones, most efficiently by progesterone. Progesterone also reduced the photoaffinity labeling of P-glycoprotein by a photoactive analogue of vindesine. These results suggest that P-glycoprotein in the adrenal gland could have a role in the secretion of steroid hormones.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗