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Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major impediment to successful cancer chemotherapy. P-glycoprotein (P-gp), the product of the multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1) gene, acts as an efflux pump and prevents sufficient intracellular accumulation of several anticancer agents, thus, playing a major role in MDR. Tamoxifen (Tam), ICI 182 780 (ICI) and Adriamycin (Adr) alone or with (-)-gossypol-enriched cottonseed oil [(-)-GPCSO] possible effects on cell growth inhibition and regulation of MDR1, mRNA and P-gp expression were examined in both an MDR human breast cancer cell line, MCF-7/Adr cells, and primary cultured human breast cancer epithelial cells (PCHBCEC).Cells were treated with 0.05% of (-)-GPCSO either in the absence or presence of either 0.1 microM Tam, ICI or Adr for 24 h.Using the non-radioactive cell proliferation MTS assay, none of these chemotherapeutic agents alone inhibited MCF-7/Adr cell and PCHBCEC proliferation; meanwhile, the combination of 0.1 microM Tam, ICI or Adr with 0.05% (-)-GPCSO significantly reduced MCF-7/Adr cell growth by approximately 34%, 32% and 23%, respectively, of that of the vehicle-treated cells. For PCHBCEC, the combination of 0.05% (-)-GPCSO with 0.1 microM of Tam, ICI and Adr reduced cell growth to about 94%, 90%, and 71% respectively, of the vehicle treated PCHBCEC. Furthermore, (-)-GPCSO inhibited MDR1/P-gp expression in both MCF- 7/Adr and PCHBCEC in a dose-dependent manner. Our results provide insight into the MDR-reversing potential of (-)-GPCSO in human breast cancer cells resistant to current chemotherapeutic agents.

Doxorubicin (dox) encapsulated in polyisohexylcyanoacrylate nanospheres (PIHCA-dox) can circumvent P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug resistance (MDR). In order to investigate whether this drug formulation is able to select MDR cells in culture in the same way as free doxorubicin does, two human tumour cell lines, K562 and MCF7, were grown with increasing concentrations of either free dox or PIHCA-dox. For both drug formulations and for each selection level, the cell lines were more resistant to free dox than to PIHCA-dox. The MCF7 sublines selected with PIHCA-dox exhibited a higher level of resistance to both doxorubicin formulations than those selected with free doxorubicin. Different levels of overexpression of several genes involved in drug resistance (MDR1, MRP1, BCRP and TOP2alpha) occurred in the resistant variants. MDR1 gene overexpression was consistently higher in free dox-selected cells than in PIHCA-dox-selected cells, while this was the reverse for the BCRP gene. Overexpression of the MRP1 and TOP2alpha genes was also observed in the selected variants. Our results show that several mechanisms may be involved in the acquisition of drug resistance and that drug encapsulation markedly alters or delays these processes.

Multidrug resistance associated proteins MRP1, MRP2 and MRP3 confer in vitro multidrug resistance. We investigated their role in breast cancer resistance to anthracycline-based chemotherapy.Using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC), the expression of MRP1 - 3 was quantified in nine breast cancer cell lines and 30 breast carcinoma samples.MRP1 - 3 mRNA was detectable in all breast cancer cell lines and tumor samples. No increase of expression was detected between untreated carcinoma and post-neoadjuvant anthracycline treatment tumor samples. IHC failed to detect the proteins. MRP1 - 3 expression was not associated with tumor response to treatment or with outcome.MRP1 - 3 are expressed in breast cancer cells, but are not detected with IHC. We have found no evidence linking these proteins to clinical drug resistance in a small but well-documented series of breast cancer samples.

The efficiency of chemotherapy is often decreased by the development of resistance of cancer cells to cytostatic drugs. This phenomenon is in most cases caused by the activity of the various ABC transporters, multidrug-resistance (MDR) gene-encoded p-glycoproteins, that pump anticancer drugs out of the cells. The inhibition of the activities of the MDR proteins MDR1 and MRP was investigated via the administration of two new organosilicon compounds, alis-409 and alis-421. The study was focused on the inhibition of MDR by blocking the ADR1 gene expression and through the inhibition of the pump-function of mdr-p-glycoprotein, in human breast cancer cell lines expressing mrp and prostate cancer cell line (PC-3). Apoptosis induction and the interaction between epirubicin and the silicon-substituted compounds were studied in human MDR-1 gene-transfected mouse lymphoma and its parent cell line, Colo320/MDR-LRP and sensitive subline Colo205, by means of rhodamine 123 accumulation. The activity of MRP1 p-glycoprotein was studied in human breast cancer cell lines such as HTB-26/MRP1 and two MRP-negative breast cancer cell lines, T47D and MCF7, by carboxyfluorescein accumulation, and on a stomach cancer cell line. The activity of MRP in 257P/MDR and its drug-sensitive derivative were studied in human stomach cancer cells by daunorubicin accumulation in a flow cytometer. The two representative organosilicon derivatives, alis-409 and alis-421, showed antiproliferative effects without apoptosis induction. The drug accumulation in the human MDR1 gene-transfected mouse lymphoma cells was increased without down-regulation of the MDR1 gene expression tested by RT-PCR assay. The rhodamine uptake was increased in L5178/MDR1 and Colo320/MDR1-LRP, but not drug-sensitive human breast cancer MCF-7 and T47D, and L5178 mouse lymphoma parent cells in the presence of alis-409 and alis-421. The MRP-mediated carboxyfluorescein accumulation in HTB-26/MRP human breast cancer cells and daunorubicin accumulation in human stomach cancer cells 257P/MDR were not modified by these alis compounds. A synergistic interaction between epirubicin and the silicon-substituted resistance modifiers was found only in MDR1-mediated MDR in the case of colo-320/MDR1-LRP cells and mouse lymphoma cells transfected with the human MDR1 gene. The results indicate that the organosilyl derivatives specifically act on MDR1 p-glycoprotein 170. The alis compounds act on pgp170 in a way which is similar to verapamil isomers.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may contribute to the malignant process and may show clinicopathological importance as prognostic markers. The multidrug resistance gene MDR1 encodes a membrane transporter which confers cytostatic drug resistance in tumors and protects normal tissues from xenobiotics. We analyzed the C3435T SNP in the MDR1 gene which is associated with altered cellular drug uptake in matched tumor and normal tissues of 45 patients suffering from colorectal carcinoma. We have developed a highly sensitive matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) method to survey the C3435T polymorphism in PCR-amplified fragments of the MDR1 gene. Thirteen patients were homozygous for C/C (29%), 15 were heterozygous (33%) and 17 were homozygous for T/T (38%). None of the tumor samples showed an altered SNP compared to their matched normal tissue samples. As analyzed by the Kruskall-Wallis test, none of the clinicopathological parameters was significantly associated with homo- or heterozygosity. The combination of PCR, allele-specific primer extension reactions and MALDI-TOF-MS offers a promising alternative method for genotyping the MDR1 gene especially for heterozygous situations. The inherent advantages of MALDI-TOF-MS based genotyping include its high molecular resolution, high signal-to-noise-ratios and reproducibility, combined with an excellent sensitivity. As none of the tumor samples showed an altered state compared to their matched normal tissue samples, the genotypic frequency of this polymorphism seems not to be altered during colorectal tumorigenesis.

The effect of MDR1 antisense phosphorothiate oligodeoxynucleotides (S-ODNs) on resistant phenotype was investigated in multidrug-resistant human colon carcinoma and breast carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. Drug resistance in human colon carcinoma (SW620 Ad300) and breast carcinoma (MCF-7/INT500, MCF-7/AD150 and MCF-7/TH) cell lines is predominantly due to overexpression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) resulting in decreased daunorubicin (DNR) accumulation. Two MDR1 antisense S-ODNs, one complementary to the initial 15 bases of first exon (S-ODN I) and the other a loop forming sequence (S-ODN II) complementary to bases from 993-1007 of MDR1 gene, were tested for enhancing the doxorubicin (DOX) cytotoxicity in vitro and the efficiency of chemotherapy in human tumor xenografts. MDR1 antisense S-ODN I reduced the DOX IC50 value 9-fold in multidrug-resistant SW620 Ad300 human colon carcinoma cells and 7 to 10-fold in breast carcinoma cells in vitro. The increase in DOX cytotoxicity correlated with a significant reduction of MDR1 mRNA in antisense S-ODN I-treated SW620 Ad300 cells. Even though the P-gp level was reduced at the end of the third day in antisense S-ODN I-treated cells, the rate of reduction was only partial compared to mRNA. The combination treatment of MDR1 antisense S-ODN I or II for three days and DOX for four days significantly controlled tumor growth rate in human tumors developed in nude mice. Our results suggest that MDR1 antisense S-ODN treatment can increase the efficiency of chemotherapy by suppressing gene expression and resistant phenotype.

We examined the inducibility of drug resistance (MDR1, MRP1, LRP) and protein kinase C (PKC) isozyme (alpha, epsilon, eta, theta, tau, zeta) corresponding genes in A2780 ovarian cancer cells after a 24-hour treatment with adriamycin (ADR), camptothecin (CAM), etoposide (ETO) or vincristine (VCR). Sublethal concentrations of drugs were used to exclude short-term effects caused by selection. Cell cycle analysis was performed to identify possible correlation between resistance factors, PKC isozymes and proliferation. We found a mostly combined induction of MDR1, LRP, PKC tau and PKC zeta by CAM, ETO and VCR. PKC alpha, epsilon, eta and theta gene expression altered variably. Cell cycle analysis showed that A2780 cells responded with a marked G2/M arrest after a 24-hour treatment with CAM, ETO and VCR but an association between the induction of PKC isozymes corresponding genes and proliferation was not seen. Our analysis points to a possible link between atypical PKC tau/PKC zeta and MDR1/LRP in cytostatic stress response of cancer cells.

Radiolabeled antisense oligonucleotide to target the mRNA of the hmdr1 gene for diagnostic purposes is a new concept for evaluating the chemoresistance of tumors in vivo.An 18 mer complementary to the zone which contains the translation initiation codon of the hmdr1 gene was modified using one phosphoramidate group and one dimethoxytrityle group at the 5' and 3'ends. It permitted probe radiolabeling by 125I. Chemical modifications made to the antisense probe ensured the stability in biological media tested by incubation with human serum at 37 degrees C from 5 minutes to 24 hours. These modifications did not interfere with recognition of the target. Retention of the antisense probe followed the expression level of the target transcript in in vitro and in vivo studies. In vitro, after a 2-hour incubation in the presence of K562--sensitive (S) and- resistant (R) cell lines, uptake was respectively 4.27 +/- 0.96% ID/mg protein and 7.78 +/- 0.46% ID/mg protein (p0.001). In vivo, the ratios between radioactivity found in the tumor and that found in the striated muscle and in the blood were, respectively, 20 and 3 for IGR OV1 resistant tumor and 1 and 0.3 for the sensitive one.In our study, resistant cell lines and tumor showed greater retention of the specific probe than the sensitive ones. This constitutes a further advance towards non invasive imaging of resistant genes involved in chemoresistance. These results are encouraging: the current trend in innovative cancer therapy is moving towards targeting the genes of interest.

Multidrug resistance (mdr) constitutes the major obstacle to successful cancer treatment. The ability of fifteen newly-synthesised N-acylphenothiazine derivatives to inhibit the transport activity of P-glycoprotein was studied by flow cytometry in a resistant mouse lymphoma cell line. A standard functional assay with rhodamine 123 as a fluorescent substrate analogue was used. All derivatives proved to be effective inhibitors of rhodamine 123 outward transport, however their toxicity to the cells was not negligible. Phenothiazine maleates probably interact with transporter proteins of cancer cells by a different mechanism than other phenothiazine derivatives studied. The mdr reversal mechanism of phenothiazine acetylamides, methoxycarbonylamides and methylsulfonylamides is likely to involve modulator-cell membrane interactions since a connection between the compounds' hydrophobicity and their P-glycoprotein inhibition potency was observed. As a result of the present study a new group of mdr reversal agents was identified.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is associated with over expression of the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) drug transporter, which is encoded by the MDR1 gene. Estradiol (E2) is thought to regulate P-gp expression in breast cancer and the aim of this study was to determine the role of estrogen receptor subtypes (ERalpha and ERbeta) in modulating drug resistance and P-gp expression in cultured breast carcinoma cells.The cytotoxic effects of doxorubicin and P-gp concentrations were determined in E2-treated and untreated T47D and MCF7 breast carcinoma cells. Western blot and mobility shift/super shift analyses were used to determine estrogen receptor subtype interaction with AP1 and Sp1 transcription factors.ERalpha-positive MCF7 cells were resistant to doxorubicin cytotoxicity, while ERbeta-expressing T47D cells were sensitive to doxorubicin treatment. E2 increased the cytoplasmic concentration of P-gp in MCF7 cells but not in T47D cells. ERalpha binds both AP1 and Sp1 transcription factors in extracts from MCF7 cells, while ERbeta binds AP1 in extracts from T47D cells.These interactions of the ER subtypes with transcription factors correlates with their functional effects on the MDR1 promoter and the observed effects of E2 on drug resistance.

Development of resistance to anticancer drugs is a major concern in clinical oncology and might be particularly involved in the secondary treatment failure frequently seen in ovarian cancer. Clinical observation of the multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype is often associated with overexpression of the mdr1-gene. However, until now the mdr1-inducing potential of commonly used antineoplastics has been only incompletely explored.We perfomed short-term cultures of 7 established ovarian cancer cell lines exposed to either blank medium or one of three single anticancer drugs (cisplatin, doxorubicin, paclitaxel) at concentrations related to the clinically achievable plasma peak concentration. Mdr1-transcripts were detected using the highly specific quantitative real time RT-PCR. To calibrate each approach, mdr1-mRNA content was calculated in relation to co-amplified GAPDH-mRNA.Mdr1-mRNA was detectable in each cell line. In 13 assays (62%) the specific anticancer drug being tested induced mdr1-transcription. No decrease in mdr1-mRNA concentration was observed. The method described here is easy to perform and could be of striking value in predicting the development of tumor chemoresistance.Our data indicate that mdr1-induction by antineoplastics is one of the reasons for failure of ovarian cancer therapy but may vary from one individual to another.

It is generally accepted that P-glycoprotein 170 (MDR1/Pgp170) expression in breast tumors results in poor response to chemotherapy due to its ability to export chemotherapeutic agents. Studies indicate that the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may enhance the anti-tumor activity of cancer chemotherapeutic agents and reduce the risk of many cancers. The best known function of NSAIDs is to block the enzyme cyclooxygenase (Cox), the rate limiting enzyme in the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins. In this study we investigated whether expression of the inducible isoform of Cox (Cox-2) is linked with the multidrug resistance phenotype in breast cancer.Expression of Cox-2 and MDR1/Pgp170 was investigated in tumor specimens along with normal epithelium in breast cancer patients using immunohistochemisrty. Expression of Cox-2, MDR1/Pgp170, Protein Kinase C (PKC), and Activator Protein 1 (AP1) were investigated in a series of increasingly resistant human MCF-7 breast cancer cells compared to wild type using immunohistochemistry, Western blots, Northern blots, RT-PCR, and Southern blots.Immunohistochemical analyses of human breast tumor specimens revealed a strong correlation between expression of Cox-2 and MDR1/Pgp170. In drug resistant cell lines that over-express MDR1/Pgp170 there was also significant up-regulation of Cox-2 expression. In addition, PKC and AP1 subunits c-Jun and c-Fos were also upregulated. We hypothesized that increased prostaglandin production by Cox-2 induces PKC and the expression of transcriptional factor c-Jun, which in turn, induces the expression of MDR1/Pgp170.We propose that pretreatment with selective Cox-2 inhibitors may be useful in the prevention of multidrug resistance in response to cancer chemotherapy and should be further evaluated.

We recently found that aspirin induces the expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), a protein mediating drug resistance, in human prostate cancer cells. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of aspirin on the expression of P-gp in a different human cancer type, i.e., T lymphoma. Furthermore, we analyzed this effect at the level of the gene encoding P-gp, MDR1, and of the transcription factor (NF-IL6), regulating this gene.NF-IL6 was assayed by the electrophoretic mobility shift assay, MDR1 mRNA was assayed by the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and P-gp was assayed by Western blotting.aspirin, at plasma attainable levels, induced NF-IL6 DNA-binding activity, and increased MDR1 mRNA expression (by up to 140%), as well as the expression of P-gp, in Molt-4 cells.This study suggests that treatment with aspirin induces a cellular signal culminating in the enhancement of P-gp expression in T lymphoma Molt-4 cells.

Drug resistance to chemotherapy is rapidly emerging. Resistance to one drug carries over resistance to unrelated anticancer drugs leading to multidrug resistance (MDR). A major factor of MDR is P-glycoprotein (P-gp) mediated ABC transport found in many eukaryotic cells. P-gp acts as a drug eMux pump. The mdr1 gene involved in P-gp 170 protein production is localized in the human chromosome 7 band p2 1.0-21.1. Point mutations after cross-resistance patterns. A variety of stimuli increase the expression of the mdr1 gene: lowered extracellular pH, heat shock, arsenite, cytotoxic agents, anticancer drugs, transfection with oncogenes, HIV-I, and UV-irradiation. An alternative hypothesis to the efflux pump claims that P-gp modifies the intracellular environment to reduce accumulation of anticancer drugs in cancer cells by creating ionic or proton gradients. Chemosensitizers that block P-gp drug extrusion are generally lipid-soluble at physiological pH, possess a basic nitrogen atom and at least two co-planar rings. P-gp blocking does not depend on drug chirality. This opens the way of treating P-gp related MDR with chiral versions of drugs relatively harmless in terms of side-effects. We believe that resistance modifiers combined with cytostatics will chemotherapeutically be more effective for cancer patients.

A 66-year-old female patient underwent left upper lobectomy and dissection of the mediastinal lymph nodes. The pathological diagnosis was well-differentiated papillary adenocarcinoma of the lung with metastasis to the mediastinal lymph nodes, p-T2N2MO, stage IIIA. After the operation, she was treated by chemotherapy including lipophilic anticancer compounds (carboplatin and VP-16). The patient unexpectedly showed long survival for 6 years and 2 months without obvious recurrence or metastasis of the cancer. The anticancer compounds were not effective on the recurrent lesions and then she died due to respiratory failure 8 months after recurrence. The autopsy revealed pleural dissemination and intrapulmonary metastasis. Immunohistochemical analysis showed increased multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP)-positive tumor cells in the recurrent and metastatic lesions, while few MRP-positive cells were apparent in the primary lesion. The MRP-positive cells were accompanied by p53 nuclear accumulation in the carcinoma. This was a case of pulmonary adenocarcinoma with acquired multidrug resistance caused by MRP overexpression and aberrant p53 after chemotherapy.

Bovine seminal ribonuclease (BS-RNase) exerts selective cytotoxicity toward different types of tumor cells. In the present study, we tested the effects of BS-RNase on cultured neuroblastoma (NB) cells resistant to chemotherapeutic agents. The selectivity of the antitumoral activity of BS-RNase was evaluated using cultures of CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells.Human NB cell lines including IMR-32, UKF-NB-2 and UKF-NB-3 were selected for resistance against vincristine, doxorubicin or cisplatin by exposure to increasing concentrations of the respective drug. The cytotoxicity of the drugs to NB cells was evaluated using a clonogenic assay in a methylcellulose medium. Peripheral blood progenitor cells were obtained from adult healthy donors by positive selection using specific anti-CD34+ antibodies. The toxicity of BS-RNase to CD34+ cells was assessed in the direct clonogenic assay using methylcellulose medium or in ex vivo expansion culture supplemented with hematopoietic growth factors.In the clonogenic assay it was shown that BS-RNase completely inhibits growth of both parental NB cells and their sublines resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs at concentrations (up to 50 micrograms/ml) which have no significant influence on the growth of colony-forming units, granulocyte macrophage and erythroid burst-forming units. Moreover, BS-RNase had no effect on the ex vivo expansion of total hematopoietic cells or of colony-forming cells from CD34+ progenitors.BS-RNase is a highly efficient agent against NB cells resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs. The lack of toxicity to hematopoietic progenitor cells suggests that BS-RNase is also likely to have tolerable hematopoietic toxicity.

Development of multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer cells decreases net doxorubicin (ADR) uptake as a result of increased efflux, increased intracellular sequestration, and decreased membrane permeability. In this study, we investigated whether conjugation of ADR to transferrin (Tf) could overcome MDR in breast cancer cells. The multidrug resistant MCF-7/ADR breast cancer cell line was over 1000-fold more resistant to ADR, than its parental MCF-7 cell line, as determined by 3[H]-thymidine assay. The MCF-7/ADR cell line also expressed both MDR1 and MRP genes, as detected by RT-PCR. The ADR was coupled using a glutaraldehyde technique to human transferrin saturated with either ferric chloride (Fe-Tf) or gallium nitrate (Ga-Tf). These conjugates were tested for cytotoxicity on both MCF-7 and MCF-7/ADR cells after 6 days of incubation. The doxorubicin-gallium-transferrin conjugate (ADR-Ga-Tf) exhibited approximately the same inhibitory effect as ADR on MCF-7 cells with IC50s of 2.34 x 10(-3) microM and 1.42 x 10(-3) microM, respectively. However in MCF-7/ADR cells ADR-Ga-Tf reversed resistance to free ADR and decreased 100-fold the IC50 from 8.98 microM with free ADR to 9.52 x 10(-2) microM. ADR-Fe-Tf was 10-fold more inhibitory to MCF-7/ADR cells than free ADR. Compared to Ga-Tf, ADR-Ga-Tf was 500- and 3000-fold more inhibitory to MCF-7 and MCF-7/ADR cells, respectively. These results demonstrated that ADR-Ga-Tf reverses resistance to free ADR and Ga-Tf in MCF-7/ADR cells. The distribution of ADR in both cell lines was examined by fluorescence microscopy. It was noted that ADR mainly accumulated in the cytoplasm around the nucleus in MCF-7/ADR cells, but in both the cytoplasm and nucleus of MCF-7 cells. However the conjugate of ADR-Ga-Tf allowed ADR to accumulate in the cytoplasm and nucleus of both the MCF-7/ADR and MCF-7 cells. Further investigation of MDR1 and MRP genes expression by RT-PCR demonstrated that Ga-Tf decreased expression of the MRP more than the MDR1 gene. Therefore the reversal of resistance to ADR by the ADR-Ga-Tf conjugate is mediated by the transferrin receptor transmembrane transport mechanism, redistribution of ADR into the nucleus of ADR resistant MCF-7/ADR cells and inhibition of MRP gene expression.

The influence of tumor suppressor gene p53 on the apoptosis of bladder cancer cells is not completely understood. In this study, the requirement for p53 in the cisplatin-induced apoptosis of human bladder cancer cells TSGH-8301 was investigated.TSGH-8301 cells, which contain endogenous wild type p53 genes, were transfected with expression vectors containing p53 cDNA mutated at codon 173. Stable mutant p53 transfectant clones were confirmed by Southern blotting and Western blotting. The cellular response to cisplatin was determined on the basis of (a) cells viability, (b) apoptotic DNA fragmentation, and (c) nuclear condensation.Cells containing an exogenous mutant p53 sequence had increased sensitivity to cisplatin by undergoing apoptosis compared with parental TSGH8301 cells. In contrast, no difference was observed in those clones with rearranged or undetectable exogenous mutant p53 cDNA. However, analysis of p53 mRNA with RT-PCR sequencing indicated that none of the transfectant clones expressed exogenous mutant p53 mRNA.The transfectants had lost the expression of mutant p53 during selection; however, they could still enhance the expression of wild-type p53, which conferred sensitivity to cisplatin.Transient expression of mutant p53 protein in TSGH8301 cells may induce an irreversibly stabilization of p53 and increase the steady state of p53 expression.

Fresh surgical specimens of 52 gastric cancers and 25 colorectal cancers were analyzed for the expression of multidrug resistance (mdr-1) gene mRNA with non-isotopic in situ hybridization (ISH) using a biotin-labeled oligonucleotide probe. The mdr-1 mRNA was expressed in 15.4% in cancerous portions and 1.9% in non-cancerous portions of gastric cancers (p0.02). In colorectal cancers, the mdr-1 mRNA was positive in 36% in cancerous portions and 28% in non-cancerous portions. In gastric cancers, the well-differentiated type showed a significantly higher positive rate than the poorly differentiated type (p0.01). These results suggest that the mdr-1 mRNA expression in gastric and colorectal cancers is related to the degree of cellular differentiation.

Overexpression of the MDR1 gene often contributes to antineoplastic drug resistance. The purpose of this study was to characterize the canine MDR1 mRNA homologue and evaluate its expression in both canine cell lines and lymphomas.The abundance of the canine MDR1 transcript was assessed in three resistant cell lines and in pretreatment canine lymphoma using semi-quantitative RT/PCR.Canine transcript was 4.5 Kb with 93% sequence homology to human MDR1, and 90% homology to mouse and hamster equivalent genes. Increase in MDR1 transcript levels was observed in three progressively resistant canine cell lines. De novo MDR1 transcript expression was independent of response to therapy in dogs with lymphoma.We conclude that the canine MDR1 mRNA homologue is structurally similar to the human transcript. Expression of MDR1 mRNA correlates with in vitro drug sensitivity but does not correlate with in vivo doxorubicin sensitivity in canine lymphoma.

Various cytoskeleton modifications are associated with malignant cell transformation and have been used as prognostic factors. A human breast cancer cell line (MCF7S) and its multidrug resistant (MDR) subline (MCF7R) were characterized here for their intermediate filaments (IFs) expression (cytokeratin 8, 18, 19 and vimentin) as a function of their resistance phenotype. Modifications of these cytoskeleton molecules were analyzed by flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, electrophoresis and immunoblotting techniques. Cytokeratins 8 and 18 were similarly expressed in the cell lines. Cytokeratin 19 was expressed in the MCF7S cell line and not in the MCF7R variant, while vimentin was highly expressed in MCF7R and slightly in MCF7S. Analysis of IFs after the addition of doxorubicin (Dox) in the culture medium of MCF7S, showed an increase in cytokeratin 8 filaments. Vimentin expression in MCF7R was not modified in the presence of these different MDR modulators. Acquisition of MDR was associated with an increase and a redistribution of vimentin filaments characterized by a perinuclear polarization. These drug resistance associated changes might derive from different biological processes triggered by chemotherapy. In conclusion, this suggests that this intermediate filament could be a marker associated with chemoresistance or a marker of malignancy in certain epithelial cancers.

Multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) mRNA expression and drug sensitivity in lung cancer cells were examined, and the effects of verapamil, a modulating agent for MRP, on drug sensitivity were also tested. Nine cell lines expressed various levels of MRP gene expression but not the MDR1 gene. The levels were higher in non-small cell carcinoma cells (NSCLC) than in small cell carcinoma cells (SCLC). Clear correlations between the MRP gene level and the sensitivity to etoposide (VP-16) and doxorubicin (Dox) were observed except for one cell line which highly expressed DNA topoisomerase II. Positive correlations between the MRP gene levels in three cell lines and the modulation effects of verapamil in VP-16, Dox, and vincristine were observed. The present results indicate that MRP probably confers intrinsic multidrug resistance in NSCLC rather than in SCLC.

The induction of apoptosis by doxorubicin (DOX) alone or in the presence of efflux blockers, verapamil (VPL) or trifluoperazine (TFP), and of bcl-2 and mdr-1 gene expression was analyzed in murine leukemic P388 and doxorubicin resistant P388/R84 cells. Incubation with DOX (0.1-1 microM) for 24 hours induced apoptosis in sensitive cells but not in the resistant P388/R84 cells. Flow cytometric analysis of apoptosis by terminal dideoxynucleotidyl (TdT) assay showed that 1 microM DOX induced apoptosis in 70% of P388 cells and in less than 5% of P388/R84 cells. When P388/R84 resistant cells were co-incubated with DOX and efflux blockers (10 microM VPL or 15 microM TFP), enhanced cellular DOX accumulation was accompanied by apoptosis. Quantitative analysis of DNA fragmentation by 14C-thymidine incorporation and gel electrophoresis of fragmented DNA confirmed the results from TdT assay and showed enhancement of DOX-induced DNA fragmentation in the presence of efflux blockers (VPL or TFP). DOX + VPL and DOX + TFP combination treatments induced apoptosis in upto 55% and 83% of P388/R84 cells, respectively. mdr-1 mRNA and P-gp expression were not altered during DOX-induced apoptosis. The results suggest that in murine leukemic cells, down-regulation of bcl-2 mRNA expression occurs during DOX-induced apoptosis and it depends on the cellular drug retention determined by mdr-1/P-gp drug efflux.

Human P-glycoprotein (Pgp) encoded by the MDR1 gene confers multidrug resistance to cancer cells. The clinical role of MDR1/Pgp in lung cancer is not fully understood. A total of 87 lung cancer surgical tissue samples, including previously untreated 84 non-small-cell (NSCLC) and three small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC), were analyzed for levels of MDR1 mRNA determined by Northern blotting and compared with MDR1-positive cell lines. Fifteen percent (13/87) of the tumors were positive for the MDR1 gene, but the level was low in all samples except in one adenocarcinoma which expressed a high level of MDR1. The gene expression in these tumors did not relate with any pathologic factors such as histologic type, pathologic stage and tumor size. The SCLC and only one of the 14 MDR1-negative NSCLC responded to adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery. The present results indicate that the MDR1 gene is not associated in NSCLC with tumor progression and drug resistance.

Drug-resistance in cell lines and in malignant human tumours is associated with dysregulation of several genes including mdr1, MRP1, GST-pi, bcl-2, DNA topoisomerase II alpha and beta, and thymidine kinase I. mRNA expression was evaluated by quantitative RT-PCR coupled with HPLC in three human tumour cell lines and drug-resistant (DR)-sublines. DR sublines from RPMI-8226 and KB cells specifically overexpressed the mdr1 gene without major changes observed in other putative DR-associated genes. In contrast, the DR-H69 cells exhibited a 34-fold overexpression of the MRP gene accompanied by significant down-regulation of both DNA topoisomerase II alpha and bcl-2 mRNA gene expression, by factors of 43 and 13 respectively. These results demonstrate the concomitant down regulation of topoisomerase II alpha and bcl-2 genes in response to DR. Furthermore, differential patterns of gene dysregulations appear to vary depending upon both the drug used to select resistance and cellular origin.