Icj. Van Der Sandt et al., Specificity of doxorubicin versus rhodamine-123 in assessing P-glycoprotein functionality in the LLC-PK1, LLC-PK1 : MDR1 and Caco-2 cell lines, EUR J PH SC, 11(3), 2000, pp. 207-214
The LLC-PK1:MDR1, LLC-PK1 and Caco-2 cell lines were used to investigate wh
ether rhodamine-123 or doxorubicin would be the preferred substrate to stud
y P-glycoprotein (P-gp) functionality in vitro. Both rhodamine-123 and doxo
rubicin showed highly polarised transport in the Caco-2 cell Line and the L
LC-PK1:MDR1 cell line, indicating that P-gp is actively transporting these
drugs. However, for rhodamine-123 polarised transport was also seen in the
monolayers of the wild-type LLC-PK1 cell line, indicating the presence of a
nother active transporter for this compound. Polarised transport of doxorub
icin in the Caco-2 and the LLC-PK1:MDR1 cell lines could be inhibited by th
e P-gp inhibitors SDZ-PSC 833 (PSC 833), cyclosporin A (CsA), verapamil and
quinine, but not by the inhibitors for the organic cation carrier systems
cimetidine and tetraethylammonium (TEA). Polarised transport of rhodamine-1
23 in the Caco-2 cell line could only be inhibited by P-gp inhibitors. In t
he LLC-PK1:MDR1 and LLC-PK1 cell Lines transport was also inhibited by inhi
bitors for the organic cation transport systems. In conclusion, rhodamine-1
23 is a substrate for both P-gp and the organic cation carrier systems in t
he kidney cell line. This indicates that rhodamine-123 is not selective eno
ugh to study P-gp functionality in cell systems were organic cation carrier
systems are also present. Doxorubicin appears to be a more selective P-gp
substrate and therefore more useful in studying P-gp functionality in vitro
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