Stapf V, Thalhammer T, Huber-Huber R, Felberbauer F, Gajdzik L, Graf J
Department of General and Experimental Pathology, University of Vienna, AKH.
Anticancer Res. 1994 Mar-Apr;14(2A):581-5.
The interaction between P-glycoprotein modulators and P-glycoprotein mediated transport was investigated using rhodamine 123 in the isolated perfused rat liver of a mutant (TR-) rat strain. TR- rats, deficient in the canalicular multispecific anion transport system, are unable to extrude organic anions (glucuronides) and therefore excrete solely unconjugated rhodamine 123 via P-glycoprotein. Cyclosporin A, a modulator of multidrug resistance in tumor cells, inhibited the biliary secretion of rhodamine 123 dose dependently in a non-competitive manner. Both cyclosporin A and rhodamine inhibited photoaffinity labeling of immunoprecipitated P-glycoprotein with azidopine, indicating binding to hepatic P-glycoprotein. Our results indicate that monitoring the biliary rhodamine 123 secretion in the isolated perfused liver of TR- rats offers a new system for testing modulators of P-glycoprotein like cyclosporin A.