title: Reversal of multidrug resistance by surfactants.
abstract: Cremophor EL, a pharmacologically inactive solubilising agent, has been shown to reverse multidrug resistance (MDR). Using flow cytometric evaluation of equilibrium intracellular levels of daunorubicin (DNR), we found that eight other surface active agents will also reverse MDR. All the active detergents contain polyethoxylated moieties but have no similarities in their hydrophobic components. The properties of three polyethoxylated surfactants that showed the lowest toxicities, Cremophor, Tween 80 and Solutol HS15, were examined in more detail. The concentrations of Tween 80 and Solutol required to reverse DNR exclusion were 10-fold lower than for Cremophor. However while concentrations greater than or equal to 1:10(2) of the former two surfactants resulted in breakdown of cells, even 1:10 of Cremophor did not lyse cells. Studies of the effects of Cremophor on the uptake and efflux of DNR in normal and MDR cell types showed that Cremophor increases intracellular DNR primarily by locking the rapid efflux from the cells. This blockage of drug efflux may be mediated by a substantial alteration in the fluidity of cell membranes induced by Cremophor, as shown by decreased fluorescence anisotropy of a membrane probe. Consistent with these data, coinjection of adriamycin plus Cremophor into mice carrying a multidrug resistant P388 transplantable tumour significantly increased the survival time of the mice compared with adriamycin treatment alone.
authors.affiliation: Peter MaCallum Cancer Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Woodcock
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Linsenmeyer
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chojnowski
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Kriegler
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nink
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Sawyer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D001853:Bone Marrow; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003630:Daunorubicin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004351:Drug Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D005990:Glycerol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007941:Leukemia P388 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008560:Membrane Fluidity / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C000515:cremophor EL; D004317:Doxorubicin; D005990:Glycerol; D003630:Daunorubicin