title: Anthracycline drugs and MDR expression in human leukemia.
abstract: We investigated the expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in 50 adults with de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at the initial diagnosis in order to further define the relationship between the presence of P-gp on leukemic cells and the efficacy of two different anthracycline drugs, Daunorubicin (DNR) and Idarubicin (IRR), in terms of remission, induction and survival. We found that 30 (60%) of the 50 patients were negative for P-gp expression (group 1) and 20 patients (40%) were positive (group 2) for P-gp expression by MRK16MoAb using a cut of 10% positive cells. Among the 50 patients, 35 (70%) obtained complete remission (CR); depending on P-gp expression the CR rate was 80% for group 1 and 45% for group 2 (p < 0.005). The median duration of overall survival (OS) was 20 months for patients in group 1, compared to 10 months for patients in group 2 (p < 0.005). Regarding the anthracycline used, no difference in CR has been observed in patients of group 1 (75% CTR with DNR versus 90% CR with IDR); on the contrary in group 2 we observed 40% CR with DNR versus 70% CR with IDR (p < 0.005). No significant difference has been achieved in group 1 terms of median duration of overall survival between DNR and IDR regimen; on the contrary the median duration of OS in patients of group 2 treated with IDR regimen was significantly longer than DNR regimen (p < 0.005). These results confirm the prognostic value of P-gp expression in AML at diagnosis and we suggest that Idarubicin could be a valid anthracycline drug for reversing multidrug resistance.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Int. Med., University of Milan, S. Gerardo Hospital, Italy.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Pogliani
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Belotti
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Rivolta
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Maffè
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Corneo
mesh_terms: D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003630:Daunorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015255:Idarubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000494:pharmacology; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015993:Life Tables; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry; D011379:Prognosis; D012074:Remission Induction; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D003561:Cytarabine; D005047:Etoposide; D015255:Idarubicin; D003630:Daunorubicin