title: Impact of extracellular acidity on the activity of P-glycoprotein and the cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs.
abstract: The expression and activity of P-glycoprotein (pGP) play a role in the multidrug resistance of tumors. Because solid-growing tumors often show pronounced hypoxia or extracellular acidosis, this study attempted to analyze the impact of an acidic environment on the expression and activity of pGP and on the cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic agents. For this, prostate carcinoma cells were exposed to an acidic extracellular environment (pH 6.6) for up to 24 hours. pGP activity was more than doubled after 3 to 6 hours of incubation in acidic medium, whereas cellular pGP expression remained constant, indicating that increased transport rate is the result of functional modulation. In parallel, the cytotoxic efficacy of daunorubicin showed pronounced reduction at low pH, an effect that was reversible on coincubation with a pGP inhibitor. A reduction of intracellular Ca2+ concentration by 35% under acidic conditions induced a higher transport rate of pGP, an effect comparable to that found on inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC). These data indicate that pGP activity is increased by low extracellular pH presumably as a result of lowered intracellular calcium levels and inhibition of PKC. These findings may explain the reduced cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic agents in hypoxic/acidic tumors.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Mainz, H-55099 Mainz, Germany. olthews@uni-mainz.de
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Thews
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gassner
authors.forename: Debra K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Kelleher
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schwerdt
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gekle
mesh_terms: D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms
chemical_list: D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002118:Calcium