The livestock photosensitizer, phytoporphyrin (phylloerythrin), is a substrate of the ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCG2.
Hepatogenous photosensitization occurs in livestock following damage to the liver or biliary apparatus that results in impaired excretion of phytoporphyrin (phylloerythrin), a photosensitizer. Based on earlier observations that porphyrin-based photosensitizers are substrates of the ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCG2, we examined the ability of the hepatic transporters ABCB1 (P-glycoprotein) and ABCG2 to transport phytoporphyrin. Transport of phytoporphyrin was blocked by the ABCG2-specific inhibitor fumitremorgin C (FTC) in human embryonic kidney cells transfected with full length human ABCG2, while no transport by cells transfected with human ABCB1 was noted. FTC-inhibited transport of phytoporphyrin was also demonstrated in ABCG2-expressing LLC-PK1 pig kidney cells, consistent with the idea that the pig orthologue, like human ABCG2, transports the photosensitizer. ABCG2 expression was confirmed by immunohistochemistry in the hepatocytes of cow, pig and sheep livers. We conclude that phytoporphyrin is a substrate for ABCG2 and that the transporter is likely responsible for its biliary excretion.
Robey
Robert W
RW
Medical Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. robeyr@mail.nih.gov
Fetsch
Patricia A
PA
Polgar
Orsolya
O
Dean
Michael
M
Bates
Susan E
SE
D018435:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B; D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; D000070997:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002460:Cell Line; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D027361:Organic Anion Transporters / Q000378:metabolism*; D010179:Pancreas / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D012756:Sheep; D013552:Swine
C513055:ABCB1 protein, human; C116614:ABCG2 protein, human; D018435:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B; D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; D000070997:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D027361:Organic Anion Transporters; D002734:Chlorophyll; C008904:phytoporphyrin