Potential modulation on BCRP and MRP 4 by onion: in vivo and ex-vivo studies

ABCG2/BCRP: Specific and Nonspecific Modulators

Multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer cells is the development of resistance to a variety of structurally and functionally nonrelated anticancer drugs. This phenomenon has become a major obstacle to cancer chemotherapy seriously affecting the clinical outcome. MDR is associated with increased drug efflux from cells mediated by an energy-dependent mechanism involving the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, mainly P-glycoprotein (ABCB1), the MDR-associated protein-1 (ABCC1), and the breast cancer resistance protein (ABCG2). The first two transporters have been widely studied already and reviews summarized the results. The ABCG2 protein has been a subject of intense study since its discovery as its overexpression has been detected in resistant cell lines in numerous types of human cancers. To date, a long list of modulators of ABCG2 exists and continues to increase. However, little is known about the clinical consequences of ABCG2 modulation. This makes the design of novel, potent, and nontoxic inhibitors of this efflux protein a major challenge to reverse MDR and thereby increase the success of chemotherapy. The aim of the present review is to describe and highlight specific and nonspecific modulators of ABCG2 reported to date based on the selectivity of the compounds, as many of them are effective against one or more ABC transport proteins.

Quercetin and quercetin-3-O-glucoside interact with different components of the cAMP signaling cascade in human retinal pigment epithelial cells

AIMS

The ability of the plant flavonol quercetin and its conjugated form quercetin-3-glucoside, compared to that of the anthocyanin cyanidin-3-glucoside, to interfere with 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) efflux was investigated in cultured human retinal pigment epithelial (HRPE) cells.

MAIN METHODS

HRPE cells were stimulated for a time course with 1 μM adrenaline, in the presence and absence of increasing concentrations of anthocyanins or flavonols, then intracellular and extracellular cAMP levels obtained from whole cells and cAMP synthetized by the activity of adenylate cyclase in cell membrane fractions were determined by radiochemical assay.

KEY FINDINGS

The treatment with either compound caused a significant lowering in extracellular cAMP concentrations deriving from a time course cell stimulation with 1 μM epinephrine. As to quercetin, the effect was shown to rely on the inhibition of cAMP efflux transporters. In the case of the glycoside, it was found to depend on the contrary on a reduction in the extent of epinephrine stimulation. Consistently, quercetin-3-glucoside inhibited the epinephrine-stimulated activity of adenylyl cyclase in membrane preparations, while quercetin was ineffective. The anthocyanin cyanidin-3-glucoside exerted similar effects as quercetin-3-glucoside.

SIGNIFICANCE

Results strengthen the diverse effect of the glucosides versus the corresponding aglycones. Since differently from flavonols, anthocyanins are present in human plasma in their glycosylated form, the aglycone or glycoside forms of these plant secondary metabolites might therefore be utilized as synergistic regulators of cAMP homeostasis for therapeutical purposes.