Development and characterization of a recombinant Madin-Darby canine kidney cell line that expresses rat multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (rMRP1)

Real-time imaging and quantitative analysis of doxorubicin transport in a perfusable microvessel platform

Here we report on real-time imaging and quantitative analysis of solute transport in perfusable cylindrical microvessels formed from Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells embedded in a collagen matrix. Fluorescence microscopy was used to image the kinetics of doxorubicin transport following injection. To assess the role of efflux pumps on transport, experiments were performed in microvessels formed from MDCK.2, MDCKII-w/t, and MDCKII-MDR1 cells. MDCKII-w/t and MDCKII-MDR1 showed significant doxorubicin accumulation in the cells, characteristic of the pharmacokinetics of doxorubicin. We present a model for doxorubicin transport that takes into account transport across the cell layer. These results demonstrate how real-time imaging of cell microvessels can be used to analyze the mechanisms of transport and distribution following systemic delivery.

Assessing blood-brain barrier function using in vitro assays

The impermeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is due to a number of properties including tight junctions on adjoining endothelial cells, absence of pinocytic vesicles, and expression of multidrug transporters. Although the permeability of many chemicals can be predicted by their polarity, or oil/water partition coefficient, many lipophilic chemicals are not permeable because of multidrug transporters at the luminal and abluminal membranes. In contrast, many nutrients, which are usually polar, cross the BBB more readily than predicted by their oil/water partition coefficients due to the expression of specific nutrient transporters. In vitro models are being developed because rodent models are of low input and relatively expensive. Isolated brain microvessels and cell culture models each offers certain advantages and disadvantages. Isolated brain microvessels are useful in measuring multidrug drug transporters and tight junction integrity, whereas cell culture models allow the investigator to measure directional transport and can be genetically manipulated. In this chapter, we describe how to isolate large batches of brain microvessels from freshly slaughtered cows. The different steps in the isolation procedure include density gradient centrifugations and filtering. Purity is determined microscopically and by marker enzymes. Permeability is assessed by measuring the uptake of fluorescein-labeled dextran in an assay that has been optimized to have a large dynamic range and low inter-day variability. We also describe how to evaluate transendothelial cell electrical resistance and paracellular transport in cell culture models.

Expression Profile of Drug and Nutrient Absorption Related Genes in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) Cells Grown under Differentiation Conditions

The expression levels of genes involved in drug and nutrient absorption were evaluated in the Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) in vitro drug absorption model. MDCK cells were grown on plastic surfaces (for 3 days) or on Transwell^® membranes (for 3, 5, 7, and 9 days). The expression profile of genes including ABC transporters, SLC transporters, and cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes was determined using the Affymetrix^® Canine GeneChip^®. Expression of genes whose probe sets passed a stringent confirmation process was examined. Expression of a few transporter (MDR1, PEPT1 and PEPT2) genes in MDCK cells was confirmed by RT-PCR. The overall gene expression profile was strongly influenced by the type of support the cells were grown on. After 3 days of growth, expression of 28% of the genes was statistically different (1.5-fold cutoff, p < 0.05) between the cells grown on plastic and Transwell^® membranes. When cells were differentiated on Transwell^® membranes, large changes in gene expression profile were observed during the early stages, which then stabilized after 5–7 days. Only a small number of genes encoding drug absorption related SLC, ABC, and CYP were detected in MDCK cells, and most of them exhibited low hybridization signals. Results from this study provide valuable reference information on endogenous gene expression in MDCK cells that could assist in design of drug-transporter and/or drug-enzyme interaction studies, and help interpret the contributions of various transporters and metabolic enzymes in studies with MDCK cells.

A new human DSG2-transgenic mouse model for studying the tropism and pathology of human adenoviruses

We have recently reported that a group of human adenoviruses (HAdVs) uses desmoglein 2 (DSG2) as a receptor for infection. Among these are the widely distributed serotypes HAdV-B3 and HAdV-B7, as well as a newly emerged strain derived from HAdV-B14. These serotypes do not infect rodent cells and could not up until now be studied in small-animal models. We therefore generated transgenic mice containing the human DSG2 locus. These mice expressed human DSG2 (hDSG2) at a level and in a pattern similar to those found for humans and nonhuman primates. As an initial application of hDSG2-transgenic mice, we used a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing HAdV-B3 vector (Ad3-GFP) and studied GFP transgene expression by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry subsequent to intranasal and intravenous virus application. After intranasal application, we found efficient transduction of bronchial and alveolar epithelial cells in hDSG2-transgenic mice. Intravenous Ad3-GFP injection into hDSG2-transgenic mice resulted in hDSG2-dependent transduction of epithelial cells in the intestinal and colon mucosa. Our findings give an explanation for clinical symptoms associated with infection by DSG2-interacting HAdVs and provide a rationale for using Ad3-derived vectors in gene therapy.

Epithelial junction opener JO-1 improves monoclonal antibody therapy of cancer

The efficacy of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) used to treat solid tumors is limited by intercellular junctions which tightly link epithelial tumor cells to each another. In this study, we define a small, recombinant adenovirus serotype 3-derived protein, termed junction opener 1 (JO-1), which binds to the epithelial junction protein desmoglein 2 (DSG2). In mouse xenograft models employing Her2/neu- and EGFR-positive human cancer cell lines, JO-1 mediated cleavage of DSG2 dimers and activated intracellular signaling pathways which reduced E-cadherin expression in tight junctions. Notably, JO-1-triggered changes allowed for increased intratumoral penetration of the anti-Her2/neu mAb trastuzumab (Herceptin) and improved access to its target receptor, Her2/neu, which is partly trapped in tight junctions. This effect translated directly into increased therapeutic efficacy of trastuzumab in mouse xenograft models using breast, gastric, and ovarian cancer cells that were Her2/neu-positive. Furthermore, combining JO-1 with the EGFR-targeting mAb cetuximab (Erbitux) greatly improved therapeutic outcomes in a metastatic model of EGFR-positive lung cancer. A combination of JO-1 with an approach that triggered transient degradation of tumor stroma proteins elicited eradication of tumors. Taken together, our findings offer preclinical proof of concept to employ JO-1 in combination with mAb therapy.

Multimerization of adenovirus serotype 3 fiber knob domains is required for efficient binding of virus to desmoglein 2 and subsequent opening of epithelial junctions

Recently, we identified desmoglein 2 (DSG2) as the main receptor for a group of species B adenoviruses (Ads), including Ad3, a serotype that is widely distributed in the human population (H. Wang et al., Nat. Med. 17:96-104, 2011). In this study, we have attempted to delineate structural details of the Ad3 interaction with DSG2. For CAR- and CD46-interacting Ad serotypes, attachment to cells can be completely blocked by an excess of recombinant fiber knob protein, while soluble Ad3 fiber knob only inefficiently blocks Ad3 infection. We found that the DSG2-interacting domain(s) within Ad3 is formed by several fiber knob domains that have to be in the spatial constellation that is present in viral particles. Based on this finding, we generated a small recombinant, self-dimerizing protein containing the Ad3 fiber knob (Ad3-K/S/Kn). Ad3-K/S/Kn bound to DSG2 with high affinity and blocked Ad3 infection. We demonstrated by confocal immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy analyses that Ad3-K/S/Kn, through its binding to DSG2, triggered the transient opening of intercellular junctions in epithelial cells. The pretreatment of epithelial cells with Ad3-K/S/Kn resulted in increased access to receptors that are localized in or masked by epithelial junctions, e.g., CAR or Her2/neu. Ad3-K/S/Kn treatment released CAR from tight junctions and thus increased the transduction of epithelial cells by a serotype Ad5-based vector. Furthermore, the pretreatment of Her2/neu-positive breast cancer cells with Ad3-K/S/Kn increased the killing of cancer cells by the Her2/neu-targeting monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin). This study widens our understanding of how Ads achieve high avidity to their receptors and the infection of epithelial tissue. The small recombinant protein Ad3-K/S/Kn has practical implications for the therapy of epithelial cancer and gene/drug delivery to normal epithelial tissues.

A novel human multidrug resistance gene MDR1 variant G571A (G191R) modulates cancer drug resistance and efflux transport

The human multidrug resistance gene MDR1 encodes a membrane-bound transporter P-glycoprotein (Pgp) that confers the drug resistance of cancer cells by mediating an ATP-dependent drug efflux transport. We and others have reported a number of functionally significant MDR1 variants, including G1199A and G1199T, that modulate cancer drug resistance and intracellular levels of antivirals. In this report, we describe a novel G571A variant of MDR1 detected in 6.4% of leukemia patients. Because this nucleotide modification gives rise to an amino acid change from Gly to Arg at the 191 amino acid position of Pgp, we have developed and characterized the functional affect of the G571A variant in stable, recombinant cells. Using six chemotherapeutic drugs, doxorubicin HCl, daunorubicin HCl, vinblastine sulfate, vincristine sulfate, taxanes (paclitaxel), and epipodophyllotoxin (etoposide, VP-16), we found that the MDR1(571A) variant selectively reduced the degree of Pgp-mediated resistance in drug-dependent manner. Although there was a minimal effect on doxorubicin and daunorubicin, the MDR1-dependent resistance on vinblastine, vincristine, paclitaxel, and etoposide was reduced by approximately 5-fold. The increased drug sensitivity in MDR1(571A), compared with MDR1(wt), paralleled the intracellular drug levels. These data suggest that individuals with this novel MDR1 variant, the 571A genotype, may be more sensitive to the specific anticancer drugs that are Pgp substrates.