phytoestrogens and macelignan

The effect of macelignan, a phytoestrogen, on P-gp function was investigated using multidrug resistant cancer cells overexpressing P-gp (NCI/ADR-RES) and the fluorescent P-gp substrates, daunorubicin and rhodamine 123. Macelignan (40 microM) increased the cellular accumulation of daunorubicin by approximately threefold in NCI/ADR-RES cells, whereas it did not alter the cellular accumulation of daunorubicin in MCF-7/sensitive cells. Similarly, the presence of macelignan also enhanced significantly (P < 0.05) the cellular accumulation of rhodamine 123 in a concentration-dependent manner in NCI/ADR-RES cells. Furthermore, cancer cells were more susceptible to the cytotoxicity of vinblastine, a P-gp substrate, in the presence of macelignan. Those results suggest that macelignan has inhibitory effects on P-gp mediated cellular efflux. However, P-gp activity did not affect the cellular accumulation of macelignan itself. Taken all together, macelignan was identified as a novel inhibitor of P-gp activity and may be a promising lead compound for the rational design of more efficacious drugs to reverse multidrug resistance in cancer.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Analysis of Variance; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B; Biological Transport, Active; Breast Neoplasms; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival; Daunorubicin; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Design; Drug Resistance, Multiple; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Drug Synergism; Female; Fluorescent Dyes; Growth Inhibitors; Humans; Lignans; Phytoestrogens; Phytotherapy; Rhodamine 123; Vinblastine