Abstract
The pathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated dementia has been linked to microglial responses after infection. We have recently confirmed expression of several ATP-dependent efflux transporters in microglia, namely, multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1) and P-glycoprotein (P-gp). In the present study, we investigated whether cultured rat microglia express two additional MRP family members, rMRP4 and rMRP5. Using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, rMRP4 and rMRP5 mRNA was detected in primary cultures of microglia and in a rat microglia cell line, MLS-9. Western blot analysis further confirmed protein expression of the two MRP isoforms in MLS-9 cells. Bis(pivaloxymethyl)-9-(2-phosphonylmethoxyethyl)adenine [bis(POM)PMEA], a lipophilic ester prodrug of the well characterized MRP4 and 5 substrate 9-(2-phosphonylmethoxyethyl)adenine (PMEA), was chosen to examine transport characteristics in MLS-9. Using thin layer chromatography, we verified that more than 90% of radioactivity recovered in MLS-9 loaded with 1 μM [3H]bis(POM)PMEA for 1 h under ATP-depleting conditions was converted to PMEA. Efflux of PMEA by MLS-9 cell monolayers was ATP-dependent, glutathione-independent, and significantly inhibited by several MRP inhibitors (i.e., sulfinpyrazone, genistein, indomethacin, and probenecid) as well as the antiretroviral drug azidothymidine-monophosphate. Similar results were not observed in MRP1- or P-gp-overexpressing cell lines, suggesting that PMEA is not a substrate for either P-gp or MRP1. These studies provide further evidence that microglia express multiple subfamilies of ATP-binding cassette transporters (i.e., P-gp, MRP1, MRP4, and MRP5) that could restrict permeation of several different classes of antiretroviral drugs in a brain cellular target of HIV-1 infection.
Footnotes
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This work is supported by grants to R.B. from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (HOP-56976) and the Ontario HIV Treatment Network, and to L.C.S. by Canadian Institutes for Health Research (MT-13657). This work was presented in a preliminary format at The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT, October 2003.
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DOI: 10.1124/jpet.103.063966.
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ABBREVIATIONS: MRP, multidrug resistance protein; P-gp, P-glycoprotein; rMRP, rat multidrug resistance protein; PMEA, 9-(2-phosphonylmethoxyethyl)adenine; AZT-MP, azidothymidine-monophosphate; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; bis(POM)PMEA, bis(pivaloxymethyl)-9-(2-phosphonylmethoxyethyl)adenine; HEK, human embryonic kidney; RT-PCR, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction; HPLC, high-performance liquid chromatography; GSH, glutathione; BSO, l-buthionine-[S,R]-sulfoximine; TLC, thin layer chromatography; bp, base pair(s); PSC833, valspodar; GF120918, N-(4-[2-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6,7-dimethoxy-2-isoquinolinyl)ethyl]-phenyl)-9,10-dihydro-5-methoxy-9-oxo-4-acridine carboxamide.
- Received December 7, 2003.
- Accepted February 2, 2004.
- The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
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