Expression and function of multidrug resistance transporters at the blood-brain barriers

Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol. 2005 Aug;1(2):233-46. doi: 10.1517/17425255.1.2.233.

Abstract

The presence of active carrier-mediated transport of substrates from the brain to the blood is a major feature of the barrier properties of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). These proteins lie in the luminal or abluminal membranes of the endothelial cells that form the BBB. Some are ATP-binding cassette proteins (ABC) and many amphipathic cationic drugs are carried by P-glycoprotein (ABCB1) or ABCG2, which lie at the luminal pole of the BBB. Several multidrug resistance-associated proteins (MRPs, ABCCs) are also present on the membranes of brain microvessels; these are mainly involved in the efflux of anionic compounds. All these ABC proteins help to protect the brain and form a critical target for CNS pharmaceuticals, influencing the clinical variability of responses to, and the design of, these drugs.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2
  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / genetics*
  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Biological Transport
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression
  • Humans
  • Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins / genetics*
  • Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics*
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism
  • Organic Anion Transporters / genetics*
  • Organic Anion Transporters / metabolism

Substances

  • ABCB1 protein, human
  • ABCG2 protein, human
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2
  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters
  • Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Organic Anion Transporters