P-glycoprotein: Expression and function in normal circulating leukocytes

Abstract

P-glycoprotein (P-gly) is a well characterized membrane protein, expressed in cancer cells, functioning as an efflux pump. This function confers drug-resistance. P-gly is also expressed in normal tissues such as the liver and kidney. In normal tissues P-gly has restricted expression. In the kidney P-gly is expressed in tubular brush border. This suggests a physiologic role for P-gly. A goal of this work was to determine whether P-gly, if present in leukocytes, followed the cell-type restriction seen in other P-gly positive normal tissues. Assays measuring P-gly included immunofluorescence, immunocytochemistry, and immunoblot analysis. Northern blot analysis and RT-PCR were used to measure mdr1 mRNA. P-gly function was assayed by measuring the verapamil-sensitive retention of rhodamine 123 (rh123). Immunofluorescent staining of leukocytes for lineage and P-gly revealed high levels of P-gly in CD56+ cells. CD8+ cells followed in staining, with CD4+ and CD19+ cells at intermediate levels, and CD14+ and CD15+ cells staining at background. RNA analysis by RT-PCR confirmed the immunofluorescence data, except for CD15+ cells, which demonstrated mdr1 mRNA similar to CD4+ cells. Function assays confirmed the immunofluorescence results, with efficient clearing of dye from CD56+ cells, followed by CD8+, CD4+, and CD19+ cells. CD14+ and CD15+ cells did not demonstrate P-gly function. Immunoblot analysis of membranes and immunocytochemical analysis of CD15+ cells demonstrated P-gly. The high level of functional P-gly observed in CD56+ cells prompted experiments to determine whether P-gly was involved in the CD56+ mediated cytolytic response. Using 4 inhibitors of P-gly mediated efflux, cyclosporine A, PSC 833, R-verapamil, and S-verapamil, NK cells were assayed for cytolytic function. Each compound demonstrated dose-response relationships in inhibiting NK-mediated cytolysis. Each compound also demonstrated a dose-response in inhibition of P-gly mediated efflux, although there was not an exact correlation between efflux inhibition and cytolysis inhibition. Nevertheless, the data in this study demonstrate a relatively high level of P-gly expression in CD56+ and CD8+ cells. In addition, the data support a role for P-gly in the cytolytic function of NK cells, although the point of P-gly involvement in the process of cytolysis remains to be defined.