Selective toxicity of NSC73306 in MDR1-positive cells as a new strategy to circumvent multidrug resistance in cancer.

Abstract

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) proteins include the best known mediators of resistance to anticancer drugs. In particular, ABCB1 [MDR1/P-glycoprotein (P-gp)] extrudes many types of drugs from cancer cells, thereby conferring resistance to those agents. Attempts to overcome P-gp-mediated drug resistance using specific inhibitors of P-gp has had limited success and has faced many therapeutic challenges. As an alternative approach to using P-gp inhibitors, we characterize a thiosemicarbazone derivative (NSC73306) identified in a generic screen as a compound that exploits, rather than suppresses, P-gp function to induce cytotoxicity. Cytotoxic activity of NSC73306 was evaluated in vitro using human epidermoid, ovarian, and colon cancer cell lines expressing various levels of P-gp. Our findings suggest that cells become hypersensitive to NSC73306 in proportion to the increased P-gp function and multidrug resistance (MDR). Abrogation of both sensitivity to NSC73306 and resistance to P-gp substrate anticancer agents occurred with specific inhibition of P-gp function using either a P-gp inhibitor (PSC833, XR9576) or RNA interference, suggesting that cytotoxicity was linked to MDR1 function, not to other, nonspecific factors arising during the generation of resistant or transfected cells. Molecular characterization of cells selected for resistance to NSC73306 revealed loss of P-gp expression and consequent loss of the MDR phenotype. Although hypersensitivity to NSC73306 required functional expression of P-gp, biochemical assays revealed no direct interaction between NSC73306 and P-gp. This article shows that NSC73306 kills cells with intrinsic or acquired P-gp-induced MDR and indirectly acts to eliminate resistance to MDR1 substrates.

• Authors: Joseph A Ludwig, Gergely Szakács, Scott E Martin, Benjamin F Chu, Carol Cardarelli, Zuben E Sauna, Natasha J Caplen, Henry M Fales, Suresh V Ambudkar, John N Weinstein, Michael M Gottesman
• Journal: Cancer research (Cancer Res) Vol. 66 Issue 9 Pg. 4808-15 (May 01 2006) ISSN: 0008-5472 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16651436 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural)

Chemical References

• ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1
• Cyclosporins
• Indoles
• NSC73306
• RNA, Small Interfering
• Doxorubicin
• valspodar

Topics

• ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 (antagonists & inhibitors, biosynthesis, genetics, metabolism)
• Carcinoma, Squamous Cell (drug therapy, metabolism, pathology)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Colonic Neoplasms (drug therapy, metabolism)
• Cyclosporins (pharmacology)
• Doxorubicin (pharmacology)
• Drug Resistance, Multiple (drug effects)
• Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
• Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
• Drug Synergism
• Female
• Humans
• Indoles (pharmacology)
• Ovarian Neoplasms (drug therapy, metabolism, pathology)
• RNA, Small Interfering (genetics)