Influence of tumor necrosis factor-alpha on the expression and function of P-glycoprotein in an immortalised rat brain capillary endothelial cell line, GPNT.
الكلمات الدالة
نبذة مختصرة
Drug cerebral pharmacokinetics may be altered in the case of inflammatory diseases. This may be due to a modification of drug transport through the blood-brain barrier, in particular through drug interaction with the membrane efflux transporter, P-glycoprotein. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of the inflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, on the functionality and expression of P-glycoprotein, and on mdr1a and mdr1b mRNA expression in immortalised rat brain endothelial cells, GPNT. Cells were treated with TNF-alpha for 4 days. Levels of mdr1a and mdr1b mRNAs were quantitated using real-time RT-PCR analysis and expression of P-glycoprotein was analyzed by Western blot. The functionality of P-glycoprotein was studied by following the accumulation of [3H]vinblastine in the cells without and with a pre-treatment with a P-glycoprotein inhibitor, GF120918. TNF-alpha increased the levels of mdr1a and mdr1b mRNAs while no effect was observed on protein expression. TNF-alpha increased [3H]vinblastine accumulation indicating a time and concentration-dependent decrease of P-glycoprotein activity. This effect was eliminated when the cells were pre-treated with GF120918. Our observation of a decrease in P-glycoprotein activity could suggest that in the case of inflammatory diseases, brain delivery of P-glycoprotein-dependent drugs can be enhanced.