In vivo cisplatin resistance depending upon canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter (cMOAT)

The in vitro sensitivities to cisplatin of AH66 and AH66F cells, a variant obtained from AH66 cells, were very similar, when assayed in a medium containing 5% fetal bovine serum (FBS), whereas in the in vivo experiments AH66F cells were sensitive and AH66 cells were highly resistant to cisplatin. In this study, we examined the mechanism of the in vivo cisplatin resistance of AH66 cells. The in vitro cisplatin sensitivity of AH66 cells was lowered by changing FBS to 5% ascites fluid (ASF) in the assay medium and the sensitivity in FBS by treatment with buthioninesulfoximine (BSO). The sensitivity of AH66F cells was not changed by these treatments. Moreover, after culture in 5% ASF for 48 h, the accumulation of cisplatin in AH66 cells was decreased and the efflux of cisplatin from the cells was accelerated. The accumulation of cisplatin in AH66 cells in ASF was increased by pretreatment with BSO, sodium azide or probenecid. Then, we examined the expression of the glutathione (GSH) conjugate efflux pump family. Among them, only the expression of canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter (cMOAT) in AH66 cells was decreased by culture in FBS and enhanced by ASF. These results suggest that some substances contained in ASF enhanced the expression of cMOAT in the plasma membrane of AH66 cells and this transporter actively extruded cisplatin-GSH conjugate from the cells. Consequently, AH66 cells afford a cisplatin-resistant tumor in the host.