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Human multidrug resistance ABCB and ABCG transporters: participation in a chemoimmunity defense system

Balázs Sarkadi1, László Homolya, Gergely Szakács

  • 1National Medical Center, Institute of Hematology and Immunology, Membrane Research Group, Budapest, Hungary. sarkadi@biomembrane.hu

Physiological Reviews
|October 4, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Multidrug resistance (MDR) ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters protect against foreign compounds. These conserved proteins form a "chemoimmunity" network, crucial for innate defense in all living systems.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry and Cell Biology
  • Physiology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters, initially identified as multidrug resistance (MDR) proteins, possess critical physiological roles.
  • These transporters are vital for protecting organisms against hydrophobic xenobiotics.
  • Their conserved structure and function across species highlight their fundamental importance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the physiological functions of MDR-ABC transporters.
  • To detail the structure, mechanism, and analysis methods for human MDR-ABC transporters.
  • To explore the roles of specific transporters like ABCB1 and ABCG2 in drug and xenobiotic resistance.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on MDR-ABC transporter physiology.
  • Analysis of structural and mechanistic features of human MDR-ABC transporters.
  • Biochemical, cell biology, and physiological examination of ABCB1 and ABCG2.

Main Results:

  • MDR-ABC transporters play a key role in cancer drug resistance and xenobiotic protection.
  • These transporters exhibit conserved structural and mechanistic properties across all life forms.
  • ABCB1 and ABCG2 are significant MDR-ABC transporters with emerging roles for other ABCB and ABCG types.

Conclusions:

  • MDR-ABC transporters function as a network at cellular and tissue barriers, forming an innate "chemoimmunity" defense system.
  • These transporters are essential for protecting against a wide range of hydrophobic xenobiotics.
  • Understanding MDR-ABC transporters provides insights into innate defense mechanisms and potential therapeutic strategies.

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