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Strategies to overcome or circumvent P-glycoprotein mediated multidrug resistance

Hongyu Yuan1, Xun Li, Jifeng Wu

  • 1Institute of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, 44 West Culture Road, 250012 Jinan, Shandong Province, PR China.

Current Medicinal Chemistry
|February 22, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer hinders chemotherapy. This review explores strategies to overcome P-glycoprotein-mediated MDR, focusing on modulators and expression suppression to improve treatment efficacy.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Chemotherapy resistance, known as multidrug resistance (MDR), is a significant challenge in cancer treatment.
  • MDR is frequently linked to the overexpression of P-glycoprotein, a pump that expels drugs from cancer cells.
  • This efflux reduces intracellular drug concentration, decreasing chemotherapy's effectiveness and ATP levels.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advancements in strategies aimed at overcoming P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug resistance.
  • To explore novel approaches for modulating P-glycoprotein activity and expression in cancer therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent research on P-glycoprotein modulators.
  • Analysis of studies investigating methods to suppress P-glycoprotein expression.
  • Synthesis of findings on various strategies to circumvent MDR.

Main Results:

  • Several strategies are being developed to counteract P-glycoprotein's role in MDR.
  • Targeting P-glycoprotein function or expression shows promise in restoring chemosensitivity.
  • Advances include exploring small molecules, gene silencing, and other therapeutic interventions.

Conclusions:

  • Overcoming P-glycoprotein-mediated MDR is crucial for enhancing cancer chemotherapy outcomes.
  • Developing effective P-glycoprotein modulators and expression suppressors remains a key focus in cancer research.
  • Continued research into these strategies holds significant potential for improving patient survival rates.

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