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Transporter Regulation in Critical Protective Barriers: Focus on Brain and Placenta.
Valerio Taggi1, Mario Riera Romo2, Micheline Piquette-Miller2
1Biopharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.
Pharmaceutics
|July 27, 2022
Summary
Drug transporters impact drug efficacy and toxicity. This review focuses on understanding how diseases affect these transporters in the brain and placenta, highlighting knowledge gaps.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Physiology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Drug transporters are vital for homeostasis and drug disposition.
- Diseases alter drug transporter expression and function.
- Limited research exists on transporter regulation in the brain and placenta.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review literature on drug transporter regulation.
- To focus on the blood-brain barrier and blood-placental barrier.
- To identify knowledge gaps in transporter regulation in these barriers.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of scientific articles.
- Synthesis of current knowledge on transporter regulation.
- Identification of research gaps.
Main Results:
- Drug transporters significantly influence drug absorption, distribution, and elimination.
- Various diseases impact drug transporter activity.
- Significant gaps exist in understanding transporter regulation at the blood-brain and blood-placental barriers.
Conclusions:
- Further research is needed to elucidate drug transporter regulation in the brain and placenta.
- Understanding these transporters is crucial for optimizing drug therapy and minimizing toxicity.
- This review highlights the need for focused studies on P-glycoprotein and other key transporters in these barriers.
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