Expression of P-glycoprotein and multidrug resistance in renal cell carcinoma

The expression of the multidrug-resistance gene product, P-glycoprotein was examined immunohistochemically in 31 untreated human renal cell carcinomas. In 17 of these, chemosensitivity to Adriamycin and vinblastine was also assessed by a microtiter succinate dehydrogenase inhibition test and the correlation between the expression of P-glycoprotein and intrinsic multidrug resistance was investigated. P-glycoprotein was detected in 16 (51.6%) of the 31 carcinomas. In the chemosensitivity test, 14 (82.4%) of the 17 carcinomas were estimated to be resistant to both drugs (multidrug resistant; MDR). Eight (72.7%) of the 11 carcinomas with a positive expression of P-glycoprotein were MDR, and none of them were sensitive of both drugs. On the other hand, MDR carcinomas were not necessarily associated with the expression of P-glycoprotein. Eight (61.5%) of the 13 MDR carcinomas showed a positive expression of P-glycoprotein while the remaining 5 (38.5%) were negative. These results suggest that the expression of P-glycoprotein is an important factor responsible for the intrinsic MDR phenotype of renal cell carcinoma, however, there are probably other factors involved as well which have yet to be fully elucidated.