RESUMO
Multidrug resistance (MDR) is the major cause of cancer treatment failure. The ATP-binding cassette-B1 (ABCB1) transporter, also known as MDR1 or P-glycoprotein, is thought to promote the efflux of drugs from cells. MDR is also associated with the multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (ABCC1) and the lung resistance-related protein (LRP), a human major vault protein. Moreover, MDR has a complex relationship with lipids. The ABCB1 has been reported to modulate cellular cholesterol homeostasis. Conversely, cholesterol has been reported to modulate multidrug transporters. However, results reported to date are contradictory and confusing. The aim of this study was to investigate whether LDL, HDL, and serum deprivation could influence ABCB1, ABCC1, and LRP expression in a human doxorubicin-resistant uterine sarcoma cell line. ABCB1 and ABCC1 expression increased after 24 h of serum deprivation, and expression returned to basal levels after 72 h. LDL, depending on concentration, increased ABCB1, ABCC1, and LRP expression. ABCB1 expression increased at low HDL, and decreased at high HDL concentrations. We demonstrated that serum deprivation and lipoproteins, particularly LDL, modulated ABCB1 expression and, to a lesser extent, ABCC1 expression. This finding may link the phenomena of drug transport, cholesterol metabolism and cancer.