Interaction of docetaxel ('Taxotere') with human P-glycoprotein

The interaction of docetaxel ('Taxotere') with P-glycoprotein (P-gp) was examined using porcine kidney epithelial LLC-PK₁ and LLC-GA5-COL150 cells, overexpressing human P-gp selectively on the apical plasma membrane by transfection of human MDR1 cDNA into the LLC-PK₁ cells. The basal-to-apical transport of [¹⁴C]docetaxel in LLC-GA5-COL150 cells significantly exceeded that in LLC-PK₁ cells, but the apical-to-basal transport was decreased in LLC-GAS-COL150 cells. The intracellular accumulation after its basal or apical application to LLC-GA5-COL150 cells was 4- to 20-fold lower than that of LLC-PK₁ cells. Multidrug resistance (MDR) modulators, i.e., cyclosporin A and SDZ PSC 833, inhibited the basal-to-apical transport and increased the apical-to-basal transport of [¹⁴C]docetaxel in LLC-GAS-COL150 cells, but verapamil affected only apical-to-basal transport. The intracellular accumulation after basal or apical application to LLC-GA5-COL150 cells was also increased by these three MDR modulators. These observations demonstrated that docetaxel is a substrate for human P-gp, suggesting that docetaxel-drug interactions occur via P-gp. The inhibition of [¹⁴C]docetaxel transport by the MDR modulators, as well as daunorubicin and vinblastine, was also found in LLC-PK₁ cells, which endogenously express P-gp at lower levels, and concentrations showing similar levels of inhibition were lower than those in the case of LLC-GA5-COL150 cells. These observations indicate that it is necessary to consider the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions of docetaxel via P-gp.