Expression of functionally P-glycoprotein in MA104 kidney cells.

Rhesus monkey kidney MA104 cells are a polarized epithelium with some unusual characteristics, including a resistance to ouabain, although their Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase has normal affinity with this drug. This work suggests that MA104 cells have high expression of functionally P-glycoprotein in their membranes. This was established using four complementary methods to investigate the expression and function of P-glycoprotein in these cells. MA104 cells were strongly resistant to vincristine, which could be reversed by three known P-glycoprotein modulators: verapamil, cyclosporin A and trifluoperazine. In addition, MA104 cells accumulate little rhodamine 123, and the incubation with verapamil increased this accumulation. The mdr1-mRNA was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and a subcloned 283-bp product was identified. Its nucleotide sequence was compared with the related region of human mdr1, showing a high identity (96%) between the two sequences. The expression of P-glycoprotein in the cell membrane was observed by Western blot and immunofluorescence. The results taken together suggest that MA104 cells intrinsically have a high expression of functionally P-glycoprotein in their membranes.