Reversal of drug resistance in sarcoma-45 by the new calmodulin antagonist--trihydrochloride of [1,2,5-trimethyl-4-phenyl-4-beta-[N-(beta-ethylamino)-N-4'-methoxybe nzy l]-ethylamino] piperidine (AR-2).

The anti-drug resistance effect of three derivatives (AR-1, AR-2 and AR-3) of [1,2,5-trimethyl-4-phenyl-4-beta-(N,N-disubstituted-ethylamino)] piperidines, that were evaluated as calcium and calmodulin antagonists, was studied on doxorubicin (ADM) and vincristine (VCR) resistant Sarcoma-45 inoculated rats. Treatment with ADM (5 mg/kg) or VCR (3 mg/kg) alone, as well as with AR-1, AR-2 or AR-3 (50 mg/kg) alone, had no effect on tumor growth. However, AR-2 in dose 50 mg/kg (calmodulin antagonist), but not AR-1 and AR-3 (calcium channel blocker), administered with ADM (5 mg/kg) or VCR (3 mg/kg), significantly suppressed tumor growth 80% and 70%, respectively. Two rats treated with ADM/AR-2 and one treated with VCR/AR-2 were cured. 170 kDa protein was purified from sarcoma-45 tumor cells to apparent homogeneity by successive steps of phosphocellulose, DEAE-cellulose, and AR-2-coupled sepharose chromatography. The protein proved to be immunopositive with the P-glycoprotein-specific monoclonal antibody. It is concluded that the effect of AR-2 can be explained by both hydrophobic and electrostatic interaction with a protein target (170 kDa P-glycoprotein) in resistant sarcoma-45 tumor cell's membrane.