Reversal of vinblastine resistance by a new staurosporine derivative, NA-382, in P388/ADR cells.

Activities of a newly synthesized compound, N-ethoxycarbonyl-7-oxo-staurosporine (NA-382), on cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (A-kinase), Ca2+/phospholipid dependent protein kinase (C-kinase), and drug resistance were investigated and compared with those of staurosporine. Protein kinase-inhibitory activity of NA-382 was lower but more selective to C-kinase than that of staurosporine. NA-382 was less toxic to P388 cells and at a non-cytotoxic concentration completely reversed the vinblastine (VBL) resistance of Adriamycin-resistant P388 (P388/ADR) cells without influence on the effect of VBL on the parental P388/S cells. However, the cytotoxicity of staurosporine was too high to give the combination effect with VBL. NA-382 dose-dependently increased VBL-accumulation and inhibited VBL-efflux in P388/ADR with higher potency than staurosporine. Both compounds inhibited the photolabeling of [3H]azidopine on 140-kDa P-glycoprotein in the plasma membrane from the resistant cells. These results suggest that a staurosporine analog, NA-382, reverses multidrug resistance by inhibiting the drug-efflux system or P-glycoprotein.