Inhibition of P-glycoprotein stimulates cell death under Hypoxia-mimicking conditions.

The most common drug resistance mechanism in tumor cells is expression on their surface of the energy-dependent pump like P-glycoprotein (P-gp) that expels chemotherapeutic agents from the interior. An imitation of the hypoxic condition by the iron chelator deferoxamine caused Hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α) stabilization and inhibition of doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in colon cancer НСТ116 cells. P-gp blocker verapamil suppressed doxorubicin accumulation leading to cell death induction. Considering these results, P-gp may be used as a potential target to stimulate chemotherapeutic drugs activity that will contribute to more efficient tumor cells elimination.