Low external pH and osmotic shock increase the expression of human MDR protein.

We have studied the effects of extracellular pH (pHo) and osmotic strength on the expression of the human multidrug resistance (MDR) protein. Both lowered pHo and hypertonic shock increase the level of hu MDR protein 5-10-fold in membranes isolated from the human colon carcinoma cell lines SW620 and HCT15 and the human kidney carcinoma line SKRC-39. Increased protein expression is dependent on the duration of acid or osmotic shock and is reversed within several days when normal growth conditions are restored. Quantitative northern blot analysis with a hu MDR 1 specific probe reveals increased MDR mRNA in the acid and hypertonically shocked cells. Interestingly, we find a greater increase in mRNA levels for hypotonically shocked colon cells, without an apparent increase in protein levels. Overexpressing cells are found to retain less [3H]vinblastine relative to cells cultured under normal conditions, and they are resistant to the cytotoxic effects of doxorubicin, vinblastine, and colchicine, but not methotrexate. This resistance appears to be reversed by treatment with verapamil. In contrast, SW620 cells previously induced to overexpress MDR protein via the administration of differentiation agents [Mickley et al. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 18031-18040] did not exhibit decreased retention of [3H]vinblastine; thus low-pHo-induced overexpression of MDR protein in these cells may provide additional factors that promote the full expression of the MDR phenotype. These data may help to explain why many solid tumors (e.g., of colon and kidney origin) develop MDR prior to chemotherapy, since they usually grow under similar acidic conditions. These data also support the contention that MDR protein may play a role in intracellular pH and volume homeostasis.