Early steps of the P-glycoprotein expression in cell cultures studied with vital fluorochrome.

This study shows that flow cytometry analysis of the rate of fluorochrome Rh123 efflux may be used for detection of cells at initial steps of P-glycoprotein expression and of minor subpopulations of multidrug-resistant (MDR) variants in human cell lines. This method also evaluates the fraction of low-level MDR cells among peripheral blood leukocytes of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. The alterations in Pgp function were revealed in rat hepatoma cells after short treatment with colchicine.